----- Original Message -----
From: "David Schwarte" <[log in to unmask]>

Hello -- I hope this is meaningful for you. I don't have a direct answer
but here's is something I'd try. If you want to give this a shot and
have trouble, you can email me off-list so you are certain I get the
message. I will be relocating between Sunday and probab;y the end of the
week.

The law school at Cornell has a website with all kinds of resources.
When I was there last, I viewed the source for their site and noticed
the name of the comapnny that did the menus. I don't recall their name
but do recall that I'd come across them before.

Regarding your question about what is needed to make accessible JAVA for
a non-programmer. If I understand you correct6ly you are looking for
tips that might help a non-programmer write JAVA code. But a
non-programmer cannot write JAVA code. When JAVA code is written, if the
programmer doesn't have an excellent understanding of threading in
either a windows (assuming  a windows OS) or Unix/Linux environment.
Windows is a nice OS; I run it. But it isn't very tolerant of anything
less than the very best in design skills. One of its weakest attributes
is memory -- I imagine you've heard of memory leaks. An OS should
prevent that, however.

What I would recommend you look for, however, is either a company who
already has an Applet -- like the one at the Cornell Law school -- that
can be configured by a non-programmer without the risk of having a bad
impact on the environment it runs in. The company that wrote the one I
keep referring to at Cornell may have such an Applet, or may have an
Applet with functionality that you really like. In this latter case,
they may be open to creating a different installation interface,
specfically for use by folks like those of us in this group. With the
functionality already in their code libraries, absorbing the cost of
develpment for a different interface isn't asking too much, relatvely
speaking, and in contrast, if you address a company that can write
custom JAVA code, say, and who doesn't have something already, you run
the risk of being given a proposal to write something from scratch, and
that is something a urge you to avoid since there are companies that
have had code modules in use for a while.

-- john crout
    (consulting engineer)


To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, August 22, 2001 1:43 PM
Subject: JAVA Drop Down Menus


> Hello Everyone,
>
> For the second time in the last month I have been asked if there are
> accessible ways for making JAVA drop down menus that are accessible
with a
> screen reader.  I have done a little research on accessible JAVA.  The
only
> site I have found so far is Sun's Accessabllity site at
>
<http://www.sun.com/access/downloads/;$sessionid$PCYS4YAAAB4DZAMTA1LU45Q
>.
> The site looks like it is very complete but not very easy to
> understand.  Does anyone know of a site which explains what is needed
to
> make accessible JAVA in terms a non-programmer can understand?  Any
> examples of accessible JAVA drop down menuing systems would also be
> helpful.  The people who have contacted me with questions, so far,
seem to
> be using pre-made JAVA applets that they modify for their own use.
>
> Thanks in advance for any assistance.
>
> David Schwarte
>
>
> Name:   David Schwarte
> E-Mail: [log in to unmask]
> Ph:             765-494-4387
> Address:        Stewart Center Rm. 111
>                  West Lafayette, IN 47907
>
>