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Re: Browser zooming sufficient for WCAG 1.4.4 (resize text)

for

From: Jonathan Avila
Date: Jun 29, 2015 9:20AM

> If authors ONLY design for EXACT known breakpoint sizes, then their sites will break on devices which don't have those exact screen measurements either...nothing to do with font sizes, or zooming.

Let's take an example, say I have breakpoints at 800px and 480px. I have a media query for 800px and greater and one for less than 800px but greater than or equal to 480px and one for less than 480.

Say I change my window width to 555px -- I will get the media query for < 800 but >H0 and the text size will be whatever the author defined at that point no changes in device pixel ratio. The page will appear as intended for that media query even though I have an odd width.

On the other hand if I zoom using browser zoom my width changes and the device pixel ratio changes. So say I zoom in to approximately 555px. My device pixel ratio may have also changed -- say to 1.5. If the responsive site was not created using fluid techniques and instead was create with techniques that hide overflow and have max heights, etc. text could be truncated for the zoom user.

In this case of Paciello Group's site the site was created with fluid designs and thus appear correctly with the device pixel ratio is increased but other sites do not work like it does. In my experience responsive sites tend to not get horizontal scrollbars with browser zoom like most non-responsive sites do If content is truncated you have to change your zoom level until you reach a breakpoint. This could require the user to zoom to a higher amount that isn't as effective for the user.

Jonathan

-- 
Jonathan Avila 
Chief Accessibility Officer
SSB BART Group 
<EMAIL REMOVED>
Phone 703.637.8957  
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