Implementing Rule E
§ 1194.22 Web-based intranet and internet information and applications.
(e) Redundant text links shall be provided for each active region of a server-side image map.
When Should Image Maps Be Used?
Some people use image maps for navigation bars, when a simple table with text could
get the job done. If a fancy font is needed, separate
GIF
images can be created and the table's background set to the images' background.
Tables don't have to be used for layout; one can use hard-coded spacing ( ) to align the information.
Some people use image maps as the entire screen background, for a creative background with odd-shaped clickable areas. This has its uses, but usually not for government and business sites. Because complex image maps take more time to load, they have the disadvantage of making the visitor wait for information.
Image maps can be used to enhance the usability of a site to the sighted user. The most useful usage of image maps is to show a visual image, such as a photo, or an anatomical diagram, or a geographic map, or a chart, or a floor plan, or some other drawing, and identify clickable regions which the viewer can click to obtain more information. The spatial location of the different elements is an important part of the image. These kinds of image maps can be great when used in education sites. They shouldn't be used when the spatial location of an item is not important; a simple list would get the job done more efficiently.
Why Use a Server-side Image Map?
A server-side map might be used if the coordinates describe irregular areas that cannot be defined using the standard shapes (rectangular, circle, polygon) that HTML handles.
However, before deciding to use server-side maps, decide whether the task can be accomplished with the standard shapes. For example, instead of creating irregularly-shaped regions representing each state in a map of the United States, create a small highlighted circle that can be handled on the client side. It's also a lot less work to do.
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