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Thread: Accessibility, Flash and wmode
Number of posts in this thread: 5 (In chronological order)
From: Stephanie Sullivan
Date: Sun, Jul 25 2004 9:28PM
Subject: Accessibility, Flash and wmode
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Hi guys... Tonight I was writing an article about Flash and JS dropdowns and
wanted to include info about accessibility... Using the WMODE transparent,
in most browsers, makes the Flash possible to hide when the JS menus drop
over it. However, I can't discern what that does with screen readers. The
only info I can find on it that has much info is at WebAIM...
To test what webaim.org was saying about hiding Flash, I downloaded Windows
Eyes and JAWS to try it out and to see if I could figure out my
"transparent" question ... Problem is, I can't find any inaccessible Flash
right now in order to test my theories and see if it become accessible.
Perhaps it's because I have the newest versions of these screen readers?
Does anyone with a screen reader know of a page with Flash that behaves as
WebAIM says below:
"Take any number of Flash banner adds ('punch the monkey' comes to mind),
for example. Often, a little Flash movie on your Web page can make the
entire Web page totally inaccessible via the keyboard or screen reader. To
hide Flash content from both Web browser and screen readers, add the WMODE
option to both the OBJECT and EMBED tags of your the Web page containing the
Flash movie." (this is WMODE opaque that they mention)
I, of course, can't even find Punch the monkey (or kangaroo) right now...
Though I've tried. And I've tried other Flash that does not have the opaque
mode and it is accessible. I've tried Flash tests at Juicy Studio, but those
only give me an example of ACCESSIBLE Flash, not inaccessible.
What I need to know is -- on the screen readers where Flash IS a problem
(don't know what they are), what happens if the WMODE is set to transparent
instead of opaque.
Feel free to contact me off list if you have any information on what screen
reader I might need to download to have the problem. Or even if you know the
answer to my question. Thanks!
Stephanie Sullivan
Co-Author .: "Macromedia Dreamweaver MX 2004 Magic" :. New Riders
CommunityMX Partner :: http://www.communitymx.com/author.cfm?cid=1008
VioletSky Design :: http://www.violetsky.net
"Destiny is not a matter of chance; it is a matter of choice. It is not a
thing to be waited for; it is a thing to be achieved." -William Jennings
Bryan
From: Andrew Kirkpatrick
Date: Mon, Jul 26 2004 6:05AM
Subject: Re: Accessibility, Flash and wmode
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> Hi guys... Tonight I was writing an article about Flash and JS dropdowns and
> wanted to include info about accessibility... Using the WMODE transparent,
> in most browsers, makes the Flash possible to hide when the JS menus drop
> over it. However, I can't discern what that does with screen readers. The
> only info I can find on it that has much info is at WebAIM...
WMODE="transparent" makes flash invisible to screen readers. Whether the
setting is transparent or opaque, the result is the same.
Screen readers have been getting much better at suppressing this type of
refreshing. You may be able to change the settings on the screen reader to
allow more frequent activeX refreshes and recreate the bad effect.
AWK
From: Stephanie Sullivan
Date: Mon, Jul 26 2004 8:49AM
Subject: Re: Accessibility, Flash and wmode
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On 7/26/04 8:08 AM, "andrew_kirkpatrick" simply typed the following:
> WMODE="transparent" makes flash invisible to screen readers. Whether the
> setting is transparent or opaque, the result is the same.
Ahhhhh... Really? Thank you so much. Weird thing... I've also found that is
the same issue when you want Flash to stay BEHIND a DHTML layer (menu
system)... Macromedia's technote says that you make the wmode transparent,
but opaque seems to work as well.
And WebAIM says to make the Flash invisible you use opaque, but transparent
works as well...
I was up working on this till 4am. Not much documentation I could
find. Thanks for your input Andrew... I'm beginning to wonder if there's a
glitch in Flash since opaque shouldn't do what it's doing (according to
MM)...
>
> Screen readers have been getting much better at suppressing this type of
> refreshing. You may be able to change the settings on the screen reader to
> allow more frequent activeX refreshes and recreate the bad effect.
Yes... They're so good at it I couldn't make the new ones choke when I
tried. ;)
Stephanie Sullivan
Co-Author .: "Macromedia Dreamweaver MX 2004 Magic" :. New Riders
CommunityMX Partner :: http://www.communitymx.com/author.cfm?cid=1008
VioletSky Design :: http://www.violetsky.net
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."
- Edmund Burke
From: design
Date: Sun, Aug 01 2004 6:09PM
Subject: Re: Accessibility, Flash and wmode
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On 7/26/04 10:51 AM, "design" simply typed the following:
> I was up working on this till 4am. <sigh /> Not much documentation I could
> find. Thanks for your input Andrew... I'm beginning to wonder if there's a
> glitch in Flash since opaque shouldn't do what it's doing (according to
> MM)...
Hi guys... Just thought I'd give you the ending to this saga in case anyone
ever needs this info. ;) The free article I was writing is completed and
available here:
http://www.communitymx.com/content/article.cfm?cid=E5141
It's more about DHTML Menus, but shows how the same technique hides
non-essential Flash from screen readers.
Mainly though, since I ended up talking to the Macromedia Flash guys to get
clarification, I thought it might be interesting to some who simply have
wondered how Flash works, why it can have issues and ways around those.
Stephanie Sullivan
Co-Author .: "Macromedia Dreamweaver MX 2004 Magic" :. New Riders
CommunityMX Partner :: http://www.communitymx.com/author.cfm?cid=1008
VioletSky Design :: http://www.violetsky.net
"The great thing in the world is not so much where we stand, as in what
direction we are moving." - Oliver Wendell Holmes
From: mark-fletcher
Date: Mon, Aug 02 2004 3:10AM
Subject: Re: Accessibility, Flash and wmode
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Hey Steph.
Great article, thanks!
Best,
Mark
----- Original Message -----
From: "design" < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = >
> Hi guys... Just thought I'd give you the ending to this saga in case
anyone
> ever needs this info. ;) The free article I was writing is completed and
> available here:
>
> http://www.communitymx.com/content/article.cfm?cid=E5141