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A client requires my company to create a web-based learning resource to distribute to a large number of users. As such, they have some strict standards to ensure that everyone is able to access it (so it must conform to WCAG 2.0 and their own internal requirements). Since there is a great deal of content, I'd like to setup some kind of system that will store the data externally and load it into the page dynamically. That way, if I have to change something like a menu item name, I won't have to change it a thousand times.

I can't use server-side languages since this resource will be distributed on CD as well as the internet and I can't use JavaScript since a requirement is that the "resource must be operable with JavaScript disabled".

Does this leave me with any options or am I essentially stuck hard-coding every page in static HTML? All assistance is appreciated.

Matthieu FAURE
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DNJohnson
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1 Answers1

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Well, I'd push back on the 'no javascript' requirement. Traditionally, requiring JS was considered an accessibility problem. However, we've progressed a long way and we're even building accessibility standards for JS (look up the ARIA work).

That said...

If this has to be put on CD (which, in and of itself seems to indicate this client is woefully out of date), then I think your best bet is to put all of the automation on the 'compile' side.

One way to do this would be to build a standard site with any server-side technology you prefer, launch it, then use a web site archiver/downloader/spider to grab the rendered HTML from the site for distribution offline.

There are also many CMS products that do that...the CMS spits out static HTML that is then published to the server.

DA.
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  • I did indeed try to negotiate with the client to allow JavaScript but the project is funded by a government department so getting them to adopt new standards is just as hard as getting them to upgrade from IE6. Thanks for the tip about running it dynamically then generating the content. This did cross my mind, but was secretly hoping for a more self-contained solution. It'll have to do, though. – DNJohnson Apr 14 '11 at 11:36