Comments on: 6 Tips for Basic Web Accessibility http://fwebde.com/web-design/6-tips-for-basic-web-accessibility/ Helping people to make fantastic websites, whether you are a designer, a developer, or someone just who loves websites. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:37:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Eric Bannatyne http://fwebde.com/web-design/6-tips-for-basic-web-accessibility/comment-page-1/#comment-534 Eric Bannatyne Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:48:23 +0000 http://fwebde.com/?p=927#comment-534 <strong>Web Axe:</strong> Thank you for your comments. I don't know tons about assistive technologies, and didn't know that <code>tabindex</code> could get in the way. It can also be useful to make good use of headings. <strong>Joe Chidzik:</strong> It is a good idea to try to keep the fields in the correct order in the source code, to be sure that they will be tabbed through in the right order. Web Axe:

Thank you for your comments. I don't know tons about assistive technologies, and didn't know that tabindex could get in the way. It can also be useful to make good use of headings.

Joe Chidzik:

It is a good idea to try to keep the fields in the correct order in the source code, to be sure that they will be tabbed through in the right order.

]]> By: Joe Chidzik http://fwebde.com/web-design/6-tips-for-basic-web-accessibility/comment-page-1/#comment-531 Joe Chidzik Mon, 14 Dec 2009 17:25:25 +0000 http://fwebde.com/?p=927#comment-531 Additionally for skip links, I always use the CSS pseudo-classes :focus and :active to make the skip link visible when it receives the focus. In this way,sighted keyboard only users can also make use of the skip link. On tabindex. I think it is important to point out that this should really be implemented using an all or none approach. Namely, either provide a tabindex value for all keyboard accessible elements (links, input fields) on your page, or none of them. If you apply it to only a few, you run the risk of decreasing usability for keyboard users as browsers will as a rule tab through all the tabindex fields first, and then move onto the non-tabindexed fields. Better still with forms is to ensure that the fields are laid out in the correct order in the underlying source code. This way, a logical tabbing order is maintained without using the tabindex attribute (which is deprecated anyway in (x)html 1.1 Additionally for skip links, I always use the CSS pseudo-classes :focus and :active to make the skip link visible when it receives the focus. In this way,sighted keyboard only users can also make use of the skip link.

On tabindex. I think it is important to point out that this should really be implemented using an all or none approach. Namely, either provide a tabindex value for all keyboard accessible elements (links, input fields) on your page, or none of them. If you apply it to only a few, you run the risk of decreasing usability for keyboard users as browsers will as a rule tab through all the tabindex fields first, and then move onto the non-tabindexed fields.

Better still with forms is to ensure that the fields are laid out in the correct order in the underlying source code. This way, a logical tabbing order is maintained without using the tabindex attribute (which is deprecated anyway in (x)html 1.1

]]> By: Web Axe http://fwebde.com/web-design/6-tips-for-basic-web-accessibility/comment-page-1/#comment-530 Web Axe Mon, 14 Dec 2009 17:16:24 +0000 http://fwebde.com/?p=927#comment-530 Good intentions, but a few comments. Styling form elements is more usability issue; using proper form labels is a better suggestion. You should NOT use tabindex. It gets in the way of assistive technology, and not needed if your content is (and should) be in reading order. "Skip to" links are good, but not needed if coded well with headings, ARIA, and/or HTML5. Proper use of Headings is another big factor to consider for web accessibility. Good intentions, but a few comments. Styling form elements is more usability issue; using proper form labels is a better suggestion. You should NOT use tabindex. It gets in the way of assistive technology, and not needed if your content is (and should) be in reading order. "Skip to" links are good, but not needed if coded well with headings, ARIA, and/or HTML5. Proper use of Headings is another big factor to consider for web accessibility.

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