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Re: layout and colour issues

for

From: Paul Bohman
Date: Feb 19, 2004 11:23AM

I would say that your question enters the realm of usability within
accessibility. As a general rule, I recommend keeping your main
navigation as simple as possible, for everyone, regardless of
disability. You want to provide a clear sense of the main topics of
interest in your Web site. If you provide users with lots of links, then
they lose track of the main categories of information on your Web site.

By putting all your links together, you've elevated your secondary links
(like "site map" and "contact us") to the same status as your core
categories. I would try to keep a clear separation.

People who use screen readers can choose to read all of the links
together by activating a keyboard shortcut that brings up a list of all
of the links, which is usually presented in alphabetical order. You
don't need to perform this function for the people who use screen
readers. Pay more attention to concise message design instead.


The Snider's Web wrote:

> If one uses tables should they use a layout that makes all the
> navigation stay together and then the main text starts or have them
> intermingle? Here is an example of what I mean:
>
> If you look at the following two examples in WAVE
> (http://www.wave.webaim.org/) or the Lynx Simulator
> (http://www.delorie.com/web/lynxview.html) you can see the difference I
> mean:
> http://www.thesnidersweb.com/ (this one has the top text, links then the
> main text)
> http://www.thesnidersweb.com/indextrial3.htm (this one has all the nav
> together and then the main content starts)
>
> Which would be better for a viewer with disabilities?


--
Paul Ryan Bohman
Web Accessibility Specialist/Project Coordinator
WebAIM (Web Accessibility in Mind)
www.webaim.org
Center for Persons with Disabilities
www.cpd.usu.edu
Utah State University
www.usu.edu



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