WebAIM - Web Accessibility In Mind

E-mail List Archives

Re: text links on a separate page - compliant with 508?

for

From: Robinson, Norman B - Washington, DC
Date: Mar 3, 2005 7:04AM

All,
From the most recent "Javascript flyout menus are still very
popular. Another way to help make them accessible is to place all the
child links on a separate page when the parent is clicked on. -Lisa"
comment, I just wanted to mention I recommend that developers always use
a navigation system or technology that is most accessible.

A view from the U.S. Section 508:

1. You should always include information in the scripting itself
that indicates what it does.
(Subpart B -- Technical Standards 1194.22 Web-based
intranet and internet information and applications "When pages
utilize scripting languages to display content, or to create interface
elements, the information provided by the script shall be identified
with functional text that can be read by assistive technology."

2. You should use caution when thinking about an alternate text
version; an alternate shouldn't be necessary if you have made your
primary content accessible! Specifically I'll draw your attention to
"when compliance cannot be accomplished IN ANY OTHER WAY", which is
sometimes incorrectly interpreted to be "create a text version to solve
your accessibility problems".
(Subpart B -- Technical Standards (1194.22) Web-based intranet
and internet information and applications, Paragraph (k): "A text-only
page, with equivalent information or functionality, shall be provided to
make a web site comply with the provisions of this part, when compliance
cannot be accomplished in any other way. The content of the text-only
page shall be updated whenever the primary page changes.")

I know Lisa didn't mention specifics, just a caution when
providing "alternates" to ensure you've figured out the technology and
know how to best apply it before going to a separate 'duplicate'
process.

Regards,


Norman B. Robinson
Section 508 Coordinator
IT Governance, US Postal Service
--------------------------------
AS-508, Section 508 Handbook in HTML:
http://www.usps.com/cpim/ftp/hand/as508/welcome.htm
AS-508-A, Section 508 Technical Reference Guide in HTML:
http://www.usps.com/cpim/ftp/hand/as508a/welcome.htm