If your Web site includes a Javascript drop-down men or a DHTML "floating" menu, then make sure a text based menu is also included in the Web site. The menu can be at the bottom, but a visible link to a text based menu should appear at the top of a page.
SECTION 508 - When pages utilize scripting languages to display content, or to create interface elements, the information provided by the script shall be identified with functional text that can be read by assistive technology.
A floating menu is one that appears when you roll your mouse over a target area. Floating menus may be found on http://www.psu.edu, http://www.missamerica.org (gray menu bar) and other Web sites.
Although innovative, floating menus feature the following accessibility issues.
- Dropdown menus and floating menus typically rely on Javascript and so may not be accessible on a screen reader.
- Users with mobility impairment may find it difficult to move the mouse to scroll and click on the correct option.
- Since only part of the hierarchy is visible at any one time, users with memory or cognitive disabilities may have difficulty locating which menu to click on.
- DHTML Floating menus can be difficult to make work correctly across browsers and platforms. This affects the entire browsing audience.
A link to a text-based menu or Site Map at the top of the page allows users unable or uncomfortable using a floating menu to use a more static set of navigational links.
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