about her upcoming CFUN-04 presentation.
Michael Smith: Sandra I noticed that you are also talking on "Creating
Accessible Web Forms" in the CFUN accessibility track. What is accessibility
about and why should forms be accessible?
Sandra Clark: Accessibility is about creating websites that are available to use
by all people. While this is commonly thought of as making web sites available
to those who are blind, it also includes techniques that encompass those who
can't hear, or can't use a mouse. Believe it or not accessible web sites are
also easier to use for those who are using the web via alternative user agents
such as mobile phones or cars too!
Forms are the way that our users interact with our web pages. If a user can't
access your form to purchase something, chances are you lost the sale. By
applying simple techniques from the ground up, we can create web forms that
anyone can use regardless.
MS: But aren't most existing forms on the web already accessible?
SC: Actually Forms are probably the MOST INACCESSIBLE elements on the web.
That's the major reason I chose this as my topic. As programmers, we interact
with our users via the information they enter in our forms. It's important that
we know how to make forms available to everyone.
MS: Wow! I wouldn't have thought that a form could be inaccessible. What are
common ways that forms are hard for the disabled to read?
SC: Some of the more common ways I have found are: not explicitly associating a
caption with the form element; not grouping related form elements together.
Error handling on the client side is another major problem. Using tables to
layout forms can also cause headaches. There's a host of problems. Of course if
you want to learn about all the problems and how to get around them, then you
really should attend my talk Michael.
MS: I will see if I can fit it into my busy CFUN schedule! But I have one other
concern - if I make my forms accessible won't they be ugly for my regular users?
SC: Actually using CSS to style a form makes them much more visually appealing.
We tend to create forms that follow the constraints of a form on a piece of
paper. Stuff as much stuff in as possible. Using CSS to style related groups
and elements makes a form much easier to visually navigate for a sighted person
as well. Also using CSS, I can substitute an entirely new style sheet when a
user sends my form to a printer, getting rid of the boxes and providing
underlines for filling in a form instead. All without changing my form at all.
How's that for power!
MS: Just how many users are disabled anyway? Is it a lot?
SC: According to studies approximately 15-30% of the general population has some
sort of functional disability that makes it difficult to use the web. With a
population in the United States of about 300 million, that is 45 to 90 million
people. Out of those people, only 38% actually use the web, the rest say its
just too difficult. That's a lot of people to disenfranchise.
MS: I know you wrote about accessiblity in your CFDJ articles last year - should
we read those before coming to this talk?
SC: Its not a requirement. The only requirement for this talk is that you have a
working knowledge of HTML. Of course if you want to read the series (its 4
parts), I won't complain! The series talks about why we should all make sites
Accessible, what Accessibility means, why using Web Standards makes
Accessibility easier and using Fusebox 4's contentvariables to make it easy.
But really, all that anyone needs to come to this talk is an open mind and a
willingness to learn!
MS: Wow - this sounds like an important topic then. Thanks for speaking with me.
SC: Thanks Michael, see you at CFUN!
CFUN-04 is Sat 6/26/04 - Sun 6/27/04 in Washington DC area. It costs $199 until
3/31/04 then $269. For more information on CFUN see http://www.cfconf.org/cfun-
04/
---
Creating Accessible Web Forms by Sandra Clark
One of the least applied areas in accessibility is a way to easily create forms
for the web that are usable by disabled customers. Sandra Clark will discuss the
usage of specific HTML tags that are applicable to this problem, validation
techniques and styling your forms with CSS to achieve nicely designed, laid out
forms which both maximize accessibility by your disabled users and are both
usable and pleasing to the eye for your sighted users.
Pre-requisites: Must have knowledge of HTML
Sandra Clark, an advanced Macromedia Certified ColdFusion developer, is a Senior
Software Developer with the Constella Group in Bethesda, Maryland.
She has contributed material to the ColdFusion 5.0 Certified Developer Study
Guide published by Syngress Media/Osborne McGraw Hill and to the ColdFusion
Developers Journal. She has also spoken at various CFUGS and ColdFusion User
Conferences around the country.
Sandra is an active proponent of applying accepted and proven web standards to
development as a way of improving accessibility as well as making life
easier on developers. She can be reached at [EMAIL PROTECTED]
---------------------------------------------------------------
CFUN is organized by TeraTech who received four CFDJ awards.
If you need ColdFusion project help, mentoring or training
then ask the experts at http://www.teratech.com/
Best Consulting - TeraTech
Finalist Training - TeraTech
Finalist Community site - CFConf
Finalist Web Dev Tool - CFXGraphicsServer
---------------------------------------------------------------
This year's conference has 32 nationally known speakers including Charlie
Arehart, Steve Drucker, Raymond Camden, Hal Helms, Michael Smith, Michael Dinowitz,
Simon Horwith and Shlomy Gantz.
CFUN-04 Washington DC area 6/26 - 6/27/04:
* Learn CF MX, Flash and more!
* Network with your peers and top national speakers
* Have fun exploring what is new from Macromedia
Tracks:
* Advanced Topics - for gurus, XML, CFCs, SQL
* MX Integration - Flash, Java, Flex, .Net, Webservices
* Empowered Programming - OO, Fusebox, PM, Testing, Debug
* CF Bootcamp - for beginners in CF and Flash
* Accessibility - making sites that disabled people can use, section 508
Pricing schedule - register today to save!
* Just $199 Early Bird Price from 1/1/04 - 3/31/04
* Ok $269 Regular Price 4/1/04 - 6/15/04
* Opps $299 Late Registration 6/15/03 - 6/25/03
* Onsite $350
Register today
http://www.cfconf.com/CFUN-04/
--
Michael Smith, TeraTech Inc - Tools for Programmers(tm)
TeraTech voted Best Consulting Service by CFDJ readers!
CF/ASP Web, VB, Math, Access programming tools and consulting
405 E Gude Dr Ste 207, Rockville MD 20850 USA
Please check out http://www.teratech.com/ - email mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED],
or call us for more information; in the USA at 1-800-447-9120,
+1-301-424-3903 International, Fax 301-762-8185 Thanks!
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