Select a random row with MySQL:

Code :

SELECT column FROM table
ORDER BY RAND()
LIMIT 1

Select a random row with PostgreSQL:

Code :

SELECT column FROM table
ORDER BY RANDOM()
LIMIT 1

Select a random row with Microsoft SQL Server:

Code :

SELECT TOP 1 column FROM table
ORDER BY NEWID()

Select a random row with IBM DB2

Code :

SELECT column, RAND() as IDX
FROM table
ORDER BY IDX FETCH FIRST 1 ROWS ONLY

Select a random record with Oracle:

Code :

SELECT column FROM
( SELECT column FROM table
ORDER BY dbms_random.value )
WHERE rownum = 1

During my week in Champaign/Urbana, I came back with a good set of tools. Below is a link for the Functional Accessibility Evaluator, developed by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It's a little bit different from other accessibility testers available to Web developers, but it's provides an interesting look at your pages and has great reporting available.

Example Data:


Functional Accessibility Evaluator:
http://fae.cita.uiuc.edu/

I spent 4 days in Champaign/Urbana, Illinois at the UIUC campus to attend an accessibility workshop a couple weeks back. I picked up small tidbits to enhance what I'm currently doing to "accessibilize" my sites. I'm going to periodically post them as they come to me. Hopefully they are helpful to you.

The first tidbit is in relation to list items and headers. You can inject headers into lists and hide them so that only the text reader reads them.

CSS

Code :

.hide { position: absolute; visibility: hidden; left: -999em; }

HTML

Code :

<div id="orderedlist">
<h2 class="hide">Main Navigation</h2>
<ul title="Main Navigation Links">
<li><a href="" title="" target="_blank">List Item Link</a></li>
</ul>
</div>

The class hide will hide the header, but explain more about the ordered list. When viewed without styles, the header will explain it better as well visually. By adding a title to the UL element, you also give the screen reader additional information about the list.

Occasionally, I'll get a bone up my butt to post multiple times on the same subject. This is one of those occasions. If you plan on using this script, within the Javascript file, make sure the height and width is set to a size higher than your largest photo you plan on using. Internet Explorer has an issue with resizing the window on images larger than what is specced out. For instance, it works fine on a 320 X 240 image, but does not stretch the browser effectively on a 465 X 490 image. I'll have to do some more digging as to what the problem is regarding IE 6. As for now, I have to support 30% of my user base with this small change.

As you step through the accessibility window, you broaden your ability to think from a users' perspective. Sometimes, as a designer, it's hard to balance corporate weight with usability and accessibility needs. The top left of a page will always be used for ad space no matter the situation or Web site, but using eye tracking, you can see where your content absolutely needs to be so that your users find it effectively.

Quote :

The eyes most often fixated first in the upper left of the page, then hovered in that area before going left to right. Only after perusing the top portion of the page for some time did their eyes explore further down the page.

The Highlights fo the Research:
Ads in the top and left portions of a page will receive the most eye fixation.
Ads placed next to the best content are seen more often.
Bigger images get more attention.
Clean, clear faces in images attract more eye fixation.
Fancy formatting and fonts are ignored.
Formatting can draw attention.
Headings draw the eye.
Initial eye movement focuses on the upper left corner of the page.
Large blocks of text are avoided.
Lists hold reader attention longer.
Navigation tools work better when placed at the top of the page.
One-column formats perform better in eye-fixation than multi-column formats.
People generally scan lower portions of the page.
Readers ignore banners.
Shorter paragraphs perform better than long ones.
Show numbers as numerals.
Text ads were viewed mostly intently of all types tested.
Text attracts attention before graphics.
Type size influences viewing behavior.
Users initially look at the top left and upper portion of the page before moving down and to the right.
Users only look at a sub headline if it interests them.
Users spend a lot of time looking at buttons and menus.
White space is good.

*Sources: http://www.virtualhosting.com/blog/2007/scientific-web-design-23-actionable-lessons-from-eye-tracking-studies/
http://www.poynterextra.org/eyetrack2004/main.htm