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revisiting links to document downloads

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From: Angela French
Date: Jun 16, 2011 1:06PM

I am working on a plan to make our state agency's website accessible. There are many issues, but one in particular is giving me a headache - how to present, in a consistent manner site-wide, links to documents for download.

Here is an example of one current implementation: http://sbctc.edu/college/f_operatingbudget.aspx . As you can see, there are two main issues here. One is that a table is used as the presentation method. This table isn't constructed correctly as there are no table headers. The second is that the actual link (the PDF icon) is not associated with its title which is the preceding table cell. I imagine this makes it hard for screen reader users to comprehend the page content, and of course links mode is not possible at all. But for the sighted person, the construct works well design-wise.

These document links could be presented as a list of links with the document category (for example 2011-13 Budget Request) represented as a heading. The problem (visually) with this approach is that different list links on different pages would have these category headings at various heading levels depending on the page context. I would like to come up with a consistent presentational approach.

Here is an example of another current implementation: http://sbctc.edu/college/_e-assessreports.aspx. As this presentation spans over multiple years, it does "fit" well in a table in that it is a condensed use of page real estate. Put again, no table headers, and no association of document link with the actual title of the document.

Then there is this page, where it is unlikely that any user, sighted or not, has a clue what the document icons open! http://sbctc.edu/general/a_strategictechplan.aspx

See what I'm up against? If any screen reader users would chime in on this one, I'd be grateful. The goal: a consistent approach to presenting documents for download that is accessible and uses screen real estate in a conservative manner.

Thanks!

Angela French
Internet Specialist
State Board for Community and Technical Colleges
360-704-4316
<EMAIL REMOVED>
http://www.checkoutacollege.com<;http://www.checkoutacollege.com/>;