Web Accessibility

Scripts and Applets

  1. Ensure that pages are accessible with scripts turned off or in browsers that don't support scripts.
  2. If you include applets in your document, use the OBJECT tag and provide a text equivalent in the content of the element.
  3. If an applet requires user interaction that doesn't translate to an alternate format, make the applet directly accessible. IBM has published guidelines for writing accessible JAVA applications. Sun also has published information on JAVA accessibility. You will need the appropriate JFC 1.1 or Java 2 release, you should also have the corresponding accessibility utilities.
  4. Use links to HTML documents not to "javascript". Links such as <A href="javascript:">...</A> won't allow a browser not using scripts to create the link content.
  5. Use the NOSCRIPT tag to present alternate information.
  6. Scripts that are invoked when an event, such as a mouseover, occurs are called event handlers. If the event handlers do more than just change the graphic presentation for decorative purposes, you should use application level event triggers (such as the ONFOCUS or ONSELECT attributes) rather than event level event triggers(such as the ONMOUSEDOWN or ONCLICK attributes).
  7. If you must use device dependent attributes, use redundant input mechanisms (ONKEYDOWN with ONMOUSEDOWN for instance).
  8. Check accessibility by viewing your page in multiple browsers and platforms, then verify it with tools like CAST's on-line BOBBY verification tool.

Portions of this website are used with permission from Penn State University.

Web Accessibility

925.424.1655

Page last modified: April 19, 2007