WebAIM - Web Accessibility In Mind

E-mail List Archives

Skip Link Text Appearing in Search Engine Description

for

From: Mary Suski
Date: Feb 7, 2002 11:09AM

To better explain my post in regards to table layouts versus skip
navigation links versus search engines, here's a link that explains it
better than I did: http://www.delorie.com/web/ses.cgi. I've also
included copies of email between me and Jim to tie everything together.
I get the digest version of this list, hope this it timely.

OK,
Now I can get to the page, I can see the bypass link, please tell me
again
what is the google problem. Please tell me exactly what you do and where
it
goes "wrong." (BTW the childrensgarden... link below still does not work
for
me.)

Jim
<EMAIL REMOVED>
Accessibility Consulting
http://jimthatcher.com
512-306-0931

-----Original Message-----
From: Mary Suski [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ]
Sent: Wednesday, February 06, 2002 10:59 PM
To: <EMAIL REMOVED>
Subject: Re: Accessibility of JavaScript includes


The exact wording of the "skip" is "Bypass navigation image map", it's
located near the bottom of the code. Because of the empty cell at the
beginning of the table, the main content is placed in the first row. The
navigation image map is now the first cell in the second row. That's why
Google reads the actual content in its description, rather than
beginning with "skip ..". The "skip" is located further down in the
copy as far as Google is concerned. I just tried the link and it
worked, but here's another link to the same page:
http://www.grand-blanc.k12.mi.us/cg. Thanks for responding, and please
let me know if you think I should repost to make things clearer.

Jim Thatcher wrote:
>
> The link below doesn't work for me. A google search for "Children's Garden
> Childcare Center" turns up lots of hits but no "skip navigation" as
content.
> Can't figure out what is happening.
>
> Jim
> <EMAIL REMOVED>
> Accessibility Consulting
> http://jimthatcher.com
> 512-306-0931
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: WebAIM forum [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ]On Behalf Of
> Mary Suski
> Sent: Wednesday, February 06, 2002 7:12 PM
> To: WebAIM forum
> Subject: Accessibility of javascript includes
>
> Javascript aside, here's an example of a table layout that "reads" the
> content before the left side navigation bar (and the skip link). Look at
> the code on this page: http://www.childrensgardengrandblanc.com, and
> search Google for Children's Garden Childcare Center to see what I mean.
> HTH
>
> >
> > Date: 6 Feb 2002 08:24:54 -0600
> > From: "Fjeld, Shauna" < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
> > Subject: Accessibility of javascript includes
> >
> > Section 508 requires that a method be provided for users to skip
> repetitive
> > navigation. We've accomplished this by placing an invisible spacer gif
at
> > the top of each page with an anchor link to the actual content.
> > Unfortunately, now Google is indexing the alt tag for that link which
says
> > essentially "Skip navigation to main content" and that is the
description
> > for our site in search engine results.
> >
> > I think a possible work around is to put the "skip navigation" in a
> > javascript include. The search engines don't index it. I have tested it
on
> > the Jaws screen reader and it does read it which leads me to believe it
is
> > accessible, but I wanted to see if anyone else had a different view
point.
> > Thanks,


---
To subscribe, unsubscribe, or view list archives,
visit http://www.webaim.org/discussion/