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Thread: Are JavaScript alerts accessible?

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Number of posts in this thread: 7 (In chronological order)

From: James Kennard
Date: Thu, Dec 24 2009 6:09AM
Subject: Are JavaScript alerts accessible?
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Quite a simple question - but I think I might get a rather verbose
response.

Using Zoomtext and JAWS I noticed an issue with some Ajax on a web site.
The web site has a table, and above the table there is a text field and
an "add" button. You enter a number into the text field and press the
add button to add items to the table.

Using JAWS it was really unclear, that anythign had happened. Using
Zoomtext, unless you happened to have teh table visible on the screen,
it was also unclear.

I thought an obvious way to combat this would be to use a JS alert to
confirm that the entry has been added to the table. But I am unsure if
JS alerts are considered to be accessible. I've had a hunt around and
opinion looks to be a bit fuzzy.

If it makes any difference, the web site in question must have JS
enabled to work in the first instance.


Any thoughts?

thanks :)


SciSys UK Limited. Registered in England and Wales No. 4373530.
Registered Office: Methuen Park, Chippenham, Wiltshire SN14 0GB, UK.

* Before printing, please think about the environment.

From: Tim Harshbarger
Date: Thu, Dec 24 2009 8:12AM
Subject: Re: Are JavaScript alerts accessible?
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If the javascript is creating a System alert dialog, it should be accessible. However, for the app you mentioned, you might want to look at some ARIA techniques. There may also be some other techniques that others can suggest.

Tim Harshbarger
Accessible Technology Services
Phone: (309_ 766-0154

"They are able because they believe they are able." - Aeneid V.123

-----Original Message-----
From: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = [mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On Behalf Of James Kennard
Sent: Thursday, December 24, 2009 7:09 AM
To: WebAIM Discussion List
Subject: [WebAIM] Are JavaScript alerts accessible?

Quite a simple question - but I think I might get a rather verbose
response.

Using Zoomtext and JAWS I noticed an issue with some Ajax on a web site.
The web site has a table, and above the table there is a text field and
an "add" button. You enter a number into the text field and press the
add button to add items to the table.

Using JAWS it was really unclear, that anythign had happened. Using
Zoomtext, unless you happened to have teh table visible on the screen,
it was also unclear.

I thought an obvious way to combat this would be to use a JS alert to
confirm that the entry has been added to the table. But I am unsure if
JS alerts are considered to be accessible. I've had a hunt around and
opinion looks to be a bit fuzzy.

If it makes any difference, the web site in question must have JS
enabled to work in the first instance.


Any thoughts?

thanks :)


SciSys UK Limited. Registered in England and Wales No. 4373530.
Registered Office: Methuen Park, Chippenham, Wiltshire SN14 0GB, UK.

* Before printing, please think about the environment.

From: Jared Smith
Date: Thu, Dec 24 2009 8:27AM
Subject: Re: Are JavaScript alerts accessible?
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On Thu, Dec 24, 2009 at 8:11 AM, Tim Harshbarger wrote:
> However, for the app you mentioned, you might want to look at some
> ARIA techniques.  There may also be some other techniques that others
> can suggest.

Such as aria alerts which perform exactly the function you're looking
for. The javascript alert would work, but would quickly become
repetitive and annoying, I would think.

This does bring up an interesting question. While you may be
alienating some users due to requiring javascript, introducing a
reliance on ARIA could cause additional problems. With this said, I
don't view reliance on javascript as an accessibility issue - it is
really a much broader usability issue. And with ARIA, so long as the
app isn't *inaccessible* without ARIA, the ARIA can only enhance
accessibility for users that have technology that supports it (which
is already the vast majority of screen reader users). In short, make
it as accessible as you can, then use ARIA to make it even more
accessible.

Jared Smith
WebAIM

From: Geof Collis
Date: Thu, Dec 24 2009 8:36AM
Subject: Re: Are JavaScript alerts accessible?
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Hi Jared

By the statement below do you meand role landmarks as well?

cheers

Geof

with ARIA, so long as the app isn't *inaccessible* without ARIA, the
ARIA can only enhance accessibility for users that have technology
that supports it (which is already the vast majority of screen reader
users). then use ARIA to make it even more accessible.

From: Jared Smith
Date: Thu, Dec 24 2009 11:15AM
Subject: Re: Are JavaScript alerts accessible?
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On Thu, Dec 24, 2009 at 8:36 AM, Geof Collis wrote:

> By the statement below do you meand role landmarks as well?

Sure. Or any other valid ARIA code that may enhance accessibility.
Without seeing the app, it's difficult to say what might be
appropriate, but there are few pages or web apps that couldn't be
enhanced by landmark roles.

Jared

From: Geof Collis
Date: Thu, Dec 24 2009 11:48AM
Subject: Re: Are JavaScript alerts accessible?
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Hi Jared

Thanks!

The reason I ask is the person who criticized my use of headings had
the following to say about my use of role landmarks:

Depending on landmarks at this point is pretty rash considering only
your tech elite with the latest stuff can even see them.

cheers

Geof

At 01:13 PM 12/24/2009, you wrote:
>On Thu, Dec 24, 2009 at 8:36 AM, Geof Collis wrote:
>
> > By the statement below do you meand role landmarks as well?
>
>Sure. Or any other valid ARIA code that may enhance accessibility.
>Without seeing the app, it's difficult to say what might be
>appropriate, but there are few pages or web apps that couldn't be
>enhanced by landmark roles.
>
>Jared
>

From: James Kennard
Date: Mon, Jan 04 2010 2:18AM
Subject: Re: Are JavaScript alerts accessible?
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Thanks for the various responses. And the suggestion to use ARIA. I
don't think ARIA is going to be the solution in this case because the
web site is using XHTML 1.0 Transitional, for which, as I understand it,
you cannot load additional modules.

I also agree that JS alerts are likely to be very irritating. I think it
will just have to stay as it is for the moment.

Thanks again!

SciSys UK Limited. Registered in England and Wales No. 4373530.
Registered Office: Methuen Park, Chippenham, Wiltshire SN14 0GB, UK.

* Before printing, please think about the environment.