FWIW this is the view of our web master, Ben Darlow, whose job is to
know about these things.
"I agree with the first two; they're not particularly user-friendly or
accessible, and were never really intended to be used for navigation.
Generally the number of links on a given page (for navigation purposes)
should never get so large that you need to save space with a select box.
Using one also has the negative effects of hiding all the alternative
destinations (and their links, should you want to copy it directly)
until the user interacts with the select box."
Interestingly he himself uses drop down menus on our (new) quoting
system -- not for navigation, but for selecting from multiple items,
which is what they were designed for. I presume that he does this in an
accessible way. They certainly seem to be an efficient tool in that
context.
Regards
Ian Litterick
www.iansyst.co.uk
www.dyslexic.com
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support
> staff. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of A Velarde
> Sent: 19 July 2004 15:35
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [DIS-FORUM] websites
>
>
> Interesting Mary. I find them useful. They narrow down the
> the choices-
> helping me in not loosing time. I guess the difficulties with
> them may not
> be related with dyslexia related problems. Just a thought. A
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Mary Bown" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Monday, July 19, 2004 2:49 PM
> Subject: Re: websites
>
>
> > As a dyslexic I hate them they are difficult to read and
> make a web page
> > 'busy' and distracting. I also like to use my mouse pointer
> to help me
> stay
> > on line on pages with lots of text with the conciquence
> that they are
> always
> > poping up (or droping down) and getting in the way. I have
> been asured by
> > some that they are 'Accessable' for the visually impared
> but I'm not so
> > sure.
> > Mary
> >
> > >From: John Conway <[log in to unmask]>
> > >Reply-To: "Discussion list for disabled students and their support
> staff."
> > > <[log in to unmask]>
> > >To: [log in to unmask]
> > >Subject: websites
> > >Date: Fri, 16 Jul 2004 11:55:32 +0100
> > >
> > >Please forgive a rather "techi" question, but can I ask if
> anyone can
> > >advise me about drop down menus on WebPages? I am being pushed to
> > >introduce these to our website in place of the left border and my
> > >feeling is that they are not supported by screen readers?
> > >
> > >Dr John S Conway
> > >Principal Lecturer in soil science / Disability Officer
> > >Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester, Glos GL7 6JS
> > >01285 652531 ext 2234 fax 01285 650219
> > >http://www.royagcol.ac.uk/~john_conway/
> > >email [log in to unmask]
> > >
> > >
> >
> > _________________________________________________________________
> > Discover the best of the best at MSN Luxury Living.
> http://lexus.msn.com/
> >
>
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