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Accessibility
Because designing an accessible Web site requires some special techniques and considerations, the lack of accessibility features in a site is usually not a sign of indifference, but rather a simple lack of awareness on how to design with accessibility in mind. The following resources will help.
How
People with Disabilities Use the Web
Illustrations of what some of the requirements are for people with
disabilities, from the World Wide Web Consortium. Included are links to
supporting technical information and guidelines. An enlightening document
for both Web users and Web builders.
TeamWeb:
Designing Accessible Web Sites
UT Austin's TeamWeb has prepared guidelines to help Web publishers
make their sites more accessible not only to people with disabilities,
but to all users. Included is information about their accessibility classes.
Accessibility Institute's Examples and
Resources
UT's Accessibility Institute offers a valuable set of
annotated links to accessibility and usability standards, assistive technology,
information on legislation, related organizations, education standards
and guidelines, technology news and research, Web-based programs and projects,
development resources, and information about tools for creating accessible
media.
W3C
Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) Home Page
The starting point for Web accessibility information, from W3C, the
World Wide Web Consortium, which sets commonly accepted application and
use standards for Web developers and publishers.
W3C
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0
Here are the agreed-upon rules to follow for creating accessible Web
pages, from the World Wide Web Consortium, which provides standards for
the Web.
Techniques
for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0
W3C's nitty-gritty of how to accomplish accessible Web content, complete
with examples and tips on testing, and an index of elements and attributes.
A list of resources and services, such as Bobby, is also included here.
CAST
- Bobby
Bobby is a Web-based portal that analyzes Web sites for accessibility
issues. CAST offers Bobby as a free public service in order to further
its mission to expand opportunities for people with disabilities through
the innovative uses of computer technology.
Web
Accessibility: 50 Million and Growing
One in five Americans has a disability, this article in WebReview
points out, and one in ten has a major disability. This general discussion
of accessibility issues and statistics is the third in a series of excerpts
(links provided) from a new book, Web Accessibility for People with
Disabilities, by Michael Paciello (CMP Books, 2000).
The
Aging Eye
Enlightening information about how age affects eyesight, especially
as it relates to providing information on the Web
Designing
a More Usable World
The TRACE center at the University of Wisconsin provides a useful
site of resources on universal design issues.
Yale
Style Manual-Typography
An important page on typography and legibility within the respected
Yale Style Guide for the Web; a good resource for design principles for
the Web as well as for other uses.
CNET
Builder.com - Web Authoring - Building an Accessible Web Site
This site offers clear, basic explanation of the principles of accessibility
on the Web, with practical solutions.
AWARE
at the HTML Writers Guild
A Web writer's organization sponsors this Web authoring resources
and education site, dedicated to helping create accessible Web pages,
based on the W3C standards. The guidelines are clearly stated and the
implementation recommendations are straightforward.
Disabled
Accessibility—Alertbox June 1999
Practical advice for making Web pages more accessible, from the usability
guru Jacob Nielsen
Building
accessibility into Flash movies
Example code and guidelines to help make Macromedia Flash movies that
are more accessible to users with disabilities.
Accessibility
Features of CSS
This page highlights the accessibility features of Cascading Style
Sheets, a mechanism for making Web pages accessible for the increasing
number of Web-enabled devices and assistive readers.
Java
accessibility
IBM Special Needs Systems and Sun Microsystems' accessibility group have
joined forces to design and build next-generation accessibility into Java.
Microsoft has a substantial Web presence for accessibility. As a company, they have also invested a lot of resources in making their products accessible. They have a person assigned to each product whose job it is to make sure the product meets accessibility standards.
IBM's
Accessibility Center: Web Accessibility Checklist
A handy checklist to make your Web site accessible, with links to
expanded explanatory text and examples. The pages are a part of a major
accessibility initiative by IBM. There is a 30-day
trial version of its Home Page Reader for users who are blind or visually
impaired.
Adapted from Ramp Up to Access, by CIT staff member Judythe Wilbur in collaboration with Jan McSorley, AISD technology specialist.