WebAIM - Web Accessibility In Mind

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RE: Accessibility Observations

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From: Goula, Gina
Date: Feb 26, 2002 5:57AM

"Why not just design a site that is visually appealing, but linear? I
realize designers (especially corporate designers) don't want to sacrifice
visual appeal and layout for the sighted just because they have to also make
it accessible."


I think that I'll be designing 2 sites for the same content. Accessible
sites that are linear sites, text only, whatever makes it easier for those
with "mouse" difficulties.

Regarding "sacrificing visual appeal" - Designers design interfaces
depending on what the content is. Visual "weighting" of images and content
on a page plays a huge role in marketing. You move content that isn't
getting the "click" attention higher up on the page, change the text to red,
etc....

From the Web Design Wow Book:

If the site is designed as a tool - to allow visitors to get the tech
support information they seek or to buy tickets to ride a commuter train -
the interface should be transparent so users can get what they came for.

If the site's primary goal is education, the interface needs to be engaging
enough to encourage participation and learning.

If the site is intended to promote or sell a product or service, the
interface has a big role to play in making it easy for potential buyers to
get he information they need to make a decision. It has to help motivate
them to take action......


Gina
Gina M. Goula
Web Designer
DynCorp Systems & Solutions, LLC
(703) 261-5113
"My life has a superb cast - but I can't figure out the plot" - - Ashleigh
Brilliant


-----Original Message-----
From: Raleigh Way [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ]
Sent: Tuesday, February 26, 2002 7:25 AM
To: <EMAIL REMOVED>
Subject: Accessibility Observations



Hello everyone,

I have been monitoring dialogue about accessibility issues on several lists
for the past few months. I am relatively new to accessibility and Web page
design, but not quite an amateur; I know what is required to make a page
accessible, I know the limitations of the browsers, CSS, screen reading
software, Web page layout (usability), etc. Here is my observation:

Think for a minute about the many browsers and screen reading software in
use. We must assume there is every possible combination in use out there.
In my opinion, it is impossible to accommodate every situation. It is
unrealistic to assume that every combination of browser/screen reader can
access every "accessible" web page no matter how well it was constructed.
Ok, then, what does work? What is the common denominator? The answer I
keep coming back to is linearity. I've surfed a lot of sites designed for
people with disabilities, e.g., schools for the blind, and the one thing
that I notice is that the sites are linear. By linear design, I mean
left-to-right layout of text to accommodate older screen readers.

Imagine going into a site (blind) and having to figure out the page layout
and jump from one column to another before you could focus on content.
Section 508 says that you can only use a text-only version of a site if all
else fails. After speaking to several blind people about this, they said
they prefer the text-only version because they don't have to puddle-jump
through a site designed for the sited/retrofitted for the blind because it
is more linear. They prefer a smooth ride to jumping around, so I'm
starting to disagree with the "You can't use a text-only version". Hmmm...
Why not just design the main site linearly? Why not just design a site that
is visually appealing, but linear? I realize designers (especially
corporate designers) don't want to sacrifice visual appeal and layout for
the sighted just because they have to also make it accessible. Don't get me
wrong, I'm not criticizing anyone; it's just that we find ourselves in a
situation that does not have any easy answer, and I'm grappling with trying
to find something that works.

Assistive Technology still has a way to go before it is up to speed. Right
now, most of us are trying to do the best we can to