Content developers may be tempted to use structural constructs that achieve a desired
formatting effect on older browsers. These practices cause accessibility problems. For
instance:
Avoid using images to represent text; use text and style sheets instead to achieve
formatting. Use tables instead of the PRE element to create a tabular layout of
text. Use list elements instead of images to create bullets; use style sheets to
customize the bullet if you prefer.
Use specialized markup languages, such as MathML, to represent information that is not
easily presented in HTML. Until there is widespread browser support, of course, it is also
important to retain a fallback presentation. Rationale:
Content can be presented using a variety of technologies, but these technologies are
not universally supported. Therefore, it is common to represent non-textual content (such
as mathematical equations and graphs) in images. Images are,
however, inaccessible to many users and cannot be transformed by the computer into a
meaningful presentation. Where a web-based markup language exists, it is preferable to use
that since the language is designed in part for accessibility. |
