21 another praise

i love accessibility and it bugs the hell outta me when a site i design goes without due to constraints or maybe I just didnt realize them at the time.

However, I must admit, I was weary of another article (maybe it was the long winded response and debate over the last one…), I mean I figured there will be those chosen few who pave the way, who understand and everyone else will play catch up in a few more years.

DELETED RANT about pre-html 4 nestled tables and misused js

BUT – I read it and it is nice, Simple, clear, to the point. A great thing to print off, maybe a checklist? AND yes, accessibility nuts, there needs to be an easier (cheaper) way to test aural browsers and the like, the way Amaya should be perhaps, an open source suite of standard and accessibility checking software which emulates text, voice, non-js, slow connection, resolutions etc…I mean, charging for a browser? How accessible is that?

posted at 09:47 am on May 4, 2004 by zack

22 Accessibility

There are other opinions out there

css vs tables
http://www.decloak.com/Dev/CSSTables/CSS_Tables_10.aspx
Don’t take this too seriously
it seems that everyone doesn’t like CSS.

posted at 10:09 am on May 4, 2004 by Joakim

23 but what about clients?

I’ve been invloved in re-developing a site over the last year. Despite some fairly heavy design, I have managed to code it all in xhtml/css. The database team weren’t overly happy about it but hey.
I would love to code to cater for disabled users on all my sites, my reasoning being that if it’s easy for someone with a disability to use, then it’s easy for everybody. Win win.
However, when I have touched on accessibility issues regarding this particular project, the client has simply said “Until somebody calls me to say I am in breach of the law, I don’t give a damn about disabled users. I want fancy javascript menus.”
What can you do? The client is aware that the law (in the UK at least) requires that a site is accessible to all as far as possible, but doesn’t care. I hope they get busted, I think their attitude stinks. The point is, you don’t need to convince me, I’m sold on it, but clients who have the money, are in control.
The only way forward I can see is not to tell them! Code for accessibility and tell the client afterwards.
Or maybe I should just make that call….

posted at 10:27 am on May 4, 2004 by Brendan MacLean

24 exactly...

if we all turn renegade and make clients’ sites accessable anyway, many would not even know, right? and when we get fired ‘cause sometimes we do have those ‘i don’t give a damn’ clients, someone else will hire us all, right? maybe i’ll just bum for change and design for free… wait… i already do, damn.

posted at 12:41 pm on May 4, 2004 by zack

25 What about the corporate control freaks?

The major problem I’ve seen in the corporate world, is people who are afraid conforming to the guidelines will somehow add to project deadlines and lead to other people “controlling” an aspect of a site. I’ve been in countless accessibility meetings lately and we never get anywhere. People a re just afraid of things they don’t understand.

posted at 12:48 pm on May 4, 2004 by David Hosting

26 css vs. table (decloak rant)

joakim, that misguided rant on decloak you linked to made me laugh, then cry, then shake my head…what the hell is the author on about? if this is not a good example of sticking one’s head in the sand, i don’t know…the whole rant could be summed up in “why can’t screenreaders be smart enough to understand my current markup? surely anything else is a waste of taxpayer’s money…”

i had to read it about 3 times to make any sense of it…and it’s such a damned shame there’s no commenting option available…

posted at 03:54 pm on May 4, 2004 by patrick h. lauke

27 Clients or bosses

“but clients who have the money, are in control”

Or your boss, who sets your every minute of work – accessibility becomes an off time passion.

posted at 07:30 pm on May 4, 2004 by Luis

28 Note about epileptics...

Not all epileptics have seizures due to flickering lights. Some, like me, are quite immune to it.

posted at 10:40 am on May 7, 2004 by Brad Carps

29 Dyslexia - ignored so often - 2

I understand the point about style switchers not allowing for a users unique requirements but to create and set up a personal CSS is not easy.

There are many places on the web where the problems are discussed, not least the British Dyslexia Association.
http://www.bda-dyslexia.org.uk/main/information/extras/x09frend.asp#

Just type dyslexia accessibility into google.

This site has articles and a wizard for creating a personal CSS and instructions on how to set it up.

http://www.techdis.ac.uk/seven/papers/dyslexia-index.htm

This is another good article
http://www.madeforall.com/archives/000013.html

posted at 04:18 am on May 19, 2004 by Dave Brinkman

30 XHTML Valid Accessible Tables

I have been making a transition to accesible and XHTML valid tables. I have noticed that when I use TBody, THead, and TFoot then try to validate my pages with the W3Cs validator (XHTML Transitional), it points out that these tags are not valid or missused. I am certain I am using them correctly.

Does anyone ahve any insight into this issue?

posted at 06:58 am on July 27, 2004 by Aarron Walter