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25. Stationary View of Moving Content

Allow stationary view of moving content

Allow the user to read text, equations & diagrams while they are not moving, autoscrolling or being automatically changed/replaced.
Note: In Pearson Guideline 24 we remove the distraction of motion: an animation could disappear, a video could pause to blue screen or a news ticker could pause with only a few words in view. In Pearson Guideline 25 we make sure those who consume the content more slowly will be able to step through any important content.

Rationale

People with disabilities such as dyslexia or low vision can have trouble reading moving text. Making sure that people can read the text while it is still allows them to read at their own pace and without the added complexity of movement.

Also, expecially in Flash and Flex, text that appears only for a short time can be troublesome for screen reader users, as the text may be replaced before it has been fully spoken.

General Techniques

  1. Have text, equations & diagrams settle and become still after no more than five seconds of motion. (Five seconds was chosen based on WCAG 2.0 SC 2.2.2.)

    OR

  2. Allow the user access to a static view of text, equations & diagrams.

    OR

  3. Allow the user to pause and rewind video or animations containing text, equations & diagrams, so that they can read the content without motion.

Technology Specifics

Legacy HTML

Do not use the <marquee> tag. (It is non-standard HTML and it causes flicker effects while a user focuses on the text to read it.)

PowerPoint

Automatically timed animations and automatic slide advance can present problems for users who need more time to read the screen and for those using assistive devices. Animation sequences usually introduce new content to the page. If the content changes before the user is ready, they will miss it. Also, screen readers can have trouble reading the correct page element at the correct time.

Avoid automatically timed animations and automatic slide advance where content needs to be read. Change the animations to be activated on mouse click. Animations triggered by mouse clicks can be controlled by the user during a slideshow with both a mouse and keyboard.

Testing

Testing technique Description
Review Imagine using the page if you could not read the content quickly. And, imagine using the page if you could only see a portion of the screen or video at a time so that you have to move a magnification tool around to take in the entire screen.
Analysis If there is no way to read text, equations or diagrams while they are not moving, it is an error.

Related Guidelines

WCAG 2.0 Level A – 2.2.2 Pause, Stop, Hide

For moving, blinking, scrolling, or auto-updating information, all of the following are true:

  • Moving, blinking, scrolling: For any moving, blinking or scrolling information that (1) starts automatically, (2) lasts more than five seconds, and (3) is presented in parallel with other content, there is a mechanism for the user to pause, stop, or hide it unless the movement, blinking, or scrolling is part of an activity where it is essential; and
  • Auto-updating: For any auto-updating information that (1) starts automatically and (2) is presented in parallel with other content, there is a mechanism for the user to pause, stop, or hide it or to control the frequency of the update unless the auto-updating is part of an activity where it is essential.