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Posted by Karl Groves on 08/07/07 18:28
Dylan Parry <usenet@dylanparry.com> wrote in
news:46b73b6f$0$646$bed64819@news.gradwell.net:
> I've been wondering lately about navigation and accessibility. There
> are two places that the navigation can "live":
>
> 1) Before the content;
> 2) After the content
>
> But which is best from an accessibility point of view? I used to think
> that it was best to put the content first and the navigation following
> it, but started to think about it - what's more annoying: having to
> select a "skip navigation" link/listening to the same navigation on
> every page; or realising you're on the wrong page but having to listen
> to 20 paragraphs of content before getting to the navigation?
>
> For that reason, I'm inclined to think that perhaps the best place for
> the navigation is indeed before the content with a link to skip it. I
> know I'd rather select that link on each page that wade through the
> content just to get to the next page!
>
> What are your thoughts on this issue?
>
Having observed disabled people actually using sites, I can say that my
personal opinion is that it doesn't really matter (for blind users) so
long as: a) they can access content easily without being burdened with
repetitious tabbing past lists of links and, b) they can effectively
navigate when they need to. c) they know how to do "a" and "b"
So, if your nav is *before* the content, immediately give them a way to
skip it at the very top before any content is written out (IOW, right
aftter <body>)
If your nav is *after* the content, immediately give them a way to get
to the navigation, again right after <body>
Most people unfortunately believe that this feature only benefits blind
users, and fail to understand that people with motor control problems
have to tab to navigate. Where you place navigation (before or after
content) is of no consequence to blind people as long as they can use it
without it being a huge pain in the ass. But people with motor control
disorders will *see* the navigation there at the top (or left) and begin
tabbing, expecting focus to switch to the navigation options early in
their tabbing. If the navigation is placed after content, this also
means they won't get focus on any of the navigation links after they've
already tabbed through everything else. In other words, you've just
removed frustration from one population and transferred it to another.
I say put the navigation before content and allow them to skip to
content rather than skip to navigation.
--
Karl Groves
http://www.thehotrodclassifieds.com
http://www.grayscalecms.com
http://www.karlcore.com
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