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Re: Accessible map site?

for

From: Jared Smith
Date: Feb 10, 2006 5:15PM

Austin, Darrel wrote:
> No, probably not. But, of course, there are other accessibility issues
> to be concerned with.

Of course. And you can either choose ads, Flash, and pop-ups or AJAX as
the problems you want to be concerned with. There's probably something
better out there - I'm just not aware of it. Oh, and I just saw that
Mapquest is using AJAX, so add that to its list of problems.

I believe the technology is very close (meaning anywhere between tomorrow
and never) to allow at least partially accessible mapping applications. To
create accessible alternatives for graphical maps, you have to figure out
what the map is trying to tell you and then figure out a way to present
that textually. The major mapping applications (Google especially) are
very good at presenting maps and directions with just the information that
they assume will be most useful to the end user. They do this by giving
added importance to certain elements based upon location, zoom scale, etc.
Interstates have more importance than city streets and state names have
more importance than city names. All of this data is stored in databases.
Why then can't they present this same type of information textually? It
wouldn't be perfect, but it would be something.

I'm thinking something along the lines of, "Los Angeles International
Airport is located at 1 World Way in Los Angeles, CA 90045. It is .3 miles
west of Highway 1 (Sepulveda Blvd) on World Way. It is accessed by
Interstate 105 from the East via Interstate 405 Exit 87 from the North or
South." This is roughly the same general info you get from
http://tinyurl.com/cvdfg or http://tinyurl.com/bdbe6

If this could be done, it would be easy for the user to select more
details or less details. Anyways, it's just a thought.

Jared Smith
WebAIM.org