Begin site navigation:
End site navigation.
Computer screen magnifier. Frames are used to divide a browser window into two or more sections that present separate HTML documents as one unified Web page. Typically, they are used to create a top page header or side navigation bar that appears in a fixed location on each page of the Web site.
While frames present content in a familiar layout to visual users, people who use screen readers cannot quickly scan the contents of the separate sections. Instead, these users may experience all of the page content in a linear fashion, one frame at a time. Frames can be disorienting and hard to navigate for people who use screen readers, screen magnification tools, or hand-held devices.
Frames are not supported equally by all Web browsers. Depending on how frames are coded, they can make your pages impossible to bookmark and print. Content in frames may be truncated or cut off, depending on the screen resolution or font display size selected when the page is viewed. To avoid general usability problems like these, other technologies such as Server Side Includes (SSI) can be used in lieu of frames to achieve the same page layout techniques.
Frames shall be titled with text that facilitates frame identification and navigation. [Section 508, Part 1194.22, Paragraph (i)]
Each frame must be given a short, descriptive title that helps the user understand the frame's purpose. Equivalent, meaningful content should be presented using the <NOFRAMES> element. A page that uses frames should have the correct document type statement using the <DOCTYPE> element.
Describe the purpose of the frames and how the frames relate to each other if it is not obvious by the frame titles alone.
Below is an example of how a person using a screen reader or older Web browser may view a frame-enabled site that does not provide alternate navigation:
FRAME: header
FRAME: footer
This page uses frames, but your browser does not support frames.
Below is an example of how the <NOFRAMES> element can be used to provide descriptive information and alternate navigation:
FRAME: navigation links
FRAME: page content
DENVER HOMES FOR SALE
Welcome to our Web site. Please browse through our featured properties to
find a home for sale that meets your needs.
SITE NAVIGATION:
Home Page
Homes For Sale
Find a Realtor
Home Buying Corner
Mortgage Rates
About Denver
Search
Contact Us
This similar example below demonstrates how to properly use the <NOFRAMES> element:
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Frameset//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/frameset.dtd">
<html>
<head>
<title>My Web Site</title>
</head>
<frameset cols="10%, 90%">
<frame src="mainnav.html" title="navigation links">
<frame src="mypage.html" title="page content">
<noframes>
Site links:
<a href="mainnav.html">Navigation Menu</a><br>
<a href="mypage.html">Page Content</a><br>
</noframes>
</frameset>
</html>
