Download Presentation on Web Accessibility by Wendy Mullin, USC

Web Accessibility
Wendy Mullin
University of South Carolina
What is Web Accessibility?
An accessible Web site is one that people can fully
use and interact with regardless of the range of their
abilities or their browser technology.
Can be used in a variety of ways that do not depend
on a single sense or ability.
Why should we care?
• Use of the Web is spreading rapidly into all areas
of society
• Today, many people rely on the Internet to
communicate, to get information and news, to shop,
and for entertainment.
Why should we care?
The Internet is often more important those with
disabilities because of circumstances related to their
disabilities.
Using a computer and the Internet, someone who is
blind or paralyzed can order groceries, read the
news, download a book, communicate with others.
Why should we care?
20.6 percent or 54 million persons in the United
States have some level of disability (Census
statistics from 1994)
Average age of population in US and many other
countries is increasing. Aging sometimes results in
combinations of accessibility issues, such as
hearing changes and changes in dexterity &
memory.
Disabilities
• Visual Impairments
• Deafness and Hearing Impairments
• Deaf-Blindness
• Mobility Impairments
• Cognitive Impairments
• Seizure Disorders
Blindness
• No use of monitor or mouse
• Use of screen reader or refreshable Braille Display
• Label graphics (alt tags)
• Label any non-text element
• Alternatives for Javascripts, Java, Plug-ins
• Describe Video
• Properly mark-up Tables and Frames
• Keyboard support
Low Vision
• Range of Usable Vision
• Screen Enlarger/Magnifier
• Don’t override the users control over fonts &
colors
• High Contrast
• Don’t rely on user being able to read “text”
conveyed as an image
Color Blindness
• Different types of color-blindness & color
deficiencies
• Colors with most potential for confusion: reds,
greens, oranges, yellows
• Don’t override the users control over fonts &
colors
• Do not rely on color alone to convey important
information
• High Contrast
Deafness &
Hearing Impairments
• Amount of multimedia on Web increasing
• Sound clips: have textual transcript
• Video clips with sound: synchronized captioning
Deaf-Blindness
• Degree of hearing impairment and usable vision
varies
• Screen enlargers, refreshable Braille Displays,
Screen Readers
• Don’t rely on just one sense or ability to convey
information
Mobility Impairments
• Range of impairments
• Some can use keyboard and mouse with difficulty
• Some use mouth stick/head wand to use keyboard
• “puff-and-sip” switches
• Don’t rely on ability to use a mouse
• Need keyboard or single-switch support for menu
commands
Cognitive Impairments
• Many types of impairments, with a wide range of
abilities
• Learning Disabilities, Downs Syndrome, Stroke
victims
• Consistent navigational structure
• Text is clear and simple
• Some benefit from graphics or icons that
supplement text or links (not decorative)(use alt
tags)
Seizure Disorders
• At certain rates, flickering or stoking designs can
cause someone with a seizure disorder to have a
seizure.
Aging Population
Our population is aging. Age-related impairments
may include
• Visual impairments from macular degeneration,
glaucoma, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy.
• Hearing impairments
• Mobility impairments
• Cognitive impairments
Who Does Web
Accessibility Benefit?
While the primary focus of Web accessibility
is for those with disabilities, when you create
a page that is not dependent on any one
single sense or ability, it creates better access
for everyone.
Benefits for everyone
For those using alternative methods of accessing the
Internet: PDAs, mobile phones, Web-TV, Internet
appliances, kiosks.
• Inability to utilize many advanced features of the
Web (Multimedia, PDF’s, scripts)
• Mouse ?, Sound ?, Keyboard ?
• Low bandwidth
• Noisy environments, screen-glare
• Other distractions
Legal Issues
American with Disabilities Act (ADA)
• The requirement for "effective communication"
applies to the Internet, but how it applies is still
under discussion.
• No Case Law: cases settled out of court in favor of
the disabled
Legal Issues
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
• Applies to agencies receiving federal funds
• Addresses "effective communication" and
mandates accessibility when it can be done with
reasonable accommodation
Legal Issues
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
• Section 508 requires that when Federal agencies
develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and
information technology they must ensure that it is
accessible to people with disabilities unless it would
pose an undue burden.
Legal Issues
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
• Applies to Federal agencies
• Does it apply to States?
What is SC doing?
SC has started the process of making Information
Technology accessible to the disabled.
• More and more online interaction with the
government.
• Very likely IT accessibility will be a mandate from
the Federal government.
What is SC doing?
• Access to Information Technology Partnership and
Coordinating Committee
• Web Accessibility Workgroup
• Policy
Accessibility Myths
Myth 1: Accessible Web pages are dull and boring
Pages that are accessible to the disabled don’t have
to be dull, boring, or plain. You can use many new
technologies.
However, you must make sure that the page
transforms gracefully for those who do not have the
latest technology and who are disabled.
Accessibility Myths
Myth 2: Accessible pages must be written
in HTML 2.0
You can use the newest HTML standards and still
maintain accessibility.
However, you must make sure that the page
transforms gracefully for those who do not have the
latest technology and who are disabled.
Accessibility Myths
Myth 3: An accessible web page is nothing more
than plain text.
• Last resort.
• Does not meet needs of other disabilities.
• Usually not updated
Standards
W3C/WAI
http://www.w3.org/tr/1999/wai-webcontent-19990505/
Section 508
http://www.access-board.gov/news/508-final.htm
Standards: Section 508
(a) A text equivalent for every non-text element
shall be provided (e.g., via "alt", "longdesc", or in
element content).
Standards: Section 508
(b) Equivalent alternatives for any multimedia
presentation shall be synchronized with the
presentation.
Standards: Section 508
(c) Web pages shall be designed so that all
information conveyed with color is also available
without color, for example from context or markup.
Standards: Section 508
(d) Documents shall be organized so they are
readable without requiring an associated style sheet.
Standards: Section 508
(e) Redundant text links shall be provided for each
active region of a server-side image map.
Standards: Section 508
(f) Client-side image maps shall be provided instead
of server-side image maps except where the regions
cannot be defined with an available geometric
shape.
Standards: Section 508
(g) Row and column headers shall be identified for
data tables.
Standards: Section 508
(h) Markup shall be used to associate data cells and
header cells for data tables that have two or more
logical levels of row or column headers.
Standards: Section 508
(i) Frames shall be titled with text that facilitates
frame identification and navigation.
Standards: Section 508
(j) Pages shall be designed to avoid causing the
screen to flicker with a frequency greater than 2 Hz
and lower than 55 Hz.
Standards: Section 508
(k) A text-only page, with equivalent information or
functionality, shall be provided to make a web site
comply with the provisions of this part, when
compliance cannot be accomplished in any other
way. The content of the text-only page shall be
updated whenever the primary page changes.
Standards: Section 508
(l) When pages utilize scripting languages to
display content, or to create interface elements, the
information provided by the script shall be
identified with functional text that can be read by
assistive technology.
Standards: Section 508
(m) When a web page requires that an applet, plugin or other application be present on the client
system to interpret page content, the page must
provide a link to a plug-in or applet that complies
with §1194.21(a) through (l).
Standards: Section 508
(n) When electronic forms are designed to be
completed on-line, the form shall allow people
using assistive technology to access the
information, field elements, and functionality
required for completion and submission of the
form, including all directions and cues.
Standards: Section 508
(o) A method shall be provided that permits users to
skip repetitive navigation links.
Standards: Section 508
(p) When a timed response is required, the user
shall be alerted and given sufficient time to indicate
more time is required.
Suggestion:
Links:
• Use text that makes sense when read out of
context (avoid “click here”); be descriptive
• Frontload your links
Clean, Valid Code:
Better for those using assistive technologies, better
for mobile technologies, and better for everyone.
How should USC respond?
Developing and Implementing
• Policy
• Timeline
Resources
• SC's Web Accessibility Workgroup
http://webaccess.scetv.org
• Section 508 Tutorial from the
National Weather Service
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/sec508/
• W3C/WAI
http://www.w3.org/WAI/
Resources
•WebAim
http://www.webaim.org
• Bobby Accessibility Checker
http://www.cast.org/bobby/
• SC's listserv
http://webaccess.scetv.org
• WebAim's listserv
http://www.webaim.org/discussion/
Accessibility
Benefits Everyone
• It’s the right thing to do for those with disabilities.
• Future of technology: Multiple ways of accessing
the Internet
• If your code is valid and you have applied the
accessibility standards to your Web site, then people
will still be able to access your information.