WebAIM - Web Accessibility In Mind

E-mail List Archives

Re: Image maps

for

From: Mallory
Date: Jan 23, 2020 4:40AM

It would be ideal if at least the clickable areas could be keyboarded, and if the map would still work if zoomed.

That doesn't deal with totally-blind screen reader users but it does help a LOT of people with other disabilities (motor, low-vision).

That means named controls that are input-agnostic and an ability for the map to ensure text and borders on it can remain sharp (so using vectors. If using <canvas> then it would need to re-render new glyphs to keep them sharp, rather than just zooming the original image's text).

Then if it's difficult to use if you're totally-blind with a screen reader, your other options need to work well enough that a user can be like "okay, I'll search post codes" or find the table listing postcodes and do an in-browser search, etc.

This allows maximum choice for users.

cheers,
_mallory

On Fri, Jan 17, 2020, at 4:04 AM, Lucy GRECO wrote:
> hello: check out the highcharts map tool it does an excellent job of
> making the map accessible
> Lucia Greco
> Web Accessibility Evangelist
> IST - Architecture, Platforms, and Integration
> University of California, Berkeley
> (510) 289-6008 skype: lucia1-greco
> http://webaccess.berkeley.edu
> Follow me on twitter @accessaces
>
>
>
> On Wed, Jan 22, 2020 at 4:26 AM Barry Hill < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
>
> > Thanks, Patrick. I did think that it was unusual to simply ignore the
> > accessibility. The map is for mobile phone coverage down to individual
> > postcodes, so I can't see that the map itself can be made practically
> > accessible. However, they do have a postcode search facility that does the
> > same thing, so I told them that this would be fine, alternative means and
> > all that. So, with this alternative in mind, what do they do about the
> > map?
> >
> > Cheers
> >
> > Barry
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: WebAIM-Forum < <EMAIL REMOVED> > On Behalf Of
> > Patrick H. Lauke
> > Sent: 22 January 2020 12:03 PM
> > To: <EMAIL REMOVED>
> > Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Image maps
> >
> > On 22/01/2020 11:58, Barry Hill wrote:
> > > Hi all
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > I've been asked what to do about screen reader accessibility for an
> > > image of a map of the UK that gives more information when areas of the
> > > map are clicked on. Tabbing and cursoring do not pick up anything on the
> > map.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > This is from W3C:
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > "For non-text content that is a control or accepts user input, such as
> > > images used as submit buttons, image maps or complex animations, a
> > > name is provided to describe the purpose of the non-text content so
> > > that the person at least knows what the non-text content is and why it is
> > there."
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > So, it seems that it is ok that it is not accessible as long as it has
> > > a label to say what I, as a blind screen reader user, am missing out
> > > on. Is this correct for this map? I wonder if it might be as good to
> > > null text the whole thing.
> >
> > No, you misunderstand. The quoted text refers to the main image itself, and
> > that your text alternative for it at least knows in very broad general
> > terms
> > what it is (in your case, "Map of the UK"). The actual functionality of the
> > map itself must still be made accessible (either directly, or provide an
> > alternative such as a table or just a flat separate page that lists all
> > areas of the UK and provides that information you'd get when clicking on
> > each bit).
> >
> > In short, the text you quote does not absolve you from making this map
> > accessible.
> >
> > P
> >
> > --
> > Patrick H. Lauke
> >
> > https://www.splintered.co.uk/ | https://github.com/patrickhlauke
> > https://flickr.com/photos/redux/ | https://www.deviantart.com/redux
> > twitter: @patrick_h_lauke | skype: patrick_h_lauke
> > > > > > at
> > http://webaim.org/discussion/archives
> > > >
> > > > > > > > > >
> > > > >