Comments on: Website Accessibility http://mistakengoal.com/blog/2007/01/07/website-accessibility/ Where student affairs and technology meet Tue, 07 Sep 2010 15:07:26 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Eric Stoller http://mistakengoal.com/blog/2007/01/07/website-accessibility/comment-page-1/#comment-62 Eric Stoller Wed, 10 Jan 2007 01:44:55 +0000 http://mistakengoal.com/blog/2007/01/07/website-accessibility/#comment-62 I think I'd have to do some checking, but didn't Jakob Nielsen change his opinions on Flash shortly after Macromedia hired him as a consultant? I think I’d have to do some checking, but didn’t Jakob Nielsen change his opinions on Flash shortly after Macromedia hired him as a consultant?

]]> By: Kevin Guidry http://mistakengoal.com/blog/2007/01/07/website-accessibility/comment-page-1/#comment-61 Kevin Guidry Wed, 10 Jan 2007 00:09:19 +0000 http://mistakengoal.com/blog/2007/01/07/website-accessibility/#comment-61 Let's not place the blame on the technology. I agree that Flash is pretty difficult to make accessible (in some cases impossible) but it can be done. A quick <a href="http://useit.mondosearch.com/cgi-bin/MsmFind.exe?QUERY=flash" rel="nofollow">search for "Flash"</a> on Useit.com shows several hits discussing both its shortcomings (note that those articles are several years old) and recommendations to help mitigate its shortcomings. I agree with the general point that the more complicated a website (or anything else) the more difficult it is to make accessible for everyone. I would also agree that there is often a poor trade-off between flashy-but-not-terribly-useful features and not-glitzy-but-functional simplicity. It's a mistake to think of accessibility and usability as only something to do for others as it's well documented that they make life easier for everyone. Let’s not place the blame on the technology. I agree that Flash is pretty difficult to make accessible (in some cases impossible) but it can be done. A quick search for “Flash” on Useit.com shows several hits discussing both its shortcomings (note that those articles are several years old) and recommendations to help mitigate its shortcomings.

I agree with the general point that the more complicated a website (or anything else) the more difficult it is to make accessible for everyone. I would also agree that there is often a poor trade-off between flashy-but-not-terribly-useful features and not-glitzy-but-functional simplicity. It’s a mistake to think of accessibility and usability as only something to do for others as it’s well documented that they make life easier for everyone.

]]> By: Eric Stoller http://mistakengoal.com/blog/2007/01/07/website-accessibility/comment-page-1/#comment-60 Eric Stoller Tue, 09 Jan 2007 23:50:38 +0000 http://mistakengoal.com/blog/2007/01/07/website-accessibility/#comment-60 p.s. I have to include this gem of a quote from a higher education vendor. When asked how they achieved site accessibility with an all-Flash interface, one vendor stated, "we get around that issue by hosting your [micro] site on a dot com address that is separate from the university web address." I was appalled. After I picked my jaw up off of the floor I asked about the ethical ramifications of their statement. They never answered... p.s. I have to include this gem of a quote from a higher education vendor. When asked how they achieved site accessibility with an all-Flash interface, one vendor stated, “we get around that issue by hosting your [micro] site on a dot com address that is separate from the university web address.”

I was appalled. After I picked my jaw up off of the floor I asked about the ethical ramifications of their statement. They never answered…

]]> By: Eric Stoller http://mistakengoal.com/blog/2007/01/07/website-accessibility/comment-page-1/#comment-59 Eric Stoller Mon, 08 Jan 2007 20:20:15 +0000 http://mistakengoal.com/blog/2007/01/07/website-accessibility/#comment-59 One of the most fulfilling moments during my graduate assistantship with OSU was when my technology colleagues started mentioning accessibility before I did. I agree that a lot of vendors do an awful job with offering accessible products. They prey on the fact that most student affairs practitioners are willing to pay for flashy sites with music, videos, etc. versus sites/technologies which are accessible for all users. I have had vendors tell me that their flash-based product was accessible. It's incredible. They usually change their tune after I use a screenreader (JAWS, Window Eyes, IBM Homepage Reader, etc.) and prove that most flash-based technologies are inaccessible. One of the most fulfilling moments during my graduate assistantship with OSU was when my technology colleagues started mentioning accessibility before I did. I agree that a lot of vendors do an awful job with offering accessible products. They prey on the fact that most student affairs practitioners are willing to pay for flashy sites with music, videos, etc. versus sites/technologies which are accessible for all users. I have had vendors tell me that their flash-based product was accessible. It’s incredible. They usually change their tune after I use a screenreader (JAWS, Window Eyes, IBM Homepage Reader, etc.) and prove that most flash-based technologies are inaccessible.

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