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Navigation for Module 10: Scripts/Java
Page 3 of 19

  1. *Introduction
  2. *Files You Need
  3. * Scripts
    1. Accessibility Issues
    2. Events
  4. *Doc. Object Model
  5. *Pop-ups
  6. *Forms & Navigation
  7. *Testing Scripts
  8. *Applets & Java
  9. *Java Accessibility API
  10. *Java Applications
  11. *Testing Java
  12. *Resources

Scripts in HTML

Introduction

Many webpages today include either JavaScript or VBScript for accomplishing simple tasks, such as popping up a window. Scripts can be also used for just about anything that interacts with the user, like form checking, creating dynamic menu systems for navigation, or creating a tailored site based on the user's preferences. The power of scripts lie in the fact that they contain logic which allows a page to modify itself based on user input.

In terms of accessibility, there are some who believe that a site should avoid scripts completely. Realistically, scripts may be the only way a developer can solve a problem. Fortunately, eliminating scripts is not always necessary. This module provides accessibility guidelines covering the most general uses of scripting. The language used in the examples is JavaScript, although the same concepts can be applied to other scripting languages. Potential scripting problems and situations where scripts present no accessibility barriers will be discussed.

A key concept to accessibility is the idea of text-equivalence, which is simply providing a brief description for non-textual objects within a page. One thing to keep in mind is there are still many users who rely on a text-only browser, such as lynx, to access web information. These text-only environments use the keyboard for navigation, have no support for mouse input, and cannot rely on graphics to convey information.

Keep in mind that what you learn here can be applied to server-side scripting as well. Because of this, it is crucial that you read and understand the guidelines posted by the Web Accessibility Initiative(Browse to website). Remember, the code that is generated by your server-side script must be section 508 compliant. It is a good idea if you have not done so already to stop here and skim the guidelines to get a general feel for what they are trying to accomplish.

The next page will discuss accessibility issues in scripting.

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Accessibility Issues


 
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