sasha_feather: Retro-style poster of skier on pluto.   (Default)
[personal profile] sasha_feather
Nerdy PSA at [personal profile] hope's journal is a great post on how to make your website or blog more accessible using basic HTML.

One of my big pet peeves that I see people do quite frequently, is hyperlink to things without describing what they are linking to.

For example,
BAD:

I am reading this right now!

GOOD:

I am reading The Ear, The Eye, and The Arm by Nancy Farmer right now.

I don't want to have to click on your link just to find out what the heck you are talking about. It's irritating. And I'm not trying to pick on any one person here, because I have seen at least two dozen people do variations of this problem. Sometimes for creative reasons, like using "ZOMG" as their hyperlink label when they are excited. But that is just as bad. As [personal profile] hope points out, for someone using a screen reader, when they hear "ZOMG" or "here" that is not very helpful for knowing where the link goes. I TOO FIND IT ANNOYING. (And I'm not holding this against you personally! It's just a part of blogging culture that I want to shift.)

[eta: I lay this out some more in comments at LJ.]

----

Also Access related, [personal profile] bibliofile, [personal profile] goblingirl and I were talking about con-related access things the other day, and bibliofile had this idea of making a Con Access Wiki. Something that everyone could read, with centralized information for how to do access at a con. Probably it would have to have restricted editing privileges. But the centralization would be nice, so that each con did not have to re-invent the wheel. And it would reduce barriers because you wouldn't have to know who to talk to to find things out, or get over your social anxiety to do so.

What do you guys think? Just an idea I'm pondering. Cons in this case means both conventions and conferences.

Date: 2009-08-02 05:23 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sasha-feather.livejournal.com
First of all, having never used a screen reader, I have a certain faith that when someone says, "here's how to make your website more accessible for screen reader users", they know what they are talking about. So there is a certain amount of that here, where I don't know all the intricacies but I trust that Hope does. Do you see how there is a little box of text that appears when you hover your mouse over the second link? That is because I changed the HTML according to her directions, to give it a 'title' tag which is good for screen readers. That's a subtle detail that I hope to learn and incorporate more and more in my blog posts.

For my own pet peevishness--
the first link tells you: I am reading something made up of words that has a link somewhere on the internet. That thing could be a fanfic, a magazine, a newspaper, one of many millions of books, a blog, wikipedia article, or who even knows what else. It gives me no information at all and I need to click the link to find out. Often I'm irritated when I do click the link, because, why didn't the blogger just say she was reading that book that I've read 3 times already?! I didn't need to look at the website, or click over to Amazon. I didn't need the link at all, in many cases-- I know how to use Mr. google.

The second link tells me that the blogger (me) is reading something titled The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm by Nancy Farmer, which is exactly what I would have written in text had the link not been there; I've just provided a link to Wikipedia as a courtesy if you are interested in reading more about it. I've also included a "title tag" for screen readers that labels the link.

Date: 2009-08-02 05:38 pm (UTC)
ext_6446: (Bunny)
From: [identity profile] mystickeeper.livejournal.com
Huh, I didn't know that Screen Readers were involved in the accessibility discussion - you only mentioned blog posts. I guess I would have had to click your link to know that?


I totally get your pet peevish notes - and agree with them.


ETA: It's a TV show called, Failsauce With Mystickeeper!

I see your reference to screen readers now, in your original post. Is it bad that I don't know what a screen reader is?
Edited Date: 2009-08-02 05:40 pm (UTC)

Date: 2009-08-02 05:54 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sasha-feather.livejournal.com
I was going to say "OH SNAP" and laugh at myself, but then I thought, "I did mention screen readers!"

Hahah! I could have said what they are, though, true. They are what blind people/sight-impaired people use to read the internets. I believe [livejournal.com profile] kestrell uses one. I admit I don't know much about them, perhaps I will now consult Mr. Google.

Date: 2009-08-03 03:44 am (UTC)
ext_6446: (Utena sword)
From: [identity profile] mystickeeper.livejournal.com
How do you know that Google is a man!?

Date: 2009-08-03 03:49 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] sasha-feather.livejournal.com
You know, I picked that phrase up from [livejournal.com profile] sparkymonster, who used it here (http://sparkymonster.livejournal.com/346624.html#cutid1). I also saw the term "Saint Google" used snarkily in comments at jonquil's journal today. Hmmm.

Date: 2009-08-03 03:08 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] troubleinchina.livejournal.com
I think we can all forgive you for not knowing everything. *smile*

There are some other interesting things I've been learning about screenreaders this month as part of my link-gathering for Disability (http://disability.dreamwidth.org). And a lot of it makes me go "D'oh, of course", whenever I read it.

Like, you know how in a lot of forms they'll put the "instructions for filling this box out" underneath? Which means the screen reader won't tell you how to fill out the box until after the box. Less than effective.

(Of course, the same resource also informed me very firmly that all people with mobility issues are incapable of using a mouse. Which was news to Don.)

Profile

sasha_feather: Retro-style poster of skier on pluto.   (Default)
sasha_feather

July 2025

S M T W T F S
  1234 5
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  

Most Popular Tags

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags
Page generated Jul. 31st, 2025 06:17 pm
Powered by Dreamwidth Studios