> what's the problem with handing some work to
> the browser if the interface is designed to be
> accessed over the Web?
Nothing -- unless the screen reading software your visually impaired users are using cannot read part of the page because it's being loaded into the browser in a way that the screen reader can't recognize it.
The reason why so many of these systems use JavaScript (and AJAX techniques in particular) is because tasks like calculating facets and looking-up availability in the ILS are resource-intensive. Performing those functions asynchronously after the page loads speeds things up considerably.
JavaScript and ADA compliance are not mortal enemies, though. You can have your cake and eat it too. But it seems that many, if not most, 'next-generation' catalog systems implement Javascript without regard to accessibility considerations.
--Dave
==================
David Walker
Library Web Services Manager
California State University
http://xerxes.calstate.edu
________________________________________
From: Next generation catalogs for libraries [NGC4LIB_at_LISTSERV.ND.EDU] On Behalf Of Kyle Banerjee [kyle.banerjee_at_GMAIL.COM]
Sent: Friday, May 22, 2009 9:42 AM
To: NGC4LIB_at_LISTSERV.ND.EDU
Subject: Re: [NGC4LIB] National Library of Australia
> Anyone wonder why all of these 'discovery' platforms are completely dependent upon javascript and why the developers think that's OK?
>
Just out of curiosity, what's the problem with handing some work to
the browser if the interface is designed to be accessed over the Web?
kyle
Received on Fri May 22 2009 - 13:35:32 EDT