Transcript Source
Accessibility Kate Bronstad INF 385E Information Architecture and Design I November 2nd, 2006 Overview •Accessibility & Disability •Why Accessbility is important •Web Guidelines & Standards •Accessible practices you can adopt •Resources •References What is (web) Accessibility? “Web resources are ‘accessible’ if people with disabilities can use them as effectively as nondisabled people” -UT Accessibility Institute, www.utexas.edu/research/accessibility Types of disabilities •Visual - blind, low vision, and color blind •Motor/Physical •Auditory •Cognitive Learning Why accessibility matters •Human rights •Good business practice •Legality -section 508 -TX HB 2819 -ADA? Target vs. the Blind Judge rejected Target’s argument that ADA only applied to physical spaces. The case will proceed. Accessibility for others: •Slow Internet Connection •Old Browser •Missing Plugins •No Speakers •Small Display (pda, mobile phone) •Eyes busy / Hands busy •Noisy Environment Source:http://www.utexas.edu/learn/accessibility/disability.html Web Accessibility Guidelines •WCAG 1.0 -official W3C recommendation -WCAG 2.0 in draft •Section 508 checkpoints -based on WCAG 1.0 WCAG 2.0 Principle 1 •Content must be perceivable –Give text descriptions for all non-text (but still meaningful) content –For multi-media content, provide synched alternatives –Distinguish content from presentation –Make distinction between foreground information and background obvious WCAG 2.0 Principle 2 •Interface components in the content must be operable –Everything functional by keyboard –Allow for user-controlled time limits –If your content could cause a photosensitive person to have a seizure, at least find a way to guard them from it. –Give the user easy ways to understand, navigate, and orient themselves in the page –Reduce ways users could make mistakes, and make it easy for them to correct mistakes. WCAG 2.0 Principles 3 & 4 •Content and controls must be understandable –“Make text content readable and understandable” –“Make the placement and functionality of content predictable” •Content should be robust enough to work with current and future user agents (including assistive technologies) –Support compatibility with current and future user agents (including assistive technologies) –Ensure that content is accessible or provide an accessible alternative -Source: http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20/ WCAG 2.0 = POUR Perceivable Operable Understandable Robust -Source: http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20/ What is accessible? Transformability: Presenting and structuring information so that it can be perceived in multiple ways Small things = big difference •Alt use – in moderation •Skip navigation links •Semantic structure Best <alt> practices •Accurately represent the same information and function as the image •If the image is decorative, or part of a link, use alt=“” •If image is within a form, use alt to describe the function (ex. alt= “submit search”) •Don’t use “image of” or “link to” when coding makes this apparent Skip navigation links •Add a “skip navigation” link at the top of the page •Visible or invisible (with CSS keyboard focus) Source:http://www.webaim.org/techniques/skipnav/ Semantic structure •Convey meaning that doesn’t rely on context of presentation •Use hierarchical heading structure (ex. h1 is most important) •Use <strong> for bold and <em> for italics •Use lists correctly Semantic structure •In non-layout tables, use <th> to define rows and columns,plus “headers” and “ids” for more complicated tables •For layout tables, use CSS •With forms, use <label> to describe the information the user should enter •Also use <label> in pull-down menu to describe what user can choose to do Other basic points •Avoid pull-down menus for navigation, provide alternative if needed. •Make text of hyperlinks comprehensible on their own, not just “click here” •Use <acronym> and <abbr> when called for. •If site has site map, have link on every page Accessibility and Web 2.0 •User generated content and AJAX complicate things. •If use JavaScript/AJAX, do so with caution Ways to check your website •Turn off the images and sound •Tab through site •Use screen reader emulator like FANGS •Use online tools like WAVE, http://wave.webaim.org/index.jsp Links to Resources UT Accessibility Institute http://www.utexas.edu/research/accessibility/ Designing Accessible Websites http://www.utexas.edu/learn/accessibility/ WCAG Web Content Accessibility Guidelines http://www.w3.org/TR/WAI-WEBCONTENT/ Links to Resources TOOLS AND SAMPLE CODE http://accessify.com/ http://webaim.org/ WAVE: http://wave.webaim.org/index.jsp Adobe Accessibility: http://www.adobe.com/accessibility/index.html W3C Accessibility Tools: http://www.w3.org/WAI/ER/tools/ References “Appropriate use of alternative text”.WebAIM http://webaim.org/techniques/alttext “Attractive, Accessible Websites”, http://accessify.com/features/articles/good-lookers/ “Creating Semantic Structure”. WebAIM http://www.webaim.org/techniques/semanticstructure/ “The future of web accessibility”, http://www.webcredible.co.uk/user-friendlyresources/weaccessibility/future.shtml References “ ‘Skip navigation’ Links”, webAIM http://www.webaim.org/techniques/skipnav/ Sutel, Seth. “Blind web surfers sue for accessibility”. AP. Retrieved from: http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/061024/business_of_life.html 10/24/06 UT Accessibility Institute, http://www.utexas.edu/research/accessibility/resource “Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 Checklist”, W3C, http://www.w3.org/TR/2005/WD-WCAG20-20050630/checklistlinear.html