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Re: question about Div tags and content images

for

From: Andrew Kirkpatrick
Date: Jan 27, 2005 2:04PM


Sean,
You are correct to be concerned. If there is content in the images
then the images (or the equivalent content, as in image replacement
techniques) need to be in the HTML. If there isn't content, then the
images can be referenced in the CSS.

Sounds like the site you're looking at is doing the wrong thing.
AWK

On Jan 27, 2005, at 3:51 PM, skeegan wrote:

>
> I am starting to come across websites using DIV tags to load images
> that
> contain content. When using JAWS or Window-Eyes, both apps seem to
> ignore
> the presence of this information (not even a notification that the
> content
> is even present on the screen).
>
> I read up on the W3C specifications regarding the DIV and SPAN tags,
> and
> this seems to be an inappropriate use of the tag to display images
> containing content requiring the alt-attribute. It appears the DIV
> tag is
> loading a background image from an external style sheet.
>
> Two questions:
>
> 1. Is there a way to place an alternative text attribute to
> communicate
> information to screen-readers?
>
> 2. Is this just an improper use of the DIV tag and should developers
> be
> made aware that this image and content should be placed using the IMG
> tag?
>
> Thanks for any thoughts. I am looking for some outside reinforcement
> (after
> dealing with some developers) as to whether I am going in the right
> direction or just totally loony.
>
> Take care,
> Sean
>
> Sean Keegan
> Web Accessibility Instructor
> High Tech Center Training Unit for the
> California Community Colleges
> Cupertino, CA
> 408.996.6044
>
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>
>
AWK

--
Andrew Kirkpatrick
WGBH National Center for Accessible Media
125 Western Ave.
Boston, MA 02134
E-mail: <EMAIL REMOVED>
617.300.4420