WebAIM - Web Accessibility In Mind

E-mail List Archives

Re: Using color to distinguish a visual element

for

From: Jablonski, James (LNI)
Date: Dec 9, 2008 3:35PM

Greetings all,

Another consideration is for those who rely on hands-free solutions to
run their computers. Voice recognition is one example.

With the more expensive editions of Dragon NaturallySpeaking (the market
leading software) I can command a link to be invoked simply by saying
the text of the link, *if* I know that a link is there, and how to
pronounce it. With Dragon, if I know the command, I can command "Click
Text Link" and even if I don't know where the links are, Dragon will
find them and number them. I can then command it "Choose x" (where x is
its number for the link I want). This will not work for server-side
links, and it will not work on secured pages. The more expensive
editions of Dragon are very robust. The more affordable editions and
competing products are not necessarily able to do this.

My point is that with the consistency of standard, blue underlined
links, a hands-free user will find the page much more accessible. Folks
who use computers with other input methods like head wands, mouth wands,
switches, sip-and-puff, etc. *really need accessibility*. They are not
going to be using a pointing device to sort of scribble-scrabble over
the screen to see if maybe that colored text, or that underlined or bold
or visually arresting thing holds a secret passage to where lies
something of additional value or function. Consistency is critical.

James
James Jablonski, Assistive Technology Consultant
Washington State, Department of Labor & Industries
<EMAIL REMOVED> (360) 902-5888 FAX (360) 902-6300