NFB Criteria

Tables

Table headings are consistent on data tables, and screen access software table navigation functions are able to present tabular information in a meaningful way.

Select Menus (Combo Boxes)

The menu options can be navigated with screen access software without causing form submission or a screen change. Single and multiple selections can be made and the selections can be reviewed.

Repetitive Link Skipping

A function that allows users to skip past repetitive navigation links and standard navigation features is available and usable with screen access software. This function allows a user to quickly access the meat of the page without having to listen to numerous redundant links.

Push Buttons

The purpose of the button is identified, and the user can determine the action to be executed when the button is pressed. All buttons that can be seen on the page are detectable with screen access software.

Non-Standard Controls

(Elements used in a page that perform nontraditional behavior.)

­Such controls can be executed with screen access software, and the user is provided with enough information to make good use of the control (e.g., a hypertext link, which traditionally takes one to a different page, is now used to select or highlight an item on the page; with screen access software, the user is able to determine which item on the page has been highlighted).

Media Presentations

Media presentations such as streaming audio or video are accompanied by text transcripts of content that can be accessed and read with screen access software.

Links

Sufficient information is provided for the user to determine the purpose of the link (e.g., link text can be read by the screen access software to tell the user what the link will do).

Inline Interfaces

Interface elements within Windows applications (e.g., the controls used within an audio playback program that is functioning as a plug­in) are accessible to screen access software.

Image Maps

Selections can be identified by the screen access program (e.g., there is text available in a logical order to screen access software for the user to understand and select items on the image map). If certain selections cannot be made accessible, an alternative must be provided (e.g., a properly labeled hypertext link).

Frames

Each frame has a title that can be read by screen access software, and that title conveys useful information about the function of the frame (e.g., frame titles do not simply give the location of the frame on the page but describe the purpose of the frame).

Forced Focus Changes

(Content on the screen changing without a specific command from the user.)

Such changes can be easily turned off by a user running screen access software.

External File Types

All material information provided through an external file type is accessible to screen access software or an alternative accessible version is provided. Examples of external file types include the Portable Document Format (PDF) from Adobe Systems and Flash presentations from Macromedia.

Edit Boxes

A clear descriptor of each edit box is available to screen access software (e.g., when the user tabs to an edit box, the screen access software might say, “first name edit,” or “last name edit,” as opposed to “edit”).

Device Dependency

All actions that provide material function must be executable from the keyboard (e.g., there must be keyboard accessible equivalents to JavaScript actions triggered only through the use of the mouse when those actions are material to the page).

Client Side Content Changes

(Changes occurring on a Web page without a round trip to the server.)

All such changes are detectable by screen access software.

Checkboxes and Radio Buttons

Text information about the purpose of checkboxes and radio buttons is easily available to screen access software, enabling the blind computer user to know what is being checked or unchecked.

Charts

Screen access software can extract meaningful information from charts (e.g., a text description of information conveyed via a pie chart is easily available).

Animation

Methods for an alternative to the animation are available and easily accessible to screen access software (e.g., a presentation that shows via animation how a product works is accompanied by a text equivalent that can be reached by pressing on a link).

Pictures and Graphics

Those that convey important information central to the function of the site or application are described using text that is easily available to screen access software. The user should be able to understand the meaning of the graphic or picture. E.g., a logo for a company is labeled “Logo for XYZ Co.”