[themes] accessibility of drupal sites

[Mark Hope]

I've posted several times on this issue and asked about it on IRC but 
it doesn't seem to get much response.

Discussion on drupal.org (or maybe lack of discussion)

Creating a text only site:
http://drupal.org/node/86058

Easy theme switching:
http://drupal.org/node/86751

> 1. for visually impaired users, I want them to be able to change the 
> font size / color / contrast on the fly. one site that does this 
> beautifully, but it's not drupal powered is our strategic partner's 
> website at: www.yourdolphin.com

This can be done by switching the theme, and allowing anonymous/not 
logged in user to switch themes. Your partner site hides images with 
CSS and applies a few other simple rules.

img, .basket_title
{
	visibility: hidden;
	width: 0px;
	height: 0px;
}
.hidden_image {
	display:none;
	height:0;
	width:0;
}

I've not implemented this with Drupal yet but the principal is 
discussed in the above posts.

> 2. provide keyboard users the possibility of reaching some parts of 
> the website using accesskeys. I know that this method isn't preferred 
> from what I read about it, but may be the listers can share their 
> views about this point. I am blind myself, and never need to use 
> accesskeys as my screen reader has built in commands to reach to 
> various elements on most websites. actually, most modern screen 
> readers have this possibility.

I assume this could be done by patching the menu system, to add an 
"access key field", allowing admins to manually assign keys. I don't 
have enough knowledge to do this though. Alternatively create a new 
block and insert some static code for an additional menu. I'm working 
on this at the moment, creating a "helper links" block which outputs as 
the first item of html. It contains a link to an accessibility page 
with a list of access keys, the link to "text only" site (implementing 
the easy theme switching) links to contact, and a skip navigation link.

>  
> I am thinking that structuring the website's documents well will often 
> be most handy. like using different heading sizes, and using bulleted 
> and numbered lists.

Your website can be structured however you want, by customising an 
existing theme or creating a new one. The primary links can be changed 
to output lists - many themes already do. Likewise with the use of 
heading tags.

Mark
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