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Section 508 Question

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From: John Foliot - WATS.ca
Date: Jan 6, 2006 9:40AM


As I am less familiar with compliance to Section 508, perhaps somebody
could answer a question for me.

Checkpoint Section 1194.22(l) states: "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."

The question is this: if the JS provides core functionality (for example
a text input that fires on "OnSelect" without the presence of a submit
button), does this fail the "interface element" criteria, even though
there really is no means of providing "functional text"?

Instinctively I know it is "wrong", but does it fail on the technical
merit as well? Ideally an authoritive reference would be the best, but
otherwise some experienced input would be great.

Thanks in advance.

JF
--
John Foliot <EMAIL REMOVED>
Web Accessibility Specialist / Co-founder of WATS.ca
Web Accessibility Testing and Services
http://www.wats.ca
Phone: 1-613-482-7053