Re: another example of HTMl 5 canvas with interactive UI elements.

Lachlan Hunt wrote:
> Steven Faulkner wrote:
>> http://tools.mozilla.com/
>>
>> non mouse users get a link to a html version
>>   http://tools.mozilla.com/simple.html
>>
>> Reminds me of alternatives offered to flash content.
>>
>> We have the opportunity to work out how to allow developers to provide an
>> accessible canvas based UI controls, before users with disabilities are
>> ghettoised by the inherent inaccessibility of canvas as currently
>> specced.
>
> One relatively simple way to make that particular example accessible
> would be to make use of an image map.  The technique could work
> something like this.
>
> Overlay the canvas with a stretched transparent image of the same size
> has the canvas.  The image then needs to be associated with an image map.
>
> For each icon represented on the canvas, an associated <area> element
> needs to be created by the script with its co-ordinates set to the
> position of the corresponding icon.  Appropriate alternate text is also
> needed for each one.  When icons on the canvas are moved, the image map
> areas need to be dynamically updated also.  With each area being
> focussable, this would add support for keyboard navigation.
>
> The image and each area element would listen for and respond to events,
> such as mouse movement, clicking, and keyboard events. These events then
> trigger the appropriate animation or reorganisation of the icons.
>
> When a blurb is shown after clicking on an icon, focus would need to be
> given to it so that screen readers would be made aware of and read their
> content.

This kind of thing seems to me a ridiculous level of complexity and a
retrograde step in web development.

Josh

Received on Thursday, 9 July 2009 22:11:10 UTC