WebAIM - Web Accessibility In Mind

E-mail List Archives

Re: Dreamweaver Layers

for

From: Dey Alexander
Date: Apr 19, 2003 4:52PM


"Layers" is a Dreamweaver term for HTML <div> elements which are
usually, but not always, used together with stylesheets to handle
layout. This method of handling layout is preferred over the use of
HTML tables, at least according to the W3C's Web Content Accessibility
Guidelines (but is often not used because it can cause problems for
users of version 4.x browsers).

Layers are not inherently accessible or inaccessible - it depends
entirely on how they are implemented.

If you are using them on your project, you should check the page
rendering, and in particular the read order, with stylesheets turned
off. You don't need any special equipment to do this. One way is to
user your own browser to override stylesheets. For Internet Explorer, go
to Tools > Internet Options, and then select the Accessibility button at
bottom right. Check (to enable) each of the three format override
options. Then view your page. There's also an online tool you can use.
Go to http://www.delorie.com/web/wpbcv.html and check (to enable) all of
the options except stylesheets. Then type in the URL for the page you
want to check.

Cheers,
Dey



----
To subscribe, unsubscribe, or view list archives,
visit http://www.webaim.org/discussion/