Download Web Accessibility - Memorial University of Newfoundland

Web Accessibility
Web Accessibility Committee
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Presentation to Webdays 2005
What is happening at
Memorial in this area?
 Creation of Web Accessibility
Committee
 Membership
Presented By
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Paul Whittle, Web Manager
University Relations
Gerry Porter, Graphic Artist
Distance Education & Learning Technologies
Ruth North, Student Affairs Officer
Glenn Roy Blundon Centre
Kier Martin, Program Co-ordinator
Independent Living Resource Centre
University & Universality
"The power of the Web is in its universality.
Access by everyone regardless of disability is
an essential aspect."
Tim Berners-Lee, W3C Director and inventor of
the World Wide Web
What is Web Accessibility?
“Web accessibility simply means making your site
accessible to people with a variety of disabilities
or to people using different types of assistive
devices. This includes people with color blindness,
hearing impairment, blindness, and motor skill
impairment as well as people using wireless and
handheld devices—Web-enabled phones,
handheld computers, etc” (Zehno, 2005).
Web Accessibility Committee
Short-term goals:
• Get institutional commitment (resources) to
support committee’s work
• Build awareness about Web accessibility
• Develop a set of best practices for campus
Web development community
What is happening at
Memorial in this area?
Longer term goals:
• Create & implement guidelines/policy through a
series of recommendations for updating pages
over time using accepted tools (e.g. A-Prompt,
Bobby, W3C) & best practices
• Provide guidance, consultation & resources as
required to those wishing to address accessibility
• Build accessibility standards into Site Builder &
other Web tools
Why is Web accessibility
important?
• Legal Considerations
• Human rights legislation
• Ethical Considerations
• It’s the right thing to do!
• Practical Considerations
• Promotion & recruitment tool
• Increased usability for all people
How can you make your site
more accessible?
Top Ten Solutions from W3C
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Images & animations: Use the alt
attribute to describe the function of
each visual.
Image maps. Use the client-side map
and text for hotspots.
How can you make your site
more accessible?
 Multimedia. Provide captioning &
transcripts of audio, and descriptions
of video.
 Hypertext links. Use text that makes
sense when read out of context. For
example, avoid "click here.”
 Page organization. Use headings, lists,
and consistent structure.
 Use CSS for layout and style where
possible.
How can you make your site
more accessible?
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Graphs & charts. Summarize or use the
longdesc attribute.
Scripts, applets, & plug-ins. Provide
alternative content in case active
features are inaccessible or unsupported.
Frames. Use the noframes element and
meaningful titles.
How can you make your site
more accessible?

Tables. Make line-by-line reading sensible.
Summarize.
Also remember to check your work. Validate.
Use tools, checklist, and guidelines at:
http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG
Demonstration
www.dis-it.ca
Questions?
Further References
http://wic.ucs.mun.ca/wac
(WAC Home Page Also Under “About
MUN.ca” on Main Page)
http://www.w3.org/WAI/References/Quic
kTips/
(W3C Web Accessibility Initiative)
Other References
http://www.mun.ca/student/disabilities
(Glenn Roy Blundon Centre)
http://www.ilrc.nf.ca/programs/ilrc_cap.htm
(Independent Living Resource Center Computer
Resources)