While MSU's Accessibility Policy does not require form validation to work with JavaScript off I believe it is quite foolish to NOT also have server side validation and return the page with flagged errors. In other words, it is still necessary to do server side validation and accessibility has nothing to do with the issue. Users with no accessibility issues may still operate without JavaScript as the WebAIM page indicates. 
 
PS to the list admin: The WebDevCAFE forum does not seem to show List posts and http://list.msu.edu/archives/index.html doesn't have them either. 
 
James 
James White, Web Coordinator 
International Studies & Programs 
Michigan State University 
(517) 884-2142 
 
 
-----Original Message----- 
From: MSU WebDev CAFE [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Michael S Elledge 
Sent: Wednesday, June 17, 2009 11:18 AM 
To: [log in to unmask] 
Subject: Re: Usable and Accessible Form Validation 
 
Hi Everyone-- 
 
Bill Havens sent me a question about form validation and the MSU web  
accessibility policy that I wanted to share because it was a good  
one--and contains a helpful link to WebAIM. He said it was okay to share. 
 
Thanks, Bill! 
 
Mike 
 
Hi Bill-- 
 
The webaim page does a great job describing how to deal with form  
validation, with one exception: It is not necessary for validation to  
work with JavaScript turned off under the MSU web policy. 
 
Client-side validation will be easier for persons with disabilities  
because errors can be detected, announced and repaired immediately.   
 
Best regards, 
 
Mike 
 
On Jun 16, 2009, at 10:26 AM, "Havens, Bill" <[log in to unmask]  
<mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote: 
 
> Mike, 
> 
>   
> 
> We are in the process of getting our web forms compliant with the  
> accessibility initiative in the Office of Financial Aid here at MSU.    
> Currently I have a major hurdle to climb when it comes to making our  
> forms accessible when doing “Form Validation”. 
> 
>   
> 
> Can you tell me what the best practice is for doing this?  I’ve found  
> a good article on this at:  
> http://webaim.org/techniques/formvalidation/ but I want to be sure  
> that this approach is the best one, before we begin changing the way  
> we have done form validation.   In the past, we have used VBscript and  
> JavaScript to do form validation. 
> 
>   
> 
> Any help or information would be very appreciated. 
> 
>   
> 
> Thank you, 
> 
>   
> 
> *Bill Havens* 
> 
> Systems Analyst 
> 
> Michigan State University 
> 
> Office of Financial Aid 
> 
> 517.353.8485 
> 
> [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> 
> 
>   
>