[Self-platform-dev] address@hidden: accessibility querks]

[Nagarjuna G]

----- Forwarded message from krishnakant Mane <address@hidden> -----

KK sent me this report on accessibility.  It is a case where we broke
a very important and desirable feature of Plone.  The nature of
changes required to make the pages accessible are not difficult.  

KK, can you give by example, what kind of templates should be made, so
that we do not break this.  

Nagarjuna

Authentication-Results: mx.google.com; spf=neutral (google.com: 158.144.1.20 is 
neither permitted nor denied by domain of address@hidden)
        address@hidden; dkim=pass (test mode) address@hidden
From: krishnakant Mane <address@hidden>
To: address@hidden
Subject: accessibility querks
X-SA-Exim-Connect-IP: 209.85.200.170
X-SA-Exim-Mail-From: address@hidden
X-SA-Exim-Scanned: No (on cc4.tifr.res.in); SAEximRunCond expanded to false

hello nagarjun,
following is my assessment about accessibility.
note that accessibility level as changed in a very positive direction
since my last check a month back.
1, information location with the help of screen reader is not
impossible but troublesom.  that is to say, a person with prior idea
of a typicle content management portal might figure out the elements
he/ she needs.
As a developer who already knows self platform, it is easy to find out
the information but using a screen reader a new person or a person not
very good at browsing for known elements would find it extremly
stressful to work out her/ his way through any given page.
2, structured accessibility already present in plone is not available
on self.  this implies that most of the blocks of information on a
page is divided into headings of varying levels.  collection, content,
course etc would be easy to locate given they are indicated by heading
1/3.  just like "you are here " phrase typicle in a plone based
portal, other things can be made into headings.
3, it seams that screen reader does not get any thing out of the title
bar due to no <title> </title> tag in the pages.  try opening for
example, the link http://beta.selfplatform.eu with orca or any screen
reader and fine that instead of reading "self platform " it says
"portal, portal" this is the case with every page in the skin.  this
creates a accessibility problem for screen readers because the blind
user can't keep track of his current position in the website,
specially if a break is taken to attend a phoen call for example.  in
that case the user needs to scrole up or down to get the current
context, whereas if title tag is included the "say title bar "
function of any standard screen reader can be used to read the title.
4, there is no alternative description for java scripts.  for example
whereever java script is used, it says "java script f1" and "java
script f2".  we will fix this problem with the <noscript> tag which
screen readers can pick.
apart from these issues there are no accessibility problems and since
last time form field accessibility has become perfect.
the headings problem which I mentioned is also important to other
disabilities like slow learners or dislectic people who need extra
emphasys on block of information.
lastly a miner problem is that there seams to be a lot of empty lines
between static text and forms where they are present.
for example when add collection form is opened the usual text and the
form with title, discription etc has a big gap and lot of down arrow
hits are needed to reach the form elements.
this is one problem which I will have to sit and figure out with
rajive and fixt the same.
I think the problems mentioned in this report are pritty easy to solve
and would make up for the remaining accessibility problems.
I will follow up and address this problem with rajive in the next 2
days since I might not be there on monday and tuesday.
regards.
Kk

----- End forwarded message -----