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Flash Files

Wed, 03/25/2009 - 16:23 — kvl5046

HTML versus Flash

Flash is a well-respected tool able to deliver interactive components to multiple browsers and platforms but can be problematic for screen readers and mobility impaired users. Although Macromedia is committed to providing tools to develop accessible Flash tools, ensuring Flash accessiblilty can be difficult.

Tip: HTML Shell, Flash Objects

Although many developers create entire modules in Flash, including navigation between pages, it may be easier to maintain the navigation, text and images in HTML and use Flash only for key animations, interactive activities or multimedia elements (audio/video) inserted within a Web page.

When navigation is in HTML, the options for accessibility are generally easier to implement.

Synopsis

In order to make the use of Flash files more accessible, consider these recommendations.

  1. For animations – Start the animations in pause mode, then allow the user to start and stop as needed whenever possible. Avoid endless loop aninmations as they can be distracting for many users.

  2. For Flash video – Flash allows developers to link to an XML caption text file. This should be provided whenever possible. See Flash documentation and tutorials for details.

  3. Avoid including a full-screen automated Flash movie on a homepage since mobility impaired users may not be able to exit and cognitively disable users may become disoriented. These Flash files should be started by the user.

  4. Provide keyboard alteratives for common actions and tabbing through forms. For example you can have both a zoom button and program the +/- keys for zooming in and out. See Flash documentation and tutorials for details.

  5. Add text labels to all controls, form fields, labels and components so they can be identified by a screen reader. See Flash documentations and tutorials for details.

  6. Flash files should follow the same principles for font-styling, color schemes, avoidance of blinking, animation accessibility and audio and video accessibility that HTML pages do. One advantage to Flash files is that images and text are vector based and are usually zoomable.

  7. Keep text together in one object whenever possible. Screen readers may jump from text object to text object in unexpected directions.
    Note: Action script can be used to control reading order in newer versions of Flash.

  8. Minimize navigation within a Flash interface. This will minimize the amount of accessibility features needed within Flash.

  9. Always provide a link to an accessible Flash plug-in page.

    SECTION 508 When a web page requires that an applet, plug-in or other application be present on the client system to interpret page content, the page must provide a link to a plug-in or applet that complies with § 1194.21(a) through (l).

Links to Flash Accessibility Tutorials

These links are current as of Flash CS4. If you use a different version, make sure you learn the techniques applicable to your version of Flash.

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