Hello Mike:
Here are my thoughts concerning how web pages (HTML documents)
should be constructed so as to provide maximum accessibility to
persons who are blind. Please remember that these are only *MY*
thoughts. They should not be regarded as representing a general
consensus within the blind community.
It has been said elsewhere that an HTML document that is composed
only of text and devoid of all graphical representations provides
maximum accessibility to the blind person using adaptive technology
to browse the Web. This is not necessarily true. Even plain text
can be so constructed as to be incredibly difficult to read with
screen access technology. In this regard, I refer to the use of
ordinary text to compose large letters. Since screen access
technology deals with the screen one line at a time, it is
difficult if not impossible to understand information using this
method. So, even if you are using plain text, try to avoid the use
of large letters comprised of smaller letters. If design
requirements compel the display of information using this method,
it is extremely helpful to have the information reproduced below or
above in plain text.
It is all right to include pictures and other graphical elements in
an HTML document as long as the picture is described elsewhere in
the document. It is a good idea to keep such descriptions as close
to the picture as possible.
Speaking of pictures, although a picture may be worth a thousand
words, you should not rely solely on the picture to convey
information. Using a picture alone to pass along an important
concept rules out understanding by a person who is blind. In
addition to the picture, use text to convey the concept.
Try to minimize the number of hypertext links that appear on a
single line. Three is about the most that is convenient. Any more
than three and the blind person wastes considerable time trying to
figure out which link on the line is being highlighted.
Absolutely *DO* *NOT* use multi-column newspaper-style text.
Speech systems read the screen one line at a time, and it is very
confusing to hear different parts of the document simultaneously.
Yes, more sophisticated screen readers do allow the user to divide
the screen up into logical windows, but configuring these windows
wastes valuable time. The single column format is infinitely
preferred.
Put as much ASCII text into an HTML document as you can--the more
the better. Do not, under any circumstances, use bit-mapped images
of text. Bit-mapped images or "pictures" of text cannot be read by
any screen access technology for the blind except enlargement
technology.
Well, that's about all of the accessibility pointers I can supply
for now. If you have any questions or comments about what I have
said, please get in touch.
Regards,
Curtis Chong
curtisc@winternet.com
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Sun Dec 02 2012 - 01:30:03 PST