While the use of frames provides your students with a constant navigational mechanism for your Web site, they also bring up several accessibility issues. For instance, students who are blind, have low vision, or who have arm mobility impairments, often have difficulty navigating a site which uses frames in Lynx if the proper precautions aren't implemented.

Students who are blind often use a popular text-mode browser called Lynx. When frames are used, Lynx displays a page that uses frames with the links to the pages that make up a framed page. In addition, Lynx also displays any directions that the Webmaster gives the users who are not using frames-compatible browsers, such as Lynx. These alternative directions are called the <NOFRAMES> option.

Examples:

• Sample framed page that does not include <NOFRAMES>
• Sample framed page that does not include <NOFRAMES>, as viewed in Lynx
• Sample framed page that does include <NOFRAMES>
• Sample framed page that does include <NOFRAMES>, as viewed in Lynx

In the example that included the <NO FRAMES> option, the users are directed to select a "frameless" URL for navigation. In this example, this meant referring the user to the main page in the frame page site.

Did you notice that the page that did not include a <NOFRAMES> option also contained less than descriptive links to the pages that comprise the frame page? A better way of naming the links would have been to have included code such as <FRAME SRC="top.html" NAME="Navigation Bar"> rather than <FRAME SRC="top.html" NAME="Top">. As shown in the example which did include the <NOFRAMES> option, this technique provides yet another user-friendly navigation option for students using Lynx.

Finally, when using frames, be sure an let all users decide whether or not they want to view your site with or without frames. Students with arm mobility disabilities can sometimes experience great difficulty in getting their assistive software to focus on one frame versus another for navigation purposes. Frame focusing, or activation, is often needed when using this software in order to activate the grame to take advantage of any navigational links. Consider including an opening page to your site which lets users decide before continuing onward. Also, include a link in a prominent place on your framed page which leads to an alternative "frameless" URL. This will allow those with arm mobility disabilities, as well as those who simply do not like frames, to choose to navigate through the site without them.