This is a simple test page to validate the necessity of proper punctuation within text content elements of any Web document. This is of particular importance just prior to the text content element's closing tag. Without it, adaptive technologies will render run on sentences and text content
Furthermore it is a fundamental accessibility best practice for all Web visitors regardless of the user agent in use
Three text content element types are used Header Paragraph and Ordered List While the Document Title cannot legitimately be considered as a text content element, some adaptive technologies do speak it
Paragraph Element - The primary organic elements
NOTE: Punctuation is used on all text content elements for the remainder of this document.
Paragraph Element - The primary organic elements.
This test is provided to show that, for design purposes, punctuation can be hidden using CSS and that it will have the same effect as though the punctuation were visually displayed. Totally unnecessary but since those at Paciello who fail to think and tried, in arrogance, to make it a point, I tossed it in.
Paragraph Element - The primary organic elements.
Only three user agents were used to substantiate the test even though more should have been used. It validates the point.
Default user configurations as supplied by the various software applications were used. The three user agents are:
JAWS would run on all three elements whenever punctuation was not used.
An interesting point is the use of the title tag within the head tag of a Web document. JAWS reads the document title. However, without the use of punctuation within the document title, JAWS will run the title into the first text content element within the document's body. Punctuation for this specific document's title has been omitted for this test. I am not convinced, however, that punctuation prior to the closing title tag is a necessity. That is an adaptive software application issue rather than a content designer/developer's issue.
Run on and incorrectly merged text content elements can be identified within JAWS by a continual drop in pitch of the voice as that content segment is rendered.
NOTE: JAWS allows for a myriad of various configuration options that are buried within a user configuration menu. One of those options is to specify that the application will pause with each spoken line. The stated results, herein, are based upon the JAWS default configuration as installed by the application, only.
Window-Eyes would run on all three elements whenever punctuation was not used.
The Firefox browser plugin would render an appropriate pause after the closing tag element on only the header and paragraph elements that used no punctuation.
The list elements run together without use of appropriate punctuation.
Even with this simple test, Hickson's implied suggestion that use of punctuation within text content elements is critical to accessibility and cannot, with any logic, be contested. There is a caveat. Idiots can and do overlook and/or contest anything.
If you find any discrepancies or issues with my logic or what has been presented, please e-Mail: that guy at Boinkin Chipmunks.
Copyright 2008. By: thacker. All Rights Reserved, Worldwide.
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