Method for skipping over navigation links

Provide methods for skipping over navigation links to get to main content of the Web page.

When a navigation bar appears at the top of a page or down the left side of the Web page, users who are reading the page with a screen reader must listen to all links across the top of the page and down the left side of the page before getting to the main content. This occurs for each page visited on the site. However, sighted users can ignore the links and go directly to the main content. The purpose of this checkpoint is to enable users who are blind to skip over the navigation links and go quickly to the main content for improved accessibility and usability of the Web site.

If the application supports frames, it is not necessary to implement the skip navigation link. Frames can be used to navigate the page and skip over redundant information. Frame titles must be provided to make the frames accessible.

This checkpoint only applies to Notes applications viewed on the Web.

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One or more of the following techniques are required to meet Checkpoint 1.2 from the Lotus Notes Application Accessibility Checklist:

• Provide a link at the top of the page attached to an unimportant image. The alternate text for the image is coded as alt="skip to main content". The target of the image link is the start of the main content on the page. When a blind user listens to the Web page with a screen reader, they hear "Skip to main content" and they can activate the link to move directly to the main content of the page. This technique is used at the IBM Human Ability and Accessibility Center Web site.
  
  The following pass-thru HTML demonstrates how to add the link and the anchor for the main content. The alternate text for the image is read by a screen reader, but is not visible on the screen. Select the option to hide the code from Notes in the Text Properties box so the HTML is not displayed on the Notes client.
  

[<a href="#navskip"> <img src="blank.gif" alt="skip to main content"> </a>]
...
[<a name="navskip"></a>] Main page content...

• Provide a text link at the top of the page instead of an image. A textual skip navigation link is visible to sighted users and someone using a screen reader. Provide an anchor for the main content which will be the target for the "skip to main content" link. The American Council of the Blind (ACB) was the first to use this technique.
  
  The following pass-thru HTML adds a text link which is displayed at the top of the page. Select the option to hide the code from Notes in the Text Properties box so the HTML is not displayed on the Notes client.
  
  [<a href="#navskip"> skip to main content</a>]
  ...
  [<a name="navskip"></a>] Main page content...
  
• Design the page using frames and put navigation links and content in separate frames. Screen readers provide the capability for the user to skip the navigation links by navigating directly to the main content frame. The frames must have meaningful names in order to navigate content using frames. For more information, see Titles for Frames in the Lotus Notes Application Accessibility Checklist.

Test the Web site to ensure that it complies with accessibility requirements.