WebAIM - Web Accessibility In Mind

E-mail List Archives

Re: how best to convey an OR choice on a form

for

From: Angela French
Date: Aug 24, 2011 3:36PM

Thank you. I look forward to hearing any other ideas.
Angela

-----Original Message-----
From: <EMAIL REMOVED> [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ] On Behalf Of Birkir R. Gunnarsson
Sent: Wednesday, August 24, 2011 1:58 PM
To: WebAIM Discussion List
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] how best to convey an OR choice on a form

Hi

When I fill in a form, I generally jump to the first field using "e"
"c" or other shortcut key, but then I use the arrow keys to move through the form. That would give you the option of putting a sentence in before the 3 lists that says "please select only one choice from one of the next 3 listboxes, you can only selet one choice from one of them". Use Javascript to disable the other two lists once a value has been selected from one.
I think that would do just fine.
I am wondering if you could use a radio button creatively that says a. I wish to choose county (as an example) 2. I wish to choose city 3. I wish to choose zip code.

Then you can enable the appropriate list after the user makes the radiobutton choice.
That is the other approach that would make sense to me.
-B

On 8/24/11, Angela French < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
> Hello,
> I would appreciate any advice on how to best convey that a user has an "OR"
> choice about two (or more) different form fields they can fill out on
> a form. I don't mean these as optional, but as mandatory OR.
>
> For example:
>
> Select from this drop down list number 1 OR Select from this drop down
> list number 2 OR Select from this drop down list number 3
>
> My concern is how to keep the user from wasting their time selecting
> from the drop list one or two only to find out they would have
> preferred to select from number 3. Wouldn't it be hard for a screen
> reader user to backtrack ?
>
> Thank you
>
> Angela French
> Internet Specialist
> State Board for Community and Technical Colleges
> 360-704-4316
> <EMAIL REMOVED>
> http://www.checkoutacollege.com<;http://www.checkoutacollege.com/>;
>
>