Archived posts, May 2009
Hiding with CSS: Problems and solutions
Be aware that using display:none to hide elements will hide them from screen readers, and if you use JavaScript to show something, also use JavaScript to hide it.
CSS background images cannot and should not have alternate text
There is no way to specify alternate text for CSS background images. This is not a problem since background images should be used for presentational purposes only.
Don’t forget keyboard navigation
Remember that many people do not use a mouse to interact with the web, so you have to make sure that the sites or applications you build work independent of input device.
Do not remove the outline from links and form controls
Do not use CSS to remove the visual outline most browsers put on elements that have keyboard focus, and do not use JavaScript to immediately remove focus.
Line wrapping text in legend elements
Making text in legend elements line wrap is tricky, but it can be done in most browsers.
The mysterious sideways jump, a.k.a. scrollbar present or not present
If someone tells you that they see a strange sideways jump when they move between certain pages on your site, chances are that it’s caused by their browser’s vertical scrollbar.
Building accessible forms with WCAG 2.0
Examples, with references to relevant WCAG 2.0 Success Criteria, of how screen reader users can successfully interact with forms that use JavaScript.
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