<html xmlns:un="http://usablenet.com/namespaces/508_rules">
   <link rel="stylesheet" href="josh.css">
   <head>
      <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1">
   
      <title>Detailed View for rule: AREA with equivalent ALT</title>
      <!--
  508/W3C Accessibility Suite OEM V2 for Macromedia Dreamweaver
  (C) Copyright 2001-2005 UsableNet Inc. All rights reserved.
  -->
   </head>
   <body bgcolor="#ffffff">
      <div id="Description">
         <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0" width="100%" class="main">
            <tr>
               <td valign="top" nowrap="true" class="name">AREA with equivalent ALT</td>
               <td valign="top" nowrap="true" class="compatibility">&nbsp;</td>
            </tr>
            <tr>
               <td colspan="2" class="divider"><img src="dwres:18084" width="100%" height="1"></td>
            </tr>
            <tr>
               <td valign="top" align="right" nowrap="true" colspan="2" class="requirements">
                  Section 508 1194.22(a); 
                  
                  WAI
                  
                  / 
                  
                  WCAG
                  
                  1.0 checkpoint 1.1
                  
               </td>
            </tr>
            <tr>
               <td colspan="2" class="clearseparation">&nbsp;</td>
            </tr>
            <tr>
               <td colspan="2" class="clearseparation">&nbsp;</td>
            </tr>
            <tr>
               <td valign="top" colspan="2" class="description"><b>Issue Description</b><br>
                  
                  <p>
                     The image map included in this document has AREAs elements
                     with valid textual descriptions. 
                     <br>
                     These descriptions should be equivalent to the image map.
                     
                  </p>
                  
               </td>
            </tr>
            <tr>
               <td colspan="2" class="clearseparation">&nbsp;</td>
            </tr>
            <tr>
               <td colspan="2" class="clearseparation">&nbsp;</td>
            </tr>
            <tr>
               <td valign="top" colspan="2" class="description"><b>How to check</b>
                  
                  <p>
                     Test the ALT attribute of the AREA tag while keeping the
                     following points in mind:
                     
                  </p>
                  
                  <ul>
                     
                     <li>
                        The description should explain the link destination, or
                        why the user would want to follow it
                        
                     </li>
                     
                     
                     <li>
                        Do not mention the mechanics such as "click here", but
                        describe the destination of the link and its role for the
                        user
                        
                     </li>
                     
                  </ul>
                  
               </td>
            </tr>
            <tr>
               <td colspan="2" class="clearseparation">&nbsp;</td>
            </tr>
            <tr>
               <td colspan="2" class="clearseparation">&nbsp;</td>
            </tr>
            <tr>
               <td valign="top" colspan="2" class="description"><b>Issue Explanation</b><br>
                  
                  <p>
                     ALT attributes are the means to provide text equivalents
                     for image maps. Doing so is important since image maps
                     convey visual information crucial for navigation.
                     
                  </p>
                  
                  
                  <p>
                     The ALT attribute should describe the associated area of
                     the image so that users without graphics-enabled browsers
                     can still effectively navigate the page. Without equivalent
                     ALT descriptions, such users would not be able to navigate
                     through the image map.
                     
                  </p>
                  
                  
                  <p>
                     As with other links, the link text should make sense when
                     read out of context. Good link text should not be overly
                     general. Do not use "click here." Not only is this phrase
                     device-dependent (it implies a pointing device), but it
                     says nothing about what is to be found if the link is
                     click. Instead of "click here", link text should indicate
                     the nature of the link target, as in "more information
                     about sea lions" or "text-only version of this page".
                     
                  </p>
                  
                  
                  <p>
                     The advent of hand-held, text-only browsers makes the use
                     of the ALT descriptions more important now than ever.
                     Consider that many users by choice or necessity use
                     text-only browsers with screen readers or speaking
                     browsers. They include visually impaired persons, people
                     using the web over a phone, and people using a speaking
                     browser in the car.
                     
                  </p>
                  
                  
                  <p>
                     Until user agents can render text equivalents for
                     client-side image map links, you can make your page
                     accessible to users that cannot see the graphics by
                     providing redundant textual links for each active region of
                     a client-side image map. By providing the ALT description
                     for AREA elements, however, your page is already compliant
                     with respect to these new browsers.
                     
                  </p>
                  
               </td>
            </tr>
         </table>
      </div>
   </body>
</html>