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XHTML tab order and Flash

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From: Steven Henderson
Date: Aug 18, 2009 4:55AM

Hello all,



I am hoping that somebody here could help me with a theoretical Flash issue
that I have.



Having read about and deployed a fair amount of accessible XHTML there is a
big grey area that I see with Flash. I understand using techniques such as
swfobject allow graceful Flash features to be available in place of XHTML,
which is great for screen readers or non-Flash users as they won't need to
know Flash is there (Flash visually pimps what is available to everyone else
in XHTML).



Now, my query is, where do people with mobility difficulties fit into the
picture? Tabbing an XHTML page will skip Flash objects from my experience
... but in my view, people with mobility difficulties are just as likely to
be visually capable as your stereotypical Flash users, thus they would
surely engage with the page using a form of tabbing? And if so, what
advantages does swfobject or other accessible Flash solutions offer these
people? As under these circumstances, they would have to find another way to
engage with a Flash feature, or would they?



I would be very interested in other people's opinions and experiences with
mobility users regarding mixed XHTML/Flash content.



Steven