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HTML Accessibility For Web Developers Introduction to Accessibility WCAG Principles: Understandable

Posted by Clinton Hays
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Clinton Hays
Front End Web Development Techdegree Graduate 18,156 Points

Timed Pop-up Windows

I wonder if timed pop-up windows would be considered an unexpected change in content. The number of sites now that generate a pop-up window to subscribe or with an ad after a certain time or after a certain scroll position seems to be on the rise.

As an able bodied individual these interactions are frustrating enough, I can't imagine trying to operate a site that suddenly blasts me with a near-full page sign-up form with any sort of disability.

Are there other design or development trends that we are seeing these days that run in direct contradiction to accessibility standards? I know we should be designing and developing to WCAG standards, but it would be nice to have a resource of design and development trends to try and avoid. Is there anything out there like that?

1 Answer

Anwar Montasir
STAFF
Anwar Montasir
Treehouse Teacher
Anwar Montasir
Anwar Montasir
Treehouse Teacher

Hi Clinton,

Good questions. I agree with you that pop-up advertisements qualify as an unexpected change in context and fail to meet accessibility guidelines, unless the user clicks or taps an interface element to launch the window.

I don't have a single go-to reference in terms of critiquing the accessibility of design trends, but accessibility blogs seem like a good bet. Here's a roundup from January 2021: https://www.3playmedia.com/blog/8-great-digital-accessibility-blogs-to-follow/.