|
| |
|
|
Nicole
Posts: 2772
Joined: 9/15/2004
From: Nambucca / Kempsey, Australia
Status: online
 |
Accessible alternative to Drop-Down Menus? - 8/24/2005 3:54:09
One of the sites I maintain has a Webstyle 4 drop-down menu with probably about 50 or so page links within the drop-down menus. I realise this type of site navigation can cause accessibility problems if an alternative list of page links isn’t also provided, so I’d like to place them just above the page footer, but….
…some of the titles in the drop-down aren’t actual page links, they’re titles only and have a right arrow next to them which opens a new expandable list of page links. I know I can’t put those titles in the navigation at the bottom of the page if they’re not actual links, but putting all the page links that run off each title could see about 50 links at the bottom of the page, and might look a little odd and also may seem confusing.
An example of what I mean is www.gendercentre.org.au/index1.htm where in the navigation menu bar, under “Resources” they’re all links except “Papers” which expands to give a list of papers. It seems strange to me that at the new navigation near the footer, I’d have all the other links under “Resources”, and then just a list of papers?
Does anyone have a solution for this, or could explain a little about the accessibility protocol for providing alternative navigation menus in this manner?
Thanks
Nicole
_____________________________
Nambucca Valley & Kempsey Web Design | NixDesign
Get Netscape Navigator 9
|
|
|
|
Tailslide
Posts: 5771
Joined: 5/10/2005
From: Out here on the raggedy edge
Status: offline
|
RE: Accessible alternative to Drop-Down Menus? - 8/24/2005 4:12:32
Dropdowns can be a nightmare - there are some accessible ones out there (Brothercake does one but it's not free!). When I say accessible with reference to dropdown menus by the way - I mean ones that can be tabbed through and are still visible (Suckerfish can be tabbed through but you can see them).
What I'd do is to have a gateway page for each section so that if the top level menu item is chosen then you go to another page with accessible links on it. That way all pages can be "got to". I'd do the same with the bottom nav - have the top level choices (including Papers) going to gateway pages with links from there.
You've got an Overview page for each item already - apart from the list of Papers. But I'd make the top level choice also go to the Overview page and have the other links from there.
_____________________________
"My strategy is so simple an idiot could have devised it"
Little Blue Plane Web Design | Blood, Sweat & Rust - A Land Rover restoration project
| |
|
|
|
Tailslide
Posts: 5771
Joined: 5/10/2005
From: Out here on the raggedy edge
Status: offline
|
RE: Accessible alternative to Drop-Down Menus? - 8/24/2005 8:06:49
I hadn't seen that silverorange one - thanks for posting that Womble!
The Llama menu can't be tabbed through unfortunately - but it looks really pretty!
_____________________________
"My strategy is so simple an idiot could have devised it"
Little Blue Plane Web Design | Blood, Sweat & Rust - A Land Rover restoration project
| |
|
 New Messages |
 No New Messages |
 Hot Topic w/ New Messages |
 Hot Topic w/o New Messages |
 Locked w/ New Messages |
 Locked w/o New Messages |
|
Post New Thread
Reply to Message
Post New Poll
Submit Vote
Delete My Own Post
Delete My Own Thread
Rate Posts
|
|
|
Printable Version 
