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Subject:Re: 508 Compliance - Common Readability Issues From:Char James-Tanny <charjtf -at- gmail -dot- com> To:techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com Date:Wed, 4 Nov 2009 13:53:32 -0400
> I wonder how bending a page on my site to accommodate a screen reader would affect SEO.
>
> It's not clear what a screen reader reads first, with respect to textual content versus CSS and structural stuff (like menus, ads, etc.)
The easiest way to do a quick accessibility check is to disable CSS.
Both screen readers and search engines read the raw HTML...they don't
care what it looks like on the screen. (Note that color contrast and
other tests to help out those with visual disabilities, like
colo(u)r-blindness, use the CSS.)
There are a couple of ways that you can do this:
- If you're using Firefix, add the Web Developer add-in.
- If you're using IE, add the AIS Accessibility Toolbar.
Both add toolbars to the browser, and one of the options is "Disable CSS".
If you don't want to install any add-ons or plug-ins, and you can test
locally, temporarily rename your CSS file(s).
For all of these, the page will use your default browser options to display.
Char James-Tanny ~ JTF Associates, Inc. ~ http://www.helpstuff.com
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