Screen Capture of Netscape Session
The following image is a Netscape screen capture of the home page of the Smithsonian Institution. The designer did not follow the rules of good web design. Instead, the layout is visually complex and is more appropriate for print material. In addition, the designer includes several animations that do not have text alternatives and are not supported by text browsers. It is unlikely that this web page can be accessed by text or auditory browsers.
Screen Capture of Lynx Session
The following image is a Lynx screen capture of the Smithsonian Institution's home page. Lynx is a text-based web browser and is commonly used by people with low-bandwidth connections, or by people at universities and research institutions who prefer quick access to text information.
The designer of this web page did not adhere to one of the most basic rules of good web design. He or she failed to provide alternate text for any of the images. The user of a text based browser must navigate a confusing list of file names before encountering a link near the bottom of the screen named "NoLinks? Click Here". When the link is followed in Netscape, the user is taken to a visually similar page that lacks a javascript mouseover animation of the menu options. One must surmise that the javascript causes the links in the menu to fail with some visual browsers and an alternate page is required. When the link is followed during a Lynx session, the user is taken to a page that appears to be identical to the first. It is only after a prolonged effort that the user discovers that the link named "USEMAP:siteindex.gif" leads to a table of contents. However, navigation continues to be difficult in subsequent pages.
It is clear that no effort was made to provide access to this web site for visually-impaired users. It is expected that the page will perform poorly when accessed by a blind person equipped with an auditory browser such as Web Speak.
Screen Capture of WebSpeak Session
The following image is a Web Speak screen capture of the Smithsonian Institution's home page. Web Speak is an auditory browser supplied by Productivity Works. It works by reading a web page out loud to a visually-impaired user. Links and images are specified and the user is able to navigate via a standard computer keyboard. The most important point to consider when designing a site that may be visited by the visually-impaired, is that the information on the web page must be accessed in a linear fashion, from start to finish. Select this text if you would like to hear what a visually-impaired person hears when using Web Speak.
It is nearly impossible for a visually-impaired person using an auditory browser to access this web site.
