[Athen] Jaws and javascript links

[Stacy L. Smith]

Sean (and anyone else who has information on this!)

When a student opens a course page in our LMS, he or she is presented
with main level links that, onMouseOver, open other lists of links. 
The main level links are recognized by JAWS.

The second level links are a mix of some HTML links and some JavaScript
links.  For example, when I mouse over the main level link, "Content,"
I get a list that contains the Calendar.  When I mouse over the
calendar link, the browser tells me that it's sending me to
"javascript:openCal();".

If the user instead clicks on "Content," a new content page loads, with
all of the same sections and same links.  The problem is that the links
in this new content window are the same javascript links, and they
aren't read, either.

The developers (while they do very much care about accessibility)
evidently thought that since the *text* was present on the page, the
reader would "read" that text and the user would recognize it as a
link.  They didn't realize that the user most likely wouldn't navigate
that way.

I'm really new to this, and I know next to zilch about javascript, so
anything you can tell me to pass along to the designers would be most
helpful.

THANKS!

Stacy

Quoting Sean Keegan <skeegan at htctu.net>:


> Hi Stacy,

>

> I suppose I am a bit unsure of what you are asking.  Are the

> javascript

> links you are describing part of a drop-down menu structure?  In

> other

> words, when you hover over the main navigation heading, additional

> hyperlinks are revealed?

>

> Thanks,

> Sean

>

> Sean Keegan

> Web Accessibility Instructor

> High Tech Center Training Unit of the California Community Colleges

>

> -----Original Message-----

> From: athen-bounces at athenpro.org [mailto:athen-bounces at athenpro.org]

> On

> Behalf Of Stacy L. Smith

> Sent: Friday, December 01, 2006 9:16 AM

> To: Access Technologists in Higher Education Network

> Subject: [Athen] Jaws and javascript links

>

> This message is for those of you famliar with Jaws - HTML

> interactions.

>

> K-State uses a homegrown learning management system, which has a very

> robust

> user interface.  A couple of semesters ago they changed the main

> level

> navigation to where some links are HTML and some are Javascript.

> I just found out from a user this morning that he can't see what

> turns out

> to be the javascript links.  THe design team assumed that Jaws would

> read

> the text on the screen and didn't realize that the user may not be

> navigating that way (and is instead navigating by looking for links).

>

> The design and programming crew is VERY interested in accessibility

> and

> wants very much to fix this problem.  We have a new release coming

> out in

> early January, and it's possible we could fix this problem by then.

> We just need to know how to do that without sacrificing the look and

> feel of

> the page for sighted users.

>

> Does anyone have any experience or ideas to share?  For example, we

> wondered

> if there might be a name or value attribute that the reader might

> pick up,

> or perhaps some other very clever solution.

>

> I'm looking forward to your thoughts.

>

> Thanks,

> Stacy

>

>

> Stacy Smith

> Adaptive Technology Specialist, Disability Support Services

> 532-6441

> stacylee at ksu.edu

>

> ~~~~~~~~~~~~

>

> One does not need buildings, money, power, or status to practice the

> Art of

> Peace. Heaven is right where you are standing, and that is the place

> to

> train.

>

> --Morehei Ueshiba

>

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>

>

>

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>

>



Stacy Smith
Adaptive Technology Specialist, Disability Support Services
532-6441
stacylee at ksu.edu

~~~~~~~~~~~~

One does not need buildings, money, power, or status to practice the
Art of
Peace. Heaven is right where you are standing, and that is the place
to
train.

--Morehei Ueshiba