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Re: looking for html technique to provide a methodto skiprepetitive navigation linksi

for

From: Penny Roberts
Date: Oct 12, 2006 3:00AM

Patrick Lauke wrote:
>> Penny Roberts
>
>> Doesn't it depend on the device and/or software being used? The
>> Headmouse [*], for instance, is a mouse not a keyboard operator
>> (though it can also be used with keyboard software).
>
> As I said, head wands and similar are mouse-like devices...

Err.. no you didn't ;-)

>
>> Someone using such a device would find the skip navigation link
>> useful as it would cut down on head movements.
>
> Why? Are we talking about a typical left-hand navigation, right-hand
> content scenario with a skiplink before the navigation? In that
> situation, how would a skiplink minimise their movement, as they can
> see the content right there on the right?

Ah, no, I was thinking of a page with a lot of navigation at the top.
But I suppose that your point still holds: if it is a mouse then it
doesn't need that much extra movement because although the there may be
lots of lines of code someone using this kind of technology doesn't have
to tab through them as a keyboard user would.
Does anyone on the list use a headwand or sip & puff? Has anyone
observed the use of such devices?
[From a usability point of view (rather than accessibility) I don't
think we should do away with things that duplicate keyboard shortcuts:
simply because not everyone uses, or wants to use, the keyboard to
perform such functions and I don't think that it is our place to force
them to.]

Penny