RE: [SEC508] bulletin boards

["Karl Groves" <kgroves@user-centereddesign.com>]

Denise -

 

I don't think "compatible with screen readers" equates to "accessible". First, it only focuses on one population. Second, it assumes that the population you're focusing on is using a screen reader.

 

Nevertheless, that's just me being pedantic. Let me answer your question:

 

To my knowledge, most of the bulletin boards/ forums you'll find are NOT accessible.  Most of them are made with the old "nested tables and spacer images ad nauseum" techniques of page layout.  In addition, when they do use tables properly, they don't properly identify headers and associate the data with their headers.  Last, their forms do not properly label their elements.  It is really a sad situation.

 

That said, I find Phorum (www.phorum.org) the easiest to hack its templates and make accessible and I've done so many times. Other popular boards like PHPbb are far too much of a pain to even try making accessible, IMO.

 

Karl L. Groves
User-Centered Design, Inc.
Office: 703-729-0998
Mobile: 443-889-8763
E-Mail: kgroves@user-centereddesign.com
Web: http://www.user-centereddesign.com

---

From: sec508-admin@trace.wisc.edu [mailto:sec508-admin@trace.wisc.edu] On Behalf Of Denise Marshall
Sent: Tuesday, June 06, 2006 9:40 AM
To: sec508@trace.wisc.edu
Subject: [SEC508] bulletin boards

Hi – I am new to this list and looking for assistance in finding a bulletin board that is compatible with screen readers. We are in the process of revising our site to be compliant and appreciate any assistance or resources.

 

thanks

 

Denise Marshall
Executive Director
COPAA
PO BOX 6767
Towson, MD 21285
(P)443-451-5270
(F)443-451-2680
http://copaa.org

 

--
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.8.1/355 - Release Date: 6/2/2006