Skip to main content
New Participant
December 12, 2022
Question

Need ADA Compliant Dreamweaver Interface, main.less

  • December 12, 2022
  • 4 replies
  • 1136 views

 

I just upadated Dreamweaver and am spending way too much time trying to get it readable for ADA compliance (Americans with Disabilities Act).

I'm talking about the DW program interface, main.less, not the program pages.

 

Is there a main.less template that is ADA compliant that I can download? I already added *{font-weight:600 !imortant} but that doesn't work with the color tones and brightness of the text.

 

Or, perhaps import the styles from my old DW 5.5?

 

Thank you.

     ______________

FYI - For those of you creating websites for USA clientele, I noticed that lately the fashion is to make pages with light text. E.g., this page uses font-weight:300 (too low) , and color:#3e3e3e, too light. It should be at least font-weight:500 and color:#000000 and deviate slightly from that.

Someday your client may be approached with an ADA compliance issue and that becomes a legal lissue that can cost $thousands or more. It's already been done. Amazon, Burger King, and Hulo were sued for their websites not being ADA compliant.  Here is one reference: https://www.shrm.org/resourcesandtools/hr-topics/behavioral-competencies/global-and-cultural-effectiveness/pages/record-number-of-lawsuits-filed-over-accessibility-for-people-with-disabilities.aspx

     ______________

This topic has been closed for replies.

4 replies

Participating Frequently
April 7, 2023

ADA is a law in the USA, The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (https://www.ada.gov/). It covers not only those with sight disablities but others as well.

Brick-n-mortar stores have been sued and lost because they were not ADA compliant.

 

Now, online companies are getting sued. Here is one article about it https://news.mobar.org/confronting-the-rise-in-ada-website-accessibility-lawsuits-against-businesses/

 

Software like Dreamweaver is in that category to be sued, and the entity/person suing doesn't have to be disabled.

 

Therefore, Adobe, you should seriously think about bringing your software up to ADA compliance for all disabilities. Dreamweaver is far from ADA compliance.

Nancy OShea
Community Expert
April 7, 2023

@Dee28407999w8d7,

You're talking about oranges & orangutans. 

 

1. Dreamweaver is NOT a website. It's platform-driven software for code editing.

Unlike websites, desktop software runs on Windows or Mac operating systems which have accessibility features  built-in.  For example, screen readers, magnifiers, high contrast color settings, speech to screen writers, etc. Optionally, users may add ergonomic keyboards and other assisting peripherals if required. 

 

2. Websites are browser-based apps & services that should cater to ALL users on ALL devices, regardless of disability.  I am a big proponent of WAC Guidelines on the web.  But those decisions are made by site owners & stakeholders in consultation with the development team who builds the site.  No software can force anyone to follow WAC Guidelines anymore than it can force developers to build responsively.  That's the user's choice to make.  Software doesn't build websites, people do.

 

Nancy O'Shea— Product User, Community Expert & Moderator
Nancy OShea
Community Expert
December 13, 2022

Not sure if this will help you.  But Dreamweaver has Preference settings for Dark and Light app themes.  Personally, I prefer darker tones as it's less fatiguing on my eyes. 

Edit Preferences > Interface.  

 

Similarly, I use a high contrast code theme called Ruby Blue which I obtained from GitHub.

https://github.com/Brackets-Themes/

 

 

Nancy O'Shea— Product User, Community Expert & Moderator
Nancy OShea
Community Expert
December 12, 2022

ADA compliance for Websites is a whole other matter.  Dreamweaver is merely a code editor.  It can't check your sites for ADA compliance.  Sorry.

 

There are several online tools for scanning your site's code and checking it for ADA & WCAG compliance.  A Google search will reveal more...

 

Nancy O'Shea— Product User, Community Expert & Moderator
B i r n o u
Community Expert
December 12, 2022

I'm probably wrong, but I understood that @MindyKatzen was asking the question at the level of main.less which manages the visual interface... for DW and not for the pages which are produced with DW... but well... I'm not too good at understanding things... the neuron I have left has gone into hibernation mode for some time now

Nancy OShea
Community Expert
December 12, 2022

In my first reply, I said interface settings are controlled at the OS level.

Dreamweaver has no ADA features for that.

 

 

Nancy O'Shea— Product User, Community Expert & Moderator
Nancy OShea
Community Expert
December 12, 2022

Your computer's operating system has onboard tools for improved user access & assistive technologies for visually impaired people. 

 

WINDOWS 10 & 11:

================

1.  Windows > Control Panel > Ease of Access Center.

 

2.  Windows > Settings > Display.  Adjust font & icon sizes, decrease screen resolution.   See screenshot.

 

3. Invoke Windows Magnifier:   Windows Logo Key + Plus (+) sign.  See screenshot.

 

 

Hope that helps.

 

Nancy O'Shea— Product User, Community Expert & Moderator
New Participant
December 14, 2022

Thanks, but no thanks. I am talking about the Dreamweaver, not the Windows system.