Accessibility Guide for Siebel Business Applications > Setting Up Siebel Accessibility Features >

Best Practices for Customization

When customizing screens, views, and applets for accessibility, it is important to understand the differences between standard interactivity and high interactivity functionality and to also avoid conflicts between the code and assistive technology applications. For a description of differences between standard interactivity and high interactivity modes, see About Standard Interactivity.

To create customizations that support accessibility features, consider the following best-practice guidelines:

• Define Edit Mode. For custom list applets, make sure to define an Edit Mode for each applet Web template, because the standard HTML document is not editable. A customer cannot perform an edit or query unless the Edit Mode template is included in the repository.
• Register custom bitmaps and add alternative text. Register any custom bitmaps in Siebel Tools and add alternative text (Alt Text). For example, the Company Information bitmap on the screen should have alternative text associated with the bitmap so that screen readers can identify and read appropriate text for bitmaps or icons.
• Do not use the hard wrap HTML attribute. Do not use wrap=hard as the value for the HTML Attribute property of the Control object type, because the wrap=hard attribute causes problems with screen readers.
• Avoid creating DHTML, HTML image maps, and Java applets. DHTML, HTML image maps, and Java applets can be misread by screen readers and other assistive technology software. Use standard HTML, if possible. If DHTML is necessary, full testing should be performed.

For further information on configuration requirements and options, see Configuring Siebel Business Applications.