Accessibility

Questionnaires created using the Standard ViewsFlash 5 styles meet very high accessibility standards. By using these style templates, the forms created are:
- WCAG Priority 2 compliant, with many Priority 3 elements as well
- Section 508 compliant
- XHTML 1.0 Transitional compliant
- i18n capable; accessible multiple language surveys can be created.

These templates accomplish these goals by using the following techniques:
- using CSS styles exclusively
- using <label> and <fieldset> tags with all form elements, and <alt> tags with images
- extra highlighting for currently active form fields in browsers that support it, like Firefox
- judicious use of tables, with row and column headers
- javascript form field validation backed by server side validation for screen readers that turn off javascript
- form field validation errors reported with a link that takes user directly to field in error

The templates can be further refined, as usual.

To ensure the highest level of compliance, create questionnaires with the following settings.

1 Select the Standard_ style in the place settings. This is the default setting.

2 In the Question page, use the [x] Question must be answered check box , and the "values must be between" fields in Text boxes. Additional arbitrary server side validation can be done with the Script Action.

3 In the Security page, include the following values in item #4, Incorrect Entries:

4	Incorrect entries. When a visitor submits an invalid response:
	Use the answers entered and say nothing.
	Redisplay the form. Include the following error message at the top: Mark invalid questions with: Leave blank to use the place's form style or enter the name of a special form style file:

4 The Language page now includes fields for describing the left to right or right to left orientation of the language used in the questionnaire. If not filled, the servers' default Locale settings are used.

All these procedures can be used in languages other than English. The standard techniques for creating multiple language surveys work with these styles.

Resources
W3C Content Accessibility Guidelines
United States Access Board Section 508 Standards
Comparison WCAG and section 508 by Jim Thatcher
Accessible HTML Forms by Ian Lloyd
Understanding Web Accessibility by Shawn Lawton Henry
Bruce Lawson
Accessify.com

Style templates enhancements used
A new [/answerno] tag can now be used in form and question styles. It is used to create element IDs.
The new [/direction] tag can be used in form styles. It is used to create the direction HTML tags.

Next: Sampling