I'm running into accessibility problems with both <object> and <a> include-pattern.
On the one hand, current ADA [1] audit tools like LIFT [2] want to see an alternative representation for the object data. Since the whole point of using the include-pattern is to avoid repeatedly specifying the referenced content, using the <object> element's alternative representation mechanism is hardly an attractive option. One might argue that this is a false positive, since the referenced content can usually be rendered, but one can hardly blame the vendors since such is not usually the case. In the W3C Priority 1 checkpoint 1.1 [3], the <object> tag is given as an example of a tag where accessibility is a concern. Likewise, in the rules for rendering [4], alt text is prominent. Still, regardless of whether this use is actually compliant or not, the fact that it causes me extra work is a big point against me using it. The result is that this, combined with the problem of reloading pages [5], is enough for me to abandon the deployment of <object>-based include-patterns on a large scale. So, what about the <a> alternative? It runs into trouble with screen readers like JAWS, which, ironically, have no problem with the use of <object> tags. Screen readers typically add a prompt or a verbal cue when they run across an anchor with an href since such a construct is an opportunity to *go* somewhere else. The fact that text within the link is "missing" means that the user clicking on it is going somewhere with no guidance as to where that is. It's a blind link. Just because you think <a href="#foo" class="include"></a> should be invisible to the human reader, doesn't mean it is. My other concern in using the <a> tag is that it is too significant as hypertext navigation. By default in IE6, FF1.5, and most other browsers, links acquire a tab index and anybody using the keyboard for navigation is going to have to tab through all of the faux-links. I don't mind adding "extra" spans or divs for reasons like this, but it doesn't feel right to be adding blind faux-links in order to do transclusion. I'm sorry I don't have a good alternative here. -ml [1] Americans with Disabilities Act http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/ [2] http://www.usablenet.com/ [3] http://www.w3.org/TR/WAI-WEBCONTENT/wai-pageauth.html#tech-text-equivalent [4] http://www.w3.org/TR/1998/REC-html40-19980424/struct/objects.html#h-13.3.1 [5] http://microformats.org/wiki/include-pattern-feedback _______________________________________________ microformats-discuss mailing list [email protected] http://microformats.org/mailman/listinfo/microformats-discuss
