introduction to web accessibility. what is web accessibility web accessibility means that people...

Introduction to Web Accessibility

What is Web Accessibility Web accessibility means that people with

disabilities can use the Web Disabilities including

Visual Auditory Physical Speech Cognitive Neurological Aging-related conditions

Experiences of Students with Disabilities

The students in the following videos (1, 2) share some of their experiences with the web and accessibility.

How People with Disabilities Using the Web

Alternative keyboards or switches Braille and refreshable braille Scanning software Screen magnifiers Screen readers video Speech recognition

How People with Disabilities Using the Web (cont)

Speech synthesis Tabbing through structural elements Text browsers Visual notification Voice browsers

Examples

Blind – Audio description of a video Deaf – Captions accompanying audio Deaf & Blind – Text description of the audio

and video to refreshable braille display Physical disability & Low vision – Speech

input and speech output, and precise indicators of location and navigation.

Essential Components of Web Accessibility (cont) users' knowledge, experiences, and in some

cases, adaptive strategies using the Web developers - designers, coders, authors, etc.,

including developers with disabilities and users who contribute content

authoring tools - software that creates Web sites

evaluation tools - Web accessibility evaluation tools, HTML validators, CSS validators, etc.

How the Components Relate

Web developers usually use authoring tools and evaluation tools to create Web content.

People ("users") use Web browsers, media players, assistive technologies, or other "user agents" to get and interact with the content.

Interdependencies Between Components There are significant interdependencies

between the components; that is, the components must work together in order for the Web to be accessible.

When accessibility features are effectively implemented in one component, the other components are more likely to implement them.

Guidelines for Different Components

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) develops Web accessibility guidelines for the different components.

Guidelines for Different Components (cont)

Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines (ATAG) addresses authoring tools

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) addresses Web content, and is used by developers, authoring tools, and accessibility evaluation tools

User Agent Accessibility Guidelines (UAAG) addresses Web browsers and media players, including some aspects of assistive technologies

Accessibility Policy

Section 508 Guidelines Learn by examples

10 Quick Tips

1. Images & animations: Use the alt attribute to describe the function of each visual.

2. Image maps. Use the client-side map and text for hotspots.

3. Multimedia. Provide captioning and transcripts of audio, and descriptions of video.

10 Quick Tips (cont)

4. Hypertext links. Use text that makes sense when read out of context. For example, avoid "click here."

5. Page organization. Use headings, lists, and consistent structure. Use CSS for layout and style where possible.

6. Graphs & charts. Summarize or use the longdesc attribute.

10 Quick Tips (cont)

6. Scripts, applets, & plug-ins. Provide alternative content in case active features are inaccessible or unsupported.

7. Frames. Use the noframes element and meaningful titles.

8. Tables. Make line-by-line reading sensible. Summarize.

9. Check your work. Validate. Use tools, checklist, and guidelines at http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG

References

Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) www.WebAIM.org www.cew.wisc.edu/accessibility

Different things to different people...

When talking about the World Wide Web, the term ‘accessibility’ means different things to different people.

It depends on: Who you are; What you do; What you use; Your environment; and Your society.

A blind user…

“To me ‘Web Accessibility’ means…

Access to certain banks, home shopping, news, dictionaries, travel agents, etc…

But, only those which: work with my screen-reader

(assistive technology); provide additional information to

cover the fact that I cannot take in purely visual information.”

A blind user…

“To me ‘Web Accessibility’ means…

Access to certain banks, home shopping, news, dictionaries, travel agents, etc…

Those which: work with my assistive technology; provide additional information to

cover the fact that I cannot take in purely visual information.”

“Technical Accessibility”

A user with epilepsy…

“To me ‘Web Accessibility’ means…

Confidence that a web page does not contain harmful flashing content.”

A user with epilepsy…

“To me ‘Web Accessibility’ means…

Confidence, that a web page does not contain harmful flashing content.”

“Health & Safety”

An elderly user…

“To me ‘Web Accessibility’ means…

Being able to increase the text size in a page;

Consistent navigation which allows me to remember my way around;

Provision of a site map or table of contents.”

An elderly user…

“To me ‘Web Accessibility’ means…

Being able to increase the text size;

Remembering my way around;

Provision of a site map or table of contents.”

“User considerations”

A non-disabled user…

“To me ‘Web Accessibility’ means…

Less irritating websites – without pop-ups;

Faster loading times; The possibility to use

my PDA to view pages.

A non-disabled user…

“To me ‘Web Accessibility’ means…

Less irritating websites – without pop-ups;

Faster loading times; The possibility to use

my PDA to view pages.

“Better User Experience”

Internet Software Developers

“To me ‘Web Accessibility’ means…

Valid code: as mistakes are removed at the authoring stage.

More time for other things: The time spent ‘correcting’ poor code could be spent on support for new technologies.”

User Agents, Assistive Technologies, Accessibility evaluation software, etc…

Internet Software Developers

“To me ‘Web Accessibility’ means…

Valid code: as mistakes are removed at the authoring stage.

More time for other things: The time spent ‘correcting’ poor code could be spent on support for new technologies.”

“Valid Code”

User Agents, Assistive Technologies, Accessibility evaluation software, etc…

A Website Owner…

“To me ‘Web Accessibility’ means…

Legal responsibility; WCAG 1.0; Possible decision on which

level of WCAG 1.0; Implementing WCAG 1.0; Staff training; Maintaining chosen level of

accessibility.”

Public Websites, Websites which provide goods and services, etc…

A Website Owner…

“To me ‘Web Accessibility’ means…

Accepting the fact that people with disabilities will use the website;

Deciding which level of WCAG 1.0;

Implementing WCAG 1.0 Staff training; Maintaining chosen level of

accessibility.

“Conformance to WCAG 1.0”

Public Websites, Websites which provide goods and services, etc…

Procurement Manager…

“To me ‘Web Accessibility’ means…

Incorporating ‘accessibility’ into all tenders and contracts:

Precise technical specifications; Evaluation procedures for

assessing the ‘accessibility’ of delivered products, either internally or by a third-party.

Procurement Manager…

“To me ‘Web Accessibility’ means…

Incorporating ‘accessibility’ into all tenders and contracts:

Precise technical specifications; Evaluation procedures for

assessing the ‘accessibility’ of delivered products, either internally or by a third-party.

“Precise definition of accessibility

& an evaluation mechanism”

Web Designer / Developer…

“To me ‘Web Accessibility’ means… Understanding WCAG 1.0; Understanding and applying

supporting WCAG techniques. Identifying tools which help me

(the developer) to generate WCAG conformant content – minimizing development time.

Making web content which works on different platforms and in different browsers

Evaluating finished content using tools and WAI checklists.”

Web Designer / Developer…

“To me ‘Web Accessibility’ means… Understanding WCAG 1.0; Understanding and applying

supporting WCAG techniques. Identifying tools which help me

(the developer) to generate WCAG conformant content – minimizing development time.

Making web content which works on different platforms and in different browsers

Evaluating finished content using tools and WAI checklists.”

“Techniques & Tools”

Lawyer…

“To me ‘Web Accessibility’ means…

Understanding legislation to determine people’s rights and duties;

Seeking independent advice about what is ‘reasonable’ in terms of accessibility.

Using accessibility experts to evaluate whether or not a reasonable level of “accessibility” has been provided;

When defending a client who’s being sued for an “inaccessible” Website, or suing the owner of an “inaccessible” Website.

Lawyer…

“To me ‘Web Accessibility’ means…

Understanding legislation to determine people’s rights and duties;

Seeking independent advice about what is ‘reasonable’ in terms of accessibility.

Using accessibility experts to evaluate whether or not a reasonable level of “accessibility” has been provided;

When defending a client who’s being sued for an “inaccessible” Website, or suing the owner of an “inaccessible” Website.

“Independent Expert Advice”

Disability Rights Group

“To me ‘Web Accessibility’ means…

Equalisation of opportunities;

Universal adoption of standards;

Disability Rights Group

“To me ‘Web Accessibility’ means…

Equalisation of opportunities;

Universal adoption of standards;

“Equalisation of Opportunities”

Politician…

“To me ‘Web Accessibility’ means…

Making a more inclusive society through policy;

Setting standards & benchmarks;

Promoting the widespread adoption and use of guidelines;

Measuring progress and showing visible results.

Politician…

“To me ‘Web Accessibility’ means…

Making a more inclusive society through policy;

Setting standards & benchmarks;

Promoting the widespread adoption and use of guidelines;

Measuring progress and showing visible results.

“Visible sign of accessibility adoption”

All these things are related…

Conformance to WCAG 1.0 Technical accessibility Health & safety User considerations Better user experience Valid code Tools & techniques Precise definition of accessibility & an evaluation

mechanism Independent expert advice Equalisation of opportunities Visible signs of accessibility adoption

Conformance to WCAG 1.0 Technical accessibility Health & safety User considerations Better user experience Valid code Tools & techniques Precise definition of accessibility & an evaluation

mechanism Independent expert advice Equalisation of opportunities Visible signs of accessibility adoption

Through…

Adoption of W3C / WAI Recommendations

European e-Accessibility

Implementation Policies

&

Conclusion

…as they are all valuable parts of Europe’s strategy for ‘Web Accessibility’.

Making, the World Wide Web far more ‘accessible’ for everyone…