Comments on: Using Progressive Enhancement will not make your Flash content Accessible

By: mike

mike — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 18:43:22 +0000

I am wondering if there is any way to make flash accessible for people using voice recognition technology, like you say progressive enhancement doesnt really help at all as if you have flash enabled you wont see the alternate content. As someone who has had to start using V.R. recently i find this pretty frustrating, and if theres a solution id be interested in including it in my projects

By: Raphael

Raphael — Sun, 08 Apr 2007 11:41:28 +0000

Hi Bob, Amir,

I heard from Flash programer, here in Israel, that despite the problems that Flash have to support RTL languages, Macromedia provide a plugin (maybe a device font solution) that enable the input of hebrew text in Flash window.
Could you let me know if it’s only a rumor or does it really exist?
Thanks for your help.

By: Amir D

Amir D — Sun, 08 Apr 2007 02:09:44 +0000

Hi Bob, it’s nice to ‘see’ you again as well. I’ve always appreciated your ongoing efforts to promote awareness and educate people using Flash how they can make their project more accessible. As we see with the latest AJAX based web apps, the very dynamic nature of an application tends to create accessibility issues.

It seems that with both HTML and Flash based UI accessibility works very well when the UI is static and no local updates take place (loading external movies and text in Flash for example). I know that the WAI are working on addressing accessibility and dynamic web apps and look forward to see what they come up with.

As far as Bi-Directional support, I appreciate your help and know that there’s more to this then a technical solution of course. It seems only appropriate that a technology which is hailed as the next platform for internet development, would be able to support text properly, on a truly global level.

By: Peter

Peter — Fri, 06 Apr 2007 15:21:35 +0000

There have to be always alternative to Flash.
I’m not agains Flash, but in FF if you open 10 pages overheaded with flash advertisement, well
my PC is in knee. IE not… but FF rulez!

By: Bob Regan

Bob Regan — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 21:16:50 +0000

Hi Niqui,

Well said – I could not agree more. Both Flash and js have accessibility capabilities. Disabling Flash and JS does not mean you are free of your responsibilities to make the content accessible. My own personal opinion is that this attitude is similiar to the rationale behind text only sites. If there is no possible other way to provide content, then, in rare exceptions, it is fine. However, in the overwhelming majority of cases, using progressive enhancement without making the Flash and js itself accessible leaves people with disabilities an inferior, second class experience. We’ve been through that already, it did not work.

@Amir – Nice to see you name again. As someone who personally provided you with information on accessibility at Macromedia, I am too happy to provide you with all of the latest info. I understand you are frustrated with the situation on right to left support. While I don’t have news for you, I can tell you that I forwarded your requests at that time and continue to speak with the team on that point today. I won’t make excuses other than to say we are listening.