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Re: High Contrast Control Option

for

From: Cliff Tyllick
Date: Jan 11, 2015 10:07PM

You're right, Jonathan—full user control of styles has not yet come to the mobile experience. But it will. (Android and iOS and, I assume, Windows for Mobile do already provide users with reverse- and high-contrast options. Not the same, but at least some control.)

For some organizations, the corporate branding does provide color combinations with contrast adequate to meet the WCAG 2.0 values for meaningful content. Others might decide to tweak their branding palette to that end. Still others might decide to use the corporate colors for design and highlight, not for content.

But all people who have a stake in website design should be made aware that there is no such thing as color combinations or even contrast levels that work for everyone. Some people with low vision need large print with low contrast, and some need specific color combinations so they can read comfortably.

So, yes, by all means produce a design that represents the organization's brand well and meets the contrast thresholds of WCAG 2.0—at least SC 1.4.3; preferably, especially for mobile, SC 1.4.6. But unless you just don't care about people who need to customize the appearance so they can do business with you, also make sure that all colors used in the presentation of meaningful content are set through CSS. Doing so allows the user to more easily customize the appearance to meet their needs, and, in my opinion, meets SC 1.4.8.

Cliff Tyllick

Sent from my iPhone
Although its spellcheck often saves me, all goofs in sent messages are its fault.

On Jan 11, 2015, at 2:24 PM, Jonathan Avila < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:

>> And we wouldn't expect every user to have one, but each user can set up a stylesheet that presents the text as they need it, regardless of how you've designed it
>
> While this may be true in the PC environment -- mobile browsers in large do not support such functionality.
>
> I believe the intent of the SC 1.4.3 Contrast Minimum is to allow for sufficient contrast regardless of a user knowing about or having access to change CSS preferences. Perhaps I'm expecting too much but I want sufficient contrast while still having access to the design colors that represent the website.
>
> Jonathan
>
> --
> Jonathan Avila
> Chief Accessibility Officer
> SSB BART Group
> <EMAIL REMOVED>
> 703-637-8957 (o)
>
>
>