accessibility - Having a separate accessible page for screen reader users

I have been working in the accessibility of an accordion that is used to take user input from checkboxes and return a list of criteria based on the user input. We are using Outsystems and have not been able to make the accordion accessible in JAWS for IE, chrome or firefox.

We have exhausted all our resources and rather than scrap the whole accordion, we'd like to create a version that would not involve an accordion and could pass AODA standards. I thought I could create a hidden header so that when a screen reader tabs into it, they would be notified of the accessible version available for them to use and could click the hidden header element to go to that version.

I am wondering if this is an acceptable way to create an accessible functioning page? Is there a better way to do this? Thanks

Answer

WCAG 2.0 allows a conforming alternate version if

• the inaccessible page is accessible enough so that users that need it can find the link, and


• the accessible page offers the same information and functionality.

See the full requirements you have to meet.

Of course it’s not a good practice to go down this route (one version for everyone is almost always preferable, for various reasons), but it’s better than not providing an accessible variant at all.

Depending on the nature of the accessibility problem with the accordion, keep in mind that screen reader users might not be the only users that have problems with it. If that’s the case, you should not visually hide the link to the accessible variant.