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RE: Accessibility of javascript includes

for

From: jukka.korpela@tieke.fi
Date: Feb 7, 2002 2:17AM


Cath Kilcommons wrote:

> Since JAWS is the high end of AT, I think your test might
> not be a good indicator. There are still alot of programs
> out there that can't handle javascripting

Yes, the most obvious in this context being Lynx. Besides, there
are good reasons to disable JavaScript on browsers that support it.
Security is one reason. Besides, JavaScript is widely used for
creating popup windows and other effects that may confuse various
assistive technology tools.

> While google will index "skip to content" links, that should not
> be a problem if you include a meta tag for description

It still is a problem. Not all search engines recognize <meta> tags.
In fact, the trend seems to be ignore them, partly due to widespread
abuse such as "keyword spamming".

But if the content of a document, taken sequentially, begins with
a set of navigational links, search engines will get a wrong picture
anyway. They will typically process the text of such links as if it
were the most important content on the page. Text like "skip to content"
adds a little to that problem, but it did not create the problem;
rather, it was an attempt to get over with some of the effects of
the ultimate problem.

The problem with "skip to content" in indexing illustrates why
"imperative links" (with a verb in the imperative, giving instructions
to users, rather than being title-like phrases that stand for content)
are to be avoided. If we used a text that describes the content,
the link text would be good food to indexers:
alt="Main content: Services to ... by ..."
or something like that. Maybe such an approach _could_ be used.

A better approach might be to put the navigational stuff _last_ on the
page, and use CSS positioning to suggest that it be presented at the start
of the presentation, in visual display.

--
Jukka K. Korpela, erityisasiantuntija / senior adviser
TIEKE Tietoyhteiskunnan kehitt