Displaying 'Text Size AAA' & text only
Is there any research out there to say we are OK now to hide this function away on an accesability help page, rather than needing it visible on a home page. As browser have this function built in and do the visual impeared now know this, this also relates to text only link on a home page. Any guidance would be appricated plus I need some proof for my client. Cheers C
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Hi Clifton,
I've got some bad news for you I'm afraid.
Here's what the latest research says:
It finds that many disabled and elderly people don't have a clue how to change the size of text in their browser (in fact most elderly people don't know what browser they are using, which even makes finding the right instructions to change the text on sites like BBC My Web My Way - www.bbc.co.uk/accessibility/ - too difficult for them).
So the browser isn't a solution to their needs.
And hiding the Text Size widget on an accessibility help page is no use either. Anecdotal research into the use of accessibility help pages (that informed guidance on their use in BS8878) finds that people only go there when they want to complain about the inaccessibility of a site. And BBC research finds that people who need to change the text size or colours of a page often don't know that's even doable, so they aren't likely to complain...
So it's important the widget is visible on the home page.
The only other problem is that the research says that most of the people who would be helped by changing the text size and colour (those with lower level vision impairments, dyslexia, ADHD, aspergers, literacy difficulties and who are aging) don't understand the AAA icon that's the 'de facto' standard.
Check out the research at:
- a full review of the research in this area:http://www.slideshare.net/jonathanhassell/2010-mydisplay-accessibility-preferences-arent-for-sissies
- specific research into the AAA icon: http://www.iu.hio.no/~frodes/unitech10/023-Sandnes/index.html
So, while we come up with a better solution, I'd advise putting the widget on the homepage. For the future, look into GPII.
Hope that helps
Jonathan
Director, Hassell Inclusion
www.hassellinclusion.com
Prof Jonathan Hassell
Director of Hassell Inclusion and Lead-Author of BS8878
w: http://www.hassellinclusion.com/
t: @jonhassell
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Hi Clifton
Have you seen all the previous thread about text resizers on this forum - there are several.
One day someone might make a (video) demonstration/tutorial coupled with platform and browser detection so we can all just link to it.
James
Web Developer at Big Lottery Fund
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jpb, that's a great idea! In the short term, it would at least be possible to deep-link to the nearest matching BBC My Web My Way page after detecting the browser?
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