2012-07-24: accessibility on the web
Post on 21-Oct-2014
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Presentation by Jessica Keyes Baltimore Lean Startup meetup July 24, 2012TRANSCRIPT
ACCESSIBILITY ON THE WEB
Goal: Make all public library websites in Maryland fully compliant with Section 508 Accessibility Standards.
Enoch Pratt Free Library is the State Library Resource Center. We will be leading by example and providing support to county libraries.
MARYLAND PUBLIC LIBRARY ACCESSIBILITY PROJECT
WHAT IS SECTION 508?
Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act is a federal law and set of standards. It requires federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology accessible to people with disabilities.
SECTION 508
Includes: software applications and operating systems
web-based information or applications
telecommunication products
video and multimedia products
self contained, closed products (e.g., information kiosks, calculators, and fax machines)
desktop and portable computers
SECTION 508
The World Wide Web Consortium (W3) maintains standards called WCAG 2.0 (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, implemented in 2008).
They are international standards. Section 508 standards will soon be updated to refer developers and site owners to to WCAG.
WCAG 2.0
WHAT IS ACCESSIBILITY?
Accessible web content is usable and meaningful for people with ANY disability, including:
Blindness
Color blindness
Nearsightedness
Deafness
Reduced motor skills, caused by conditions such as arthritis or amputation
Cognitive impairment
Seizure conditions
WHO DOES IT SERVE?
Provide text alternative to non-text content, including images, tables, and forms.
Provide transcripts for audio content, or closed captions for video content
Don’t use visual elements such as color or font to communicate important information.
CONTENT MUST BE PERCEIVABLE
All functions must be available from the keyboard.
Give users enough time to read and use content.
Do not use content that causes seizures.
Help users navigate and find content.
SITE MUST BE OPERABLE
Make text readable and understandable by using clear and concise writing
Make content appear and operate in predictable ways by adhering to best practice standards.
Clearly define forms and help users avoid and correct mistakes.
CONTENT MUST BE UNDERSTANDABLE
Maximize compatibility with current and future user tools, such as: Screen readers
Disabling of CSS, Javascript, and/or images
Zooming tools
Mobile devices
SITE MUST BE ROBUST
WHY YOU SHOULD BE ACCESSIBLE
If your website is not accessible, you will lose valuable market share.
Accessible websites are generally good examples of web design best practices, and will therefore last longer and work better.
It’s not the law yet, but it will be. There have already been successful suits filed against businesses with inaccessible websites.
WHY?
BECOMING ACCESSIBLE
Understand how people with disabilities use the web.
Try: Activating your operating system’s built-in screen
reader and navigating your site blindfolded.
Navigating your site using only the keyboard.
Disabling CSS and Javascript, and see if your site is still usable.
TECHNICAL TRICKS
Add alt tags to images
Provide transcripts for audio content
Provide closed captions for video content
Give descriptions to tables and forms
PROVIDE ALTERNATE CONTENT
HTML5 has tags for almost every kind of content. Call your content what it is: Header (<h1>, <h2>) tags for headers and
subheaders
Emphasis (<em>) rather than italic (<i> is deprecated in HTML5)
Footer (<footer>) for the footer area
Ordered list (<ol>) for numbered lists
USE SEMANTIC MARKUP
Use easy-to-read fonts
Use fluid layouts so the site displays properly at any resolution
Leave ample white space to improve readability
Use high-contrast colors
FOLLOW GOOD DESIGN PRINCIPLES
The W3 Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) website has case studies of people with disabilities using the web.
WAVE shows errors and warnings in context for individual pages
Use your operating system’s built-in text-to-voice software for experiencing your site through a screen reader.
For l inks to these tools and more, visit prairieskydesigns.com.
TOOLS & RESOURCES
