A Principles-Based Approach to Web

Accessibi l ityJared Smith

http://webaim.org

Test Questions

1. True, False, or I don’t know

My web content is currently accessible.

2. The five main categories of disabilities affected by Internet accessibility barriers are...

3. Web accessibility is easiest to implementA. As the culminating step after user testsB. As an integral part of the design processC. By creating an alternative versionD. After receiving a complaint by a person

with a disability

4.Which of the following is cited most regarding inaccessible web sites?

A. I wasn’t aware of the problemB. Accessibility will hinder the look/feel/

functionalityC. I didn’t know how to make it accessibleD. We don’t have the budget to make it

accessible

5. True or False

Accessible web design benefits only a small percentage of the population.

Accessibility

“Development of information systems flexible enough to

accommodate the needs of the broadest range of users...

regardless of age or disability”

8.5% of the population has a disability that affects computer use

The Evolution of Web Accessibility Guidelines

•WCAG 1.0 (1999)

• Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (2001)

•WCAG 2.0 (2008)

WCAG 1.0

• Finalized in 1999

•Checkpoint driven

• Priority 1, 2, and 3 (Level A, AA, and AAA)

• Specific to HTML

Section 508

•Legalistic - easy to verify compliance

•Applies to federal government

• Very limited in scope. The de facto standard.

•Many states have adopted the guidelines.

•Currently being updated

WCAG 2.0

• Finalized December 2008

• Principles Based

•Technology Agnostic

•Maintains Levels (A, AA, and AAA)

Americans with Disabilities Act

• Pre-dates the web

• “Places of public accommodation”

•Current proposal to expand ADA to include the web

Your site can be compliant, yet inaccessible

Your site can be technically accessible, yet functionally inaccessible

Web Accessibility

... it’s not rocket surgery!

... but don’t bite off more than you can chew.

POUR

POUR

erceivableperablenderstandableobust

Ensure POUR content across disability types

Vision - blind, low-vision, color-blindDeaf and Hard-of-hearingMotorCognitiveSeizure

POUR

erceivableperablenderstandableobust

Perceivable

Perceivable - Auditory Disabilities

•Captions for video & live audio

•Text transcripts for all audio content

Perceivable - Visual Disabilities

• Web pages are linear

• Use meaningful links. Avoid “click here”.

• Alternative text for non-text elements

• Page is readable and functional at a minimum of 2X zoom and 2X font size

Perceivable - Visual Disabilities

• Associate text labels with form elements

• Associate data cells to row/column headers

• Sufficient contrast - http://webaim.org/resources/contrastchecker/

• Ensure that meaning is not conveyed with color alone

You’ve won the lottery! Press the GREEN button to accept your prize and the RED

button to decline.

You’ve won the lottery! Press the GREEN button to accept your prize and the RED

button to decline.

The green mushrooms listed here are OK to eat. The red mushrooms will kill

you.

• Amanita

• Chanterelle

• Porcini

• Shitake

• Tylopilus

http://colorfilter.wickline.org/

The green mushrooms listed here are OK to eat. The red mushrooms will kill

you.

• Amanita

• Chanterelle

• Porcini

• Shitake

• Tylopilus

• Amanita

• Chanterelle

• Porcini

• Shitake

• Tylopilus

http://colorfilter.wickline.org/

Vitally Important Textvs.

POUR

erceivableperablenderstandableobust

Operable

Who does this affect?

• Motor disabilities

• Fine motor control and use of a mouse

• Repetition and fatigue

• Control over timing or moving elements

Be careful with flashing/strobing images

• More than 3 times in any one-second period

• Size, brightness, and red threshold

• Annoying rule

• WARNING: This page can cause seizures - fletchowns.net/what.html

Operable• Ensuring keyboard accessibility

• Don’t remove focus indicators

• Ensure links are clearly distinguishable

• Logical reading/navigation order

• Consistent navigation elements

Operable• Allow user to skip over repetitive and/

or lengthy lists of links

• Error-prevention and recovery mechanisms

• Give user the control over time-sensitive changes

Secret of Everlasting Happiness

Secret of Everlasting Happiness

Please finish reading this text – it will give you the secret to

everlasting happiness. The secretis simple, all you need to do is to stop worrying about the key to everlasting

happiness and enjoy the moment.

Secret of Everlasting Happiness

Sorry! Time’s up!Better luck next time!

Separate content/functionality from visual design

Web Developer Toolbar for Firefox

FAIL!

Can you have too much accessibility?

Direct users to content

POUR

erceivableperablenderstandableobust

Understandable

Who does this affect?

•Cognitive disabilities

• Largest disability group. Larger than all the others put together.

• Everyone!

• Because users vary greatly, we’ll focus on generic recommendations

Understandable•Be careful with movement and

other distracters

• Semantic organization (headings, lists, etc.)

•Be consistent.

• Strive for brevity. Use the simplest language possible.

Understandable

•Focus the user’s attention

• “Chunk” and/or simplify content

•Balance cognitive load vs. funtionality

Understandable

Understandable

POUR

erceivableperablenderstandableobust

Robust

Robust

Robust

Robust

Robust

POUR

erceivableperablenderstandableobust

wave.webaim.org

Thank You!Jared Smith

http://webaim.orgWeb based forums

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