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Re: server-side image maps and automated tools

for

From: William Lawrence
Date: Oct 14, 2010 7:51AM

It's like this:

One rule said that if you have a server side image map with links,
then replicate those same links in HTML on the pages where that server
side image map is.

The second rule said if the geometric shapes desired can be done with
client side image maps then don’t use server side image maps.

When these rules were written, many user agents could not define
complex polygons; now the user agents (browsers) that most folks care
about can and do.

The purpose of identifying server side image maps in automated
assessment tools is to draw attention to where they exist in a website
so that the managing team of that website can make some decisions.
Those decisions ought to include replacing all server side image maps
with more appropriate navigation elements. However the policy (dealing
with legacy content) and resources (knowledge of efficient navigation)
of the website team may dictate that simply providing redundant text
links is best within the scope of their remediation efforts.

So yes, it’s important for automated assessment tools to check both of
those checkpoints of Section 508. This will make the work of a
checklist/VPAT lover very happy.



On Thu, Oct 14, 2010 at 4:47 AM, Shrirang Prakash Sahasrabudhe
< <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
> Hi all,
> The question is about use of server-side image Maps and how automated assessment tools report the error.
> Section 508 has two provisions to handle this.
> (e) Redundant text links shall be provided for each active region of a server-side image map.
> (f) Client-side image maps shall be provided instead of server-side image maps except where the regions cannot be defined with an available geometric shape.
>
> I believe, good browsers are designed to make client-side image maps usable. So the first preferred solution is Use client-side image maps. That is (F)
> But In  case if you have to use Server-Side image maps, include a text link to every possible url the server-side image map might take the user. That is (E)
> Is it necessary for an automated checker to give both the solutions?
>  or only client side image map solution would suffice?
> Thanks
> Shrirang
>
>
>
> Shrirang Prakash Sahasrabudhe
> Product Technical Lead
> Accessibility Specialist- SET Labs
> blog: http://www.infosysblogs.com/web2/
>
>