Products

Solutions

Resources

Partners

Community

Blog

About

QA

Ideas Test

New Community Website

Ordinarily, you'd be at the right spot, but we've recently launched a brand new community website... For the community, by the community.

Yay... Take Me to the Community!

Welcome to the DNN Community Forums, your preferred source of online community support for all things related to DNN.
In order to participate you must be a registered DNNizen

HomeHomeOur CommunityOur CommunityGeneral Discuss...General Discuss...DNN and Accessibility (508 compliant)?DNN and Accessibility (508 compliant)?
Previous
 
Next
New Post
7/18/2006 1:38 PM
 

I have been playing around with DNN for several months now and even though I am not a developer, I've fallen in love with this product.  I've shown it to others here and they can see a lot of ways that we could truely use this product.  The question of accessibility came up  and I did not have answer.

I did a search on "Accessibility" and got a ton of hits.  I started to read through some of the previous posts and discussions on the issue.  However, I was never able to find a clear, definate answer.

I work for a U.S. Government Agency.  Any web product we use MUST be 508 Compliant.  We don't have a choice. 

Can anyone tell me if DNN meets this criteria? 

Thanks much.

Nadine

 
New Post
7/18/2006 8:09 PM
 
I'm interested to. 508 is a U.S. law that requires U.S. government websites to follow, and let's remind ourselves that the U.S. only makes up about 20% of internet users.

What is unclear is if this requirement is for administrating the website as well (content management). Probably not. The problem is we are at the mercy of the DNN core team to make the Admin/Host functions compliant.

However, as a user or skin developer, it is certainly possible. The main thing you might be in a grey area for is the menu system -- you might just want to stick to the text menus (which can be done in the skin).

However, if you look at section k, it seems this loop-hole makes ANY website compliant as long as you have an alternative page.

§ 1194.22 Web-based intranet and internet information and applications.

(a) A text equivalent for every non-text element shall be provided (e.g., via "alt", "longdesc", or in element content).
Even for 1x1 pixel images? You'd have a hard time getting the images in the SOLPART menus to have alt tags.

(b) Equivalent alternatives for any multimedia presentation shall be synchronized with the presentation.
Not applicable to DNN.

(c) Web pages shall be designed so that all information conveyed with color is also available without color, for example from context or markup.
Can be done.

(d) Documents shall be organized so they are readable without requiring an associated style sheet.
Might be able to -- might get client-side errors, and lose functionality.

(e) Redundant text links shall be provided for each active region of a server-side image map.
Not applicable to DNN.

(f) Client-side image maps shall be provided instead of server-side image maps except where the regions cannot be defined with an available geometric shape.
Not applicable to DNN.

(g) Row and column headers shall be identified for data tables.
Not sure what a "data table" means, but probably N/A.

(h) Markup shall be used to associate data cells and header cells for data tables that have two or more logical levels of row or column headers.
Again, ambiguous. Probably N/A.

(i) Frames shall be titled with text that facilitates frame identification and navigation.
A usability law that allows frames? HAHA! N/A

(j) Pages shall be designed to avoid causing the screen to flicker with a frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz.
I have no idea where this came from, but someone must have died from this, so it had to be added.

(k) A text-only page, with equivalent information or functionality, shall be provided to make a web site comply with the provisions of this part, when compliance cannot be accomplished in any other way. The content of the text-only page shall be updated whenever the primary page changes.
This seems to be the "loop-hole" that makes every website compliant. Just make an alternative page.

(l) When pages utilize scripting languages to display content, or to create interface elements, the information provided by the script shall be identified with functional text that can be read by assistive technology.
This is done by simply adding any text or links the script would produce -- such as the text version of the solpart menu.

(m) When a web page requires that an applet, plug-in or other application be present on the client system to interpret page content, the page must provide a link to a plug-in or applet that complies with §1194.21(a) through (l).
Not applicable to DNN.

(n) When electronic forms are designed to be completed on-line, the form shall allow people using assistive technology to access the information, field elements, and functionality required for completion and submission of the form, including all directions and cues.
I believe at least the login and registration is, but the "help" icons are not helpful in accessibility (say for the blind), because they use javascript.

(o) A method shall be provided that permits users to skip repetitive navigation links.
Not applicable to DNN.

(p) When a timed response is required, the user shall be alerted and given sufficient time to indicate more time is required.
Can be done -- I suppose you must state that the session timeouts, and provide a link to refresh the page.

Jason Honingford - Web & Software Developer
www.PortVista.com
 
New Post
8/10/2006 8:50 AM
 

A datatable is just an html table that is used to show tabular information rather than layout.

The extra markup required is along the lines of:

<table summary="Chocolate Price List">

<th scope="col">

<td scope="row">

 

 
New Post
8/10/2006 11:36 AM
 
I was just thinking using XML and XSL to create data tables would probably be in violation. Hard to believe XML would ever be considered bad?

I always thought this was one of the coolest things about XML use in HTML pages, even though it relies on client-side.

http://www.w3schools.com/xml/xml_xsl.asp

Jason Honingford - Web & Software Developer
www.PortVista.com
 
Previous
 
Next
HomeHomeOur CommunityOur CommunityGeneral Discuss...General Discuss...DNN and Accessibility (508 compliant)?DNN and Accessibility (508 compliant)?


These Forums are dedicated to discussion of DNN Platform and Evoq Solutions.

For the benefit of the community and to protect the integrity of the ecosystem, please observe the following posting guidelines:

  1. No Advertising. This includes promotion of commercial and non-commercial products or services which are not directly related to DNN.
  2. No vendor trolling / poaching. If someone posts about a vendor issue, allow the vendor or other customers to respond. Any post that looks like trolling / poaching will be removed.
  3. Discussion or promotion of DNN Platform product releases under a different brand name are strictly prohibited.
  4. No Flaming or Trolling.
  5. No Profanity, Racism, or Prejudice.
  6. Site Moderators have the final word on approving / removing a thread or post or comment.
  7. English language posting only, please.
What is Liquid Content?
Find Out
What is Liquid Content?
Find Out
What is Liquid Content?
Find Out