Steve Green wrote:
The complexity and cost of accessible design increase significantly
when the content is more complex, such as very large forms (we have
discussed a few real examples in this list), multimedia and
interactive e-learning (especially when it is discovery-based rather
than task-based).
You're right of course.
If a design _relies_ on screen, mouse, keyboard in the "normal" sense,
then it is nearly impossible to make such a design accessible, or
usable, if any of those input/output devices goes missing, are replaced
with something else, or are changed from the "norm".
This includes visitors with issues/needs that deviate from the "norm",
who may still use the "normal" devices in a "near-but-not-quite-normal" way.
The only way to make that work is to take away the _reliances_, and that
may mean:
1: a completely different design without such reliances.
2: a new, and accessible, base that everything else can stay on top of.
3: lots of workarounds/additions to make main parts of the design
somewhat accessible - for most.
4: side-by-side alternatives.
Of course this costs time and money - especially if client demands are
for "visual perfection" compared to a graphic design.
Few clients and/or graphic designers see anything but the visual, and
they rarely ever use their own creations to such a degree that they
realize any visual or non-visual weaknesses beyond their own "norm".
So, we may definitely have problems - with clients and graphic designers.
The question is whether we should solve the problems and have reasonably
happy visitors, make the paying client happy, forget the whole issue, or
leave the job to whoever wants it.
I prefer to combine the two first options if at all possible, but I'm no
stranger to the last option. I will never let myself "forget the whole
issue" for any price, so if the other parties involved are not willing
to compromise in order to reach a reasonably well-working solution, then
I'm not either.
regards
Georg
--
http://www.gunlaug.no
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