Thread Subject: Re: Low visionconcern -graphics as navigationaltools

From: tom brett
Date: Mon, Apr 23 2007 8:50 AM

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I would also think that the use of Firefox would be forbidden as a possible
network security issue just like IE7. The only issue that I have with using
IE 7 is the limited magnification that is provided as part of it. Even
using the 'largest' under VIEW is not sufficient for me in some cases.



From: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
[mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On Behalf Of Smith,
Jamie
Sent: Monday, April 23, 2007 10:30 AM
To: TEITAC Web/Software Subcommittee
Subject: Re: [teitac-websoftware] Low vision concern -graphics as
navigationaltools



At this time because IE 7 doesn't work with our State Human Resource
Program, everyone has to use IE 6. No upgrades allowed. Firefox will not
work the State Human Resource Program either. I've been wanting to look at
IE 7 but until the state program is fixed all state workers must use IE 6.



_____

From: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
[mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On Behalf Of Sean Hayes
Sent: Monday, April 23, 2007 9:25 AM
To: TEITAC Web/Software Subcommittee
Subject: Re: [teitac-websoftware] Low vision concern -graphics as
navigationaltools

I can't speak to Firefox (obviously); but IE 7 does indeed enlarge graphics;
and if the image is provided with sufficient resolution will do so in a
manner which preserves readability. IE7 does not however scale the tooltip
generated from alt text or title attribute.



I do agree with the original post that we have focused quite heavily on the
contrast aspect of high visibility. Providing adequate resolution is another
equally important aspect which requires recording. WCAG does have a
requirement that text can be adequately scaled; I believe this should
probably extend to graphics resources.



Sean Hayes
Standards and Policy Team
Corporate Accessiblity Group
Microsoft
Phone:
mob +44 7977 455002
office +44 117 9719730



From: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
[mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On Behalf Of tom brett
Sent: 23 April 2007 14:03
To: 'TEITAC Web/Software Subcommittee'
Subject: Re: [teitac-websoftware] Low vision concern - graphics as
navigationaltools



<<Is this tru for IE and FireFox?



Yes IE and Firefox do not enlarge the graphics.





<<? If these items are coded correctly with alt-attributes does that
resolve this problem for the user group you are talking about?



I would think that a great many low vision users do not use speech out put.
Many low vision users need to have the text and images enlarged to make them
clearer or in some cases visible. While I have trained myself to be able to
use screen readers I do find the speech output to be annoying sometimes and
prefer to use zoomtext instead. Even if the graphic is coded correctly the
user would need to hold the mouse over the graphic image in order to view
the alt text.





.









From: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
[mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On Behalf Of Hoffman,
Allen
Sent: Monday, April 23, 2007 8:53 AM
To: TEITAC Web/Software Subcommittee
Subject: Re: [teitac-websoftware] Low vision concern - graphics as
navigationaltools



let me write down what i read from this:



people who are low-vision who are not using a screen magnification assistive
technology have difficulty using graphics-based navigation items because
they are not resizeable without the use of AT. Is this tru for IE and
FireFox? If these items are coded correctly with alt-attributes does that
resolve this problem for the user group you are talking about? Is this more
a problem based on use of image maps that are not coded with alt-attributes
or individual graphics used as clickable items--this is often done in
JavaScript AJAX type applications.







Allen Hoffman -- 202-447-0303





_____

From: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
[mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On Behalf Of Smith,
Jamie
Sent: Friday, April 20, 2007 8:32 PM
To: TEITAC Web/Software Subcommittee
Subject: [teitac-websoftware] Low vision concern - graphics as
navigationaltools

I am very concerned that the needs of low vision persons are being "left
behind". I work for Florida Blind Services and many of our customers are
blind. We have more people whose needs aren't being met because of low
vision issues than speech or Braille users though their concerns are also
near and dear to my heart.




Many users that have low vision use ONLY their browsers and operating
systems for accessibility needs.



They are not using special AT. (NOTE --- I have a cognitive disability and
also do not use AT - folks without AT that rely on browsers or operating
systems may be left behind beyond the low vision users which I am writing
about.)



Great sites like http://www.usa.gov/webcontent/index.shtml are using images
as their main navigation tool. Our low vision users that are not using AT
cannot access the navigation tools.



Because of css has power to make a link look like a button I don't
understand why web developers are still married to using a graphic for
navigation rather than text. It is because of a great site like
http://www.usa.gov/webcontent/index.shtml still using a format for
navigation that is not usable by a low vision user with AT, that I feel we
need to have some standard to meet this need.



Every person with a disability does not have AT. Nor does have one with a
disability need to purchase a high cost AT device if the creators of such
sites understood the need. Unfortunately, even understanding the need many
not be enough, so I would feel better if we had a item to meet this need.
It could be something to the effect that navigation items shall not use
graphics unless they are of the type that allow for enlargement (don't know
technical term).. Graphics (that can't be enlarged) in text that are
needed to understand text should be required to use the old d html link
description. Alt tags be they short or long descriptions don't help low
vision users that don't have AT.



Color contrast issues have been a lower issue for my users than the issue of
graphics for navigation, followed by graphics that were needed to under the
text (e.g. org chart). I don't see any item meeting this need. I could be
mistaken. I just want to be sure that we meet everyone's needs. Everyone
here wants to do that as well. So I feel comfortable bringing it up. This
is a great group of persons!





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