1.16 Ensure that pages are usable without support for scripts, applets, or other programmatic objects
Contents
WAI Checkpoint 6.3
Full WAI text: "Ensure that pages are usable when scripts, applets, or other programmatic objects are turned off or not supported. If this is not possible, provide equivalent information on an alternative accessible page."
Users should be able to access all of the information and functionality provided on a page, even if they are unable to use any scripts, applets, or other programmatic objects that it contains.
Scripts and applets are types of programmatic objects. These are pieces of functionality written in languages other than HTML, to provide dynamic or interactive behaviour ranging from simple visual effects to mini applications. Examples include automatic redirects, pop-up menus coded in DHTML, form input validation routines written in JavaScript and interactive applications such as tax calculators or games written in Java or Macromedia Flash. Any effect or functionality can potentially be provided by using a script or applet.
If it is not possible to present the page without relying on these programmatic objects, the information and functionality it contains should also be provided either in an alternative form on the same page or on a different page, using accessible methods.
Rationale
Many users do not use equipment that is capable of running scripts, applets or other programmatic objects. For example, they may have old or non-mainstream hardware and software that does not support the scripting languages or supports only earlier versions. They may be working in an environment where scripts and applets are blocked by a firewall for security reasons. They may have a physical impairment that means they are unable to use a mouse and cannot therefore interact with scripts that require mouse input. Or they may be using a form of assistive technology, such as a screen reader, which cannot access the contents of the script, applet or object. Other users may have turned off support for script handling for reasons of speed or security.
Directions and Techniques
Avoid using JavaScript: as a link target
A user agent that does not support javascript cannot do anything with this, so the link is effectively broken.
Use the NOSCRIPT element
User agents that do not support scripting will display the contents of the NOSCRIPT element.
Use server-side scripts instead of client-side scripts
If you use a client-side script and the client does not support scripting, nothing at all will happen. But in many cases, the same functionality can be achieved using a server-side script with the result returned to the client as an updated page.
Provide a text equivalent of the information
See the WAI recommended techniques for Text and non-text equivalents for applets and programmatic objects.
How you could check for this:
Turn off support for scripts and applets or use a browser that has no support
The latest versions of mainstream browsers allow you to decide whether to accept scripts or applets for security reasons. Some older browsers do not support scripts or applets at all. If turning off support for scipts and applets makes any of the functionality unusable, then the site will be inaccessible to some users.
Guidelines for Web Accessibility - Priority 1- 1.1 Provide a text equivalent for every non-text element
- 1.2 Ensure that information does not rely on colour perception
- 1.3 Avoid causing the screen to flicker
- 1.4 Provide an auditory description of the visual information in multimedia presentations
- 1.5 For multimedia, ensure that timing of alternative descriptions is synchronised with the presentation
- 1.6 Use the clearest and simplest language appropriate
- 1.7 Identify language changes in text
- 1.8 Ensure that equivalents for dynamic content are updated when the dynamic content changes
- 1.9 For data tables, identify row and column headers
- 1.10 For complex data tables, use mark-up to associate data cells and header cells
- 1.11 Add titles to frames
- 1.12 Ensure that documents can be read without style sheets
- 1.13 Provide text links to emulate server-side image maps
- 1.14 Use client-side image maps rather than server-side image maps where possible
- 1.15 Ensure that scripts and applets that provide the only source of important functionality are directly accessible or compatib
- 1.16 Ensure that pages are usable without support for scripts, applets, or other programmatic objects
- 1.17 If you cannot make a page accessible, provide an equivalent accessible page
