Animation
Macromedia Flash 8 offers the most complete set of tools for authoring accessible rich media applications. With an array of new features in the authoring tool and Macromedia Flash Player 8 and new and updated support resources at the Macromedia Accessibility Resource Center, designers and developers are now able to make the best experience on the web available to everyone.
Macromedia Flash Player 8
With Macromedia Flash Player 8, the first rich media player to make rich media accessible to people with disabilities is now enhanced to make the best experience on the web even better. Using Macromedia Flash Player 8, people with visual disabilities may now access the web using either Window-Eyes from GW Micro or JAWS from Freedom Scientific. With new support for scripting and a powerful new set of accessible components, as well as a host of new support materials from the Macromedia Accessibility Resource Center,designers and developers can create accessible rich media in ways never before possible.
Macromedia Flash Player 8 has integrated support for Microsoft Active Accessibility (MSAA). MSAA serves as a bridge between Macromedia Flash Player 8 and screen access technologies such as the Window-Eyes screen reader from GW Micro. Macromedia Flash Player 8 allows designers and developers to script this information and update it as the content changes—thus allowing for accessibility in more flexible and powerful applications.
Macromedia Flash 8
Designers and developers can provide accessibility information in Macromedia Flash 8 using either the Accessibility panel or ActionScript. The Accessibility panel allows text equivalents to be specified for elements of Macromedia Flash movies. Shown below, the Accessibility panel allows designers and developers to specify a brief descriptive text equivalent in the name field. In cases where a longer text equivalent is needed, it is placed in the Description field. MSAA then passes this information to assistive technologies.
The Accessibility panel in Macromedia Flash 8 also offers designers and developers control over the accessibility of individual elements or even a group of elements. Using the Make Object Accessible and Make Child Objects Accessible options, designers and developers are able to hide individual elements that present no content. In addition, designers and developers may specify a single text equivalent for a group of elements when it is the relationship among the elements, and not their individual identities, that is significant. For example, in an animation of the solar system, a single text equivalent describing the movement of the planets may be more appropriate than individual elements for each planet.
_root.square1_btn._accprops = new Object();
_root.square1_btn._accprops.name = "home";
Accessibility.updateProperties();
All of the information that is assigned using the Accessibility Panel may also be assigned via ActionScript. Learn more about coding accessibility information via ActionScript.
Macromedia Accessibility Resource Center
The Macromedia Accessibility Resource Center provides a number of documents offering tips and techniques to designers and developers seeking to create accessible Macromedia Flash content. Visit the Accessibility Resource Center to find information on adding text equivalents in Macromedia Flash, working with buttons, accessibility hints, adding animation, Frequently Asked Questions, ActionScript and accessibility, and captioning in Macromedia Flash 8. This site will be updated with new tools and information to support accessible design in Macromedia Flash 8.
