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RE: Flash problem--and Contribute problem.... (Andrew Kirkpatrick)

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From: Andrew Kirkpatrick
Date: Nov 1, 2005 2:20PM

OK, so you're using FlashObject. With that you get valid XHTML, and
because Bobby isn't interpreting the javascript it doesn't give you the
errors.

The resulting code is very much the same, whether created in javascript
or sitting in plain view in the HTML. For an IE user, there will still
be an object element, and the errors would be generated by Bobby if it
could see that.

Circumventing the testing tool doesn't necessarily constitute fixing the
problem, but let's look at whether there is a problem:
1) Provide alternative content for each OBJECT.
The flash content that you have could have better support for
accessibility. Captivate does a good job at adding the right
information into the right places for screen readers, but something
about the content is not being interpreted correctly because I'm getting
one letter per line when I read the opening slide, and some of the text
is not read at all. That's one form of the alternative for the object,
and if the SWF is accessible that would satisfy the requirements of
section 508. If you want to have an alternative for people who aren't
running Flash, then Flash Object helped you accomplish that. You could
also use nested objects, which uses IE-specific comments to hide the
object element replacement content.

2) Make sure there is a link to download accessible plug-ins.
This happens automatically in Flash as part of the object element -
<object classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000"
codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflas
h.cab#version=6,0,29,0" width="800" height="500" ID="Captivate1">

That URL will bring the user to the right download location, and the
browser mediates this process.

This link has a .swf file with Javascript and passes Bobby....it's
probably easier to "view source" for this one and one of the "error"
ones to see the javascript. We used to "fix" our Flash issue and it
seems to work with all browsers, but again, it isn't realistic when
using Contribute or for those people like myself who know only enough
programming to be dangerous or for most of our Web masters who really
rely on Dreamweaver to do everything for them if they work on a site
that is not managed with Contribute.

You could modify the flash.js file at C:Program
FilesMacromediaContribute 3ConfigurationObjectsMedia if this really
bugged you. We've got an eye on the issue here and will look into it
further for future releases.

http://workgroups.clemson.edu/DCIT2803_ETS_BETA/distance/

Interestingly, I have had a JAWS user navigate all three pages, and he
is able to do so.....

I bet you didn't have a JAWS user navigate the "good" page tthough!
You're using
fo.addParam("wmode", "opaque");
in the flashObject, which effectively makes the Flash invisible to JAWS.
I'd get rid of that line...

AWK