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Re: Using Tables

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From: Donna Lettow
Date: Feb 14, 2012 7:12AM

Don't get me wrong -- I'm not actually talking about IE6. I do understand the need to not code for IE6. (However, my entire agency just stopped using it a couple years ago, so I also understand that it's still out there.)

I'm talking about people who won't jump to use IE 10 the day it comes out because IE7 or 8 gets them where they need to go -- and likewise see no point to trying a different brand of browser. I'm talking about people who have learned enough to navigate their way around and do what they need to do with a TAB key, some arrows and a few basic commands. They're not Power Users because in their lives they don't need to be. And, yes, it's about some who don't have $1,000 to keep dropping on newer versions of JAWS that can support this constantly tweaked new technology because they need to pay their rent instead.

Electronic accessibility has opened a whole new world for some of my constituents. I just ask that you remember the non-Power Users when you're pulling out your bag of new toys and make sure they can still use them, too. It's one thing when some clueless hot-shot Flash programmer puts together a site that someone with basic screen reader skills can't access. It would be a shame if we the a11y community developed a class of "accessible" sites that turned out to be not so accessible to a certain class of screen reader users.

Sorry for the soap box, but among my co-workers are both Power Users and non-Power Users, and it's always illuminating when I need to test something.

Donna Lettow
Staff Specialist, Electronic Accessibility & Internal Communication
MD Division of Rehabilitation Services

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