On 1/4/07, [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > I admit it's been a while since I used the FIR technique, mostly because I > was leery about how screen readers handle display:none. According to Joe > Clarke in a 2003 article in A List Apart, different screen readers handle an > non-displayed element differently, with some speaking it out loud, and others > not at all. ... > I have now started developing in ASP.NET, and I have noticed that much of the > interactivity of the framework is derived from having certain elements turned > off with display:none, and then using javascript to turn them back on.
---------------- In my understanding, elements with display:none; are not read by screen readers. A more accessible way to do visual replacement of text with images (or, I assume, in today's sIFR, with flash) involves using the combination of position:relative; and left:-9999px; (or similarly huge value) to shift the element off the page but keeping it in the flow. This approach allows the text to be read by screen readers. So users using screen readers would not be surprised by the error message... if they have css turned on. The big red flag that goes up for me with the .net approach is that it assumes that the user has css turned on, which is a big assumption. Presumably a fully-non-sighted user doesn't care if css is on or off, but since in the real world there is a wide continuum of disability, many users may turn css of to get a linearized layout that they can scale, invert, etc. in order to access with limited sight, mobility, etc. In any case, css is disableable in most every browser, so assuming it's on isn't very realistic. Another possible accessibility concern with the approach you describe is the fact that screen readers are not automatically alerted when an element on the page changes. So if your user with a screen reader has an error on their form, how do they know? The element has been visually revealed, and is now available to be read, but unless the browser is directed to jump focus to the error, the user will not be alerted to that fact. This may be handled by .net, but you probably want to check to make sure. (I have a coworker who is an acessiblity expert, so if you provide a URL I could ask if he has a moment to try it out in Jaws.) Matt Ryan ______________________________________________________________________ css-discuss [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.css-discuss.org/mailman/listinfo/css-d IE7 information -- http://css-discuss.incutio.com/?page=IE7 List wiki/FAQ -- http://css-discuss.incutio.com/ Supported by evolt.org -- http://www.evolt.org/help_support_evolt/
