Need help interpreting a 508 compliance issue regarding JavaScript onChange event handler
508, paragraph l, says:
"onChange: This event handler is very commonly used for triggering JavaScript functions based on a selection from within a <select> tag. Surprisingly, it presents tremendous accessibility problems for many commonly used screen readers and should be avoided. Instead, web developers should use the onClick event handler (associated with a link or button that is adjacent to a <select> tag) to accomplish the same functions."
I use onchange to populate a dynamic list box of states based on the selection of country, like this:
<select name="country" id="country" onchange="MM_callJS('setDy
It's not clear to me how I would do this as 508 suggests, specifically: "web developers should use the onClick event handler (associated with a link or button that is adjacent to a <select> tag) to accomplish the same functions".
Any ideas? I know that 508 was written a long time ago - is this still an issue for "modern" screen readers?
"onChange: This event handler is very commonly used for triggering JavaScript functions based on a selection from within a <select> tag. Surprisingly, it presents tremendous accessibility problems for many commonly used screen readers and should be avoided. Instead, web developers should use the onClick event handler (associated with a link or button that is adjacent to a <select> tag) to accomplish the same functions."
I use onchange to populate a dynamic list box of states based on the selection of country, like this:
<select name="country" id="country" onchange="MM_callJS('setDy
It's not clear to me how I would do this as 508 suggests, specifically: "web developers should use the onClick event handler (associated with a link or button that is adjacent to a <select> tag) to accomplish the same functions".
Any ideas? I know that 508 was written a long time ago - is this still an issue for "modern" screen readers?
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Michel Plungjan
What browsers have an onClick event on options?
Good point, works only in Opera/Firefox.
You can then try delegate onclick to <select> element and then check index of selected element o_O
You can then try delegate onclick to <select> element and then check index of selected element o_O
ASKER
Thanks for the info so far. wilq32 said "From what I know it is no longer an issue." I'd love to know that for sure and then I wouldn't even worry about it.
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