Catherine, Don't mind me butting in here but I gave a Jaws command earlier re access keys which should have been, jaws key and z as a toggle! Thanks anyone for not having jumped down my throat! Cheers Tony Sweeney ----- Original Message ----- From: Catherine Turner To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Tuesday, March 23, 2010 6:51 PM Subject: [access-uk] Re: Your thoughts on access keys on websites? Oh dear, I'm going to throw a spanner in the works. On the whole, I don't used access keys. However on a couple of sites I use heavily on a daily basis I find them useful, and they don't interfere with my screen reader. I use Firefox where you press alt shift key to activate the access keys. I do find them useful and wouldn't want to be without them for these specific websites, though yes there are alternative ways. When I use Internet Explorer the access keys rarely work properly. I wonder whether it's possible to keep them and have them not interfere with screen readers, but I suspect this is not possible since some may use alt shift as keystrokes. I do think it's a shame though, as they are useful, and I wish there was a way of implementing them in such a way where the browser could switch them on/off as desired so I could have my access keys, and those who don't want them can ditch them... Catherine On 3/23/10, Barry Hill <bbinc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > I have never successfully used access keys. Either they interfere with Jaws > or they don't take me to the place they are meant to. I don't like them and > don't use them. For me, correct use of headings is much more useful. > > Cheers > > Barry > > > -----Original Message----- > From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of > Jonathan > Sent: Sunday, March 21, 2010 9:09 PM > To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > Subject: [access-uk] Your thoughts on access keys on websites? > > I'm putting the final touches to a section of a site for blind or partially > sighted users, with the help of someone from this group who I'm in private > email exchange with, and a couple of others giving me advice which has been > invaluable. > > The users themselves want to know why I wasn't using "access keys" - > keyboard navigation through pages by pressing keys on the keyboard. > > The RNIB suggest access keys shouldn't be used, or if so, very > minimally: > http://www.rnib.org.uk/professionals/webaccessibility/designbuild/navigation > /Pages/access_tabs.aspx > When I got the RNIB to check the last site I did, they also suggested I > didn't use access keys. > > A working group drafting future specifications on accessible sites also > suggest access keys aren't used. And in fact, some browsers don't support > them at all now. > > However, I thought I'd let this group cast the deciding vote! The users > (well, 2 of them) say "yay", the guide says "nay"! > > So what are your thoughts on access keys? And as a sub-question, if I were > to drop the idea of access keys for site navigation and just use them for > navigation of audio playlists, then I would stick the the recommendation of > numbers only. What numbers would be easiest? I was thinking 1 for stop, 2 > for play, 3 for next item (track), 4 for previous track. All thoughts > welcome! > > -- > Providing support to Britain's 500 talking newspaper services > http://www.talking-newspapers.co.uk/ > ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- > ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] > ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: > ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > ** and in the Subject line type > ** unsubscribe > ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the > ** immediately-following link:- > ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] > ** or send a message, to > ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq > > ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- > ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] > ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: > ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > ** and in the Subject line type > ** unsubscribe > ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the > ** immediately-following link:- > ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] > ** or send a message, to > ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq > > ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ** and in the Subject line type ** unsubscribe ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the ** immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] ** or send a message, to ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq