Frames

ISSUE:

Frames used to divide a browser screen into two or more "windows" may be inaccessible to persons using screen-readers, screen magnification applications or users of some hand-held devices. Not all browsers support frames.

Individuals with limited vision or low-vision may not be able to increase the font display size without truncating the text within a frame. Saving a frames-based page as a text document, for converting to Braille or large-print, may be difficult or impossible for users who must navigate using only the keyboard. Older adults and persons with cognitive impairments often find frames-based Web pages confusing and intimidating.

STANDARD:

Avoid the use of frames.

Frames shall be titled with text that facilitates frame identification and navigation.

Use the HTML <noframes> element to point to an alternate page that does not use frames.

EXAMPLE:

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Frameset//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/frameset.dtd">
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Improving the Accessibility of Frames</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<FRAMESET ROWS="51, *">

          <FRAME src="menu.htm" marginheight="5" marginwidth="1" name="Navigation buttons" title="Navigation buttons"">

          <FRAME src="main.htm" marginheight="4" marginwidth="4" name="Main Document" title="Main Document"">

          <NOFRAMES>Your Browser Does Not Support Frames. Go to the <A href="main-noframes.html">no frame version of the document.</A>.</NOFRAMES>

</FRAMESET">

</HTML>