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From: Wendy R. Mullin
Date: Sep 10, 2001 9:53AM


>I have not found anything in the guidelines in regards to links opening
>within a new window. However I might have missed this. Can anyone provide
>any feedback regarding this?
This is a W3C-WAI Priority 2 guideline.
See http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG/wai-pageauth.html#tech-avoid-pop-ups
"Priority 2: 10.1 Until user agents allow users to turn off spawned
windows, do not cause pop-ups or other windows to appear and do not change
the current window without informing the user."
Most experienced Web users realize what happens when they select a link
that takes them to a new window. They can explore the Web in this new
window. Or they can close the window and go back to the original
site. However, for "inexperienced" Web users, or for users with some
functional impairments, this can cause confusion.
By my understanding, some screen-readers alert users when they have been
"switched" to a new window. However, other screen readers do not alert the
user when this has happened. If you, as the user, cannot "see" a new
window pop up on your screen, you may get lost or confused as to where you
are in the site. This might also cause confusion to some individuals with
cognitive disabilities.
If you feel you need to open a new window, then alert the user. Some web
developers are now putting "(Opens new browser window.)" behind the link
that opens a new window. An acquaintance of mine who is blind and uses
Windows-Eyes finds this method useful when he is using Web sites.
See http://webaccess.scetv.org/training.html for an example. This is one
section of a site developed by the SC Web Site Accessibility Workgroup,
which has been working towards providing Web accessibility training for Web
developers/designers in SC state government.
While this is not a Priority 1 WAI guideline nor a Section 508 standard,
this is one more step that a Web developer can do to make a site more
accessible to a portion of the population.

Wendy R. Mullin
Web Developer, University of South Carolina
1244 Blossom Street, Columbia, South Carolina 29208
voice: 803-777-6785 | fax: 803-777-4149
<EMAIL REMOVED> | http://isg.csd.sc.edu/~wmullin/