Re: Drop down menus

Problems with drop down menus -

a. They rely on JavaScript.  Not all users have JavaScript support
available or enabled.
b. They are difficult to make easily keyboard accessible.  Not all
users can use a mouse.
c. They can be very awkward for users of screen magnification
software.
d. They don't generally work with screen reader software.
e. If they consist of text, they may present problems to users who use
larger text settings in their browser.
f. If they consist of text, users who require to use their own text
and background colour settings get transparent menus overlaying the
page content - often difficult or impossible to read.
g. If they consist of graphics rather than actual text, while they
remain opaque, they can't be increased or decreased in size in the way
that text can.  Some users may therefore find them difficult or
impossible to read.

Suggestions -

1. Make sure each of the top level menu items is keyboard navigable,
and make each one a link in its own right to a section home page which
then provides the same menu options (as provided in the drop down
menu) as static text links.
2. Provide users with a "switch" so they can switch off drop down
menus if they cause a problem or if they simply prefer to dispense
with them.

Things to watch out for -

i. If the drop down menus use text, ensure that the "boxes" which
contain the menus can expand to accommodate larger text if users have
their browsers set to use larger font sizes.
ii. If the drop down menu items are contained in DIVs which are
initially hidden using CSS, place these DIVs at the end of the HTML
code - some screen reader software will read out content even if it is
hidden using CSS styles, so best to put these menus where they will
least impede the user.

And finally, simply be aware that drop down menus do present problems
to many users.  If you do decide to use them, test the pages using a
range of browser settings - different font sizes, different
text/background/link colours, without JavaScript, etc - and browse the
pages without a mouse, using just the keyboard.  If possible get as
many different users using different technologies to try out the site
as you can, to be sure you haven't missed anything. :-)

HTH...

Donna


On Mon, 4 Aug 2003 16:21:29 -0400, "Kevin Riggs" <kriggs(at)fodac.org>
wrote:

>I'm revamping our web site and my boss would like to incorporate =
drop-down
>menus but I'm concerned about accessibility as we are an organization
>serving people with disabilities. Can drop-down menus be made =
accessible?
>
>Kevin Riggs
>Director of Communication and Technological Services
>FODAC
>fodac.org
>
>

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