RE: FLASH: Flash and Web Accessibility

[Chayli Design]

Typically these guidelines are adhered to by Government sites and others who

have an obligation to ensure their sites are accessible. I say guidelines

because at this point I *think* most are still just that - guidelines and

recommendations.  I work for a Gov't organisation (in Australia) and these

are the guidelines we have to comply with -

http://www.dofa.gov.au/infoaccess/guidelines/guidelines_for_commonwealth_in.

htm and  http://www.w3.org/TR/WAI-WEBCONTENT/full-checklist.html They're

taken seriously these days ... especially since the Sydney Olympics site

case  where SOCOG was ordered to make their site accessible and pay

compensation to a blind user.


An interesting source of info  we've just been looking at

http://www.frontend.com/usability_infocentre/index.html (also mentions

Flash)


As Flash requires that users have the plugin, for us it simply doesn't

comply. That's not to say we couldn't use it, just that we must also provide

alternative means for users to access the content. We're also in the process

of removing any pdf files .... another no no.


HTH


Joyce


-----Original Message-----

From:

ownerchinwag [dot] com

 [

ownerchinwag [dot] com]On">mailto:ownerchinwag [dot] com]On

 Behalf Of Colleen

Appleton

Sent: Wednesday, 10 January 2001 11:50 PM

To:

flasherchinwag [dot] com

Subject: FLASH: Flash and Web Accessibilty



Our company is going to have a meeting concerning the Bobby guidelines,

which we have only 2 months to make sure our sites are in compliance with

this.  I'm concerned about it because our site is nearly 100% Flash.  I am

well aware of the need for the disabled to be able to access the Web, but

quite frankly, I don't know how to make a Flash site meet the guidelines.

We use audio files extensively in Flash to deliver help, music, voice-over

narration, and our sites are designed for 800x600 and larger screen

resolutions.


If anyone is wondering what the Bobby guidelines are, and what the

accessibility guidelines are, you can view them at the following sites:


http://www.bobby.org/

http://www.microsoft.com/enable/dev/web/default.htm


Do these rules apply to the entire Internet, or just certain Entities of it?

I already know the consequences (very serious ones) if we do not change our

sites over, but I'm wondering if anyone else has run into this situation,

and if so, how are you making a Flash site accessible to everyone?   I fear

we are going to have to design two separate sites.





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

flasher is generously supported by...

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

   flashforward2000 and the Flash(tm) Film Festival

 November 27-29, 2000, LONDON, National Film Theatre


   Produced by United Digital Artists and lynda.com

-Sponsored by Macromedia, Adobe Systems and Apple Computer

-http://www.flashforward2000.com  or UK tel. +44 (0870) 751 1526

       Register before November 10 and save £200

            http:// www.flashforward2000.com

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  To unsubscribe or change your list settings go to

http://www.chinwag.com/flasher or email

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