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Skipping several levels of navigational links (repost)

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From: Rachel
Date: Apr 18, 2003 6:25AM

My apologies for reposting this email, but someone
pointed out to me I've been posting to the wrong
WebAim email address, so I wanted to repost the
question I sent yesterday (see below).

Does anyone on the list who uses screen readers have
opinions on having several levels of skip navigation?

We're working on a Web-based application that has 3
levels of navigational menus on many pages.

There are anywhere from two to seven buttons, in each
level of navigation.

If you click on a button in the top level of
navigation (and go to that page), the buttons that are
in the second level of navigation change. In other
words, your options at the second level depend on what
you selected at the first level.

Same thing happens for the second and third level of
navigation.

Currently, I have a skip feature at each level.

At the top of the first set of links, there's a skip
that says "Skip main navigation." That links to a skip
at the second set, that says "Skip secondary
navigation." And that links to another skip at the
third set, that says "Skip third level navigation."
That links to the main body.

I was thinking that this would be helpful because it
gives you a sense of the navigational hierarchy. And,
if you select a top level button and go to its page,
you can skip directly to the set of buttons that
belong under that top level button.

However, I'm wondering whether all of this is
overkill. Will people who use screen readers truly
find this useful? Or is it just extra auditory clutter
they need to wade through, and should I go back to
only having one skip, that skips all navigation?

Note that it's easier for us to keep the three levels,
at this point.

I'm sighted, so I appreciate your feedback!

Thanks, as always,
Rachel Sengers


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