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Re: where should be the default focus on search resultpage?

for

From: Jim Thatcher
Date: Dec 21, 2006 9:30AM

Good work Shri,

Bim wrote:
> So if the H3 Search Results heading is subordinate to logical H1 and H2
> headings it would be correct, but choosing H3 as the level without being
> part of the page heirarchy would be incorrect.

Putting any html heading at the top of the search results is KEY and an
excellent accessibility accommodation. I disagree that the hierarchy is
incorrect or important or and accessibility problem - something that I harp
on frequently. This is an example of the fact that structure of headings for
web pages is nonsense. I good designer would set out the various "heading"
types, with all their presentation characteristics. Some would be h1's, some
h2's etc. The idea being any time you SEE and h2 its style would be the
same. Now comes a search result page. The only heading relevant is in the
designer's h3 set. That doesn't mean that the design should change - just
use an h3. No problem.

Jim
Accessibility Consulting
http://jimthatcher.com

-----Original Message-----
From: <EMAIL REMOVED>
[mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ] On Behalf Of Egan, Bim
Sent: Thursday, December 21, 2006 3:56 AM
To: WebAIM Discussion List
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] where should be the default focus on search
resultpage?

Hi again Shri,

With regard to the focus on any page, please just leave it to the users
browser. If you use mechanisms to force focus to any other element, this
may confuse the site visitor and could create a difference between the page
focus and a screen reader's focus, which would certainly confuse screen
reader users.

Why have you chosen H3 as the heading level for Search Results on the Search
Results page? What other headings are there? Obviously the beginning of
the results must have a structured heading, but it should be part of a
logical heirarchy. So if the H3 Search Results heading is subordinate to
logical H1 and H2 headings it would be correct, but choosing H3 as the level
without being part of the page heirarchy would be incorrect.

Hope this helps.

Kind regards,

Bim