Shawn D. Corcoran
http://www.vrcbvi.org/
corks@worldnet.att.net
THE ELECTRONIC
The end result of such difficulties is that this site is, in effect,
inaccessible
to you. But what if the site gives you the choice to either download images
or view a text-only page? In that case, the site's developer is clearly
thinking
about accessibility issues. The question of accessibility is most often
considered
in the context of helping people with disabilities. But while Internet
accessibility
features are necessary for those with disabilities, they also enhance
usability
for many of our other constituencies.
An accessible Web site is one from which any user can easily obtain the available information. And accessibility is fast coming to be considered an essential component of good Web design. Accessibility will mean different things to different people, depending on their needs. To a faculty member connecting to the institution's site while traveling, accessibility means, first and foremost, ease and speed of connection. To an international student investigating an admissions page, accessibility may mean not encountering technical problems because of the age of her computer's hardware (storage and display devices), software (computer instructions or data), or browser (a software application used to locate and display Web pages). To a staff member with low vision, accessibility means the ability to use site features that he may not be able to see. To the parent with cognitive disabilities, accessibility it may mean having textual elements represented visually.
Today, anyone who can use a word processing program is a potential Web-site
developer. This includes students who do presentations for class, faculty
who
create instructional materials to be distributed on the Web, staff involved
in original document creation as well as Web design, and administrators who
oversee these types of activities. That means you need to be aware of Web
accessibility
issues. As you develop your own Web site (or when you have to rely on others
to construct your Web pages), it is critical to know enough about Web
development
to discern the best balance between accessibility and glitz.
Ultimately, all of us can advocate for and provide accessible Web pages. This article is designed to raise awareness of accessibility concerns as well as equip you to make choices in Web design that will assist all Web users. While it is hard to remove every stumbling block for every user, we can use the following principles to increase access for a broader audience.
First, let's consider two fundamental factors influencing accessibility: software and design. The software an Internet user has supplies a certain amount of accessibility. For example, for those who prefer to browse in text-only mode, some browsers allow users to turn off images and features that support nontext components. And those who have vision or other disabilities can use screen readers, such as Jaws or WindownEyes, which translate the visual output on the screen into voice or Braille output. Screen readers can dramatically ease Web-site navigation and increase the amount of readable Web content.
Recently, new accessibility software features have been added to
commonly used
development and Web-based programs. Acrobat Reader now has a form feature
that
simplifies the process of filling out forms online. Macromedia
Dreamweaver includes
a validator, a tool that checks the accessibility of a site. Other
vendors,
such as Apple and Microsoft, are continuing efforts to make their
products easy
to use. But Web developers need to create sites that allow users to take
full
advantage of these software capabilities.
An accessible design will probably have smaller Web files and fewer
graphics
than one created without accessibility issues in mind. Therefore, the
download
time for this site's pages will decrease, which benefits everybody. Another
byproduct of accessible design is ease of use with a personal data
assistant
(a handheld device with a small screen that allows input from various
sources)
and cell phones with Internet access.
A good place to start learning about designing for accessibility is the
World
Wide Web Consortium's comprehensive set of accessibility guidelines for Web
designers. As a part of its dedication to improving Web technology, the
Consortium
has made its guidelines and checklists available online, at http://www.w3.org/WAI/, with a more succinct
list at http://www.w3.org/W
AI/References/QuickTips/#QuickTips.
Here is a brief explanation of the points in the list.
Images People with vision disabilities may need to have the
visual
components of a site described and explained for them. In order for the
screen
reader, described earlier, to easily interpret and translate a site's visual
components, it needs help from the Web designer. Use HTML (Hyper Text
Markup Language, the coding system used to create Web pages) to describe
each
visual and its function for interpretation by a screen reader. If an
image is
there purely for design, simply describe the image in your coding. If the
image
conveys information, provide the same information textually.
Multimedia Captioning or complete transcripts make audio content
accessible
to people with hearing disabilities. Descriptions make video content
accessible
to people with vision disabilities.
Hypertext links Many screen readers can follow links, but if the
text accompanying each link says simply "Click here," users with vision
disabilities
will have no indication of what is being linked to. Instead, designers
can use
words that describe the destination users will reach after clicking on
the link.
The text that accompanies links should be comprehensible on its own.
Page organization Creating a page layout that is accessible to
screen
readers can be difficult. Generally, layout should be structurally
consistent,
with use of heads and lists. You may want to use cascading style
sheets
(CSS), files that define how the HTML documents will display elements
such as
background color, links, fonts, and heading sizes and styles. However,
recent
versions of CSS code may not be compatible with some browsers. In this case,
the screen readers will read the page but the content may be highly
distorted
for visual users. We still recommend using CSS, but with an older coding
version.
Checking your Web page on several operating systems and browsers is the
ultimate
way to determine if your code will work for both screen readers and
visual users.
(See the section "Final Checks for Accessibility.")
Graphs and Charts A screen reader most likely will not be able to
read a chart or graph. Add a synopsis of the information in plain text.
Animation Many users, disabled or otherwise, cannot access
animation
because of the limitations of their Web browser or Internet connection. Any
information you convey by animation should also be available in plain
text.
Frames Frames, dividers used to organize Web content, may not be
accessible to people using low- end technology and old browsers. Also,
screen
readers may only recognize the first frame and not acknowledge that any
other
frame exists on the page. If you choose to use frames, code them using
content-rich
descriptions rather than "frame 1," "frame 2," and so on. Also, provide a
link
to a non-frame version of the page content for those who are not able to
effectively
read a page constructed using frames.
Tables Summarize tables, particularly heavy with data, because
screen
readers read standard tables one line at a time across the columns.
Check your work As noted earlier, validators are programs
that check
for accessibility and HTML coding accuracy and consistency. Good coding
speeds
download time for sighted users and efficiency for screen-reader users. Some
validators are better than others. Trying out a number of validation
services
on the same Web page is a good way to test which validator will be most
usable
and understandable for you. In our opinion, one of the most
understandable validators
is Doctor HTML (http://www2.imagiware.com/RxHTML/).
Which diagnoses several potential problem areas but does not specifically
indicate
accessibility. To take validation a step further by checking for
accessibility,
you can use
You can also use the W3C's tools, checklist, and guidelines at http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG/.
Not mentioned on the W3C list but very important is the discriminating use
of contrasting color to distinguish text from background. Also, don't use
color
as the only way to communicate with users. Another big help is the provision
of a text-only version of each page. For another quick reference, see the
American
College Professional Association's "Accessible Web Page Principles" at
http://www.acpa.nche.edu
/comms/disab/access.html.
Even if the site passes validation tests, it may not be accessible
because of
design flaws or browser issues. Your viewers may not be seeing your page
exactly
as you do even if they are not using assistive technology , software
or hardware designed to assist people with disabilities. So stop, look, and
listen before you finalize your site.
It is important to take a break and walk away from your Web site.
When
you come back, try to see it through the eyes of your clients, or have
someone
who is unfamiliar with your content view the site. The evaluation of someone
with a fresh perspective can improve the quality of your final product.
Then take a look. Review your Web page on different operating
systems
to see how the page looks and acts before putting it up online. For example,
review your site from a Macintosh, an IBM compatible, and a Unix computer to
see how it appears differently from each. Also, browsers sometimes treat
coding
elements, such as fonts, differently on different operating systems. Viewing
a page across browsers and operating systems may reveal some otherwise
hidden
problems. You'll probably want your site to perform in basically the same
way
across operating systems and browsers.
Finally listen. The final accessibility test is to open a Web
page using one or two screen readers, such as Jaws or WindowEyes (see
www.freedomscientific.com
and www.gwmicro.com, respectively, for more information on these two
software
packages.) Each renders Web pages differently, much like how a site differs
depending on the browser and operating system used to view it. It is
quite revealing
to walk through your site using a screen reader so you can see and hear what
your clients will experience when they visit your site.
It is to our benefit to avoid getting caught up in the myopic grip of the "I
am required to provide accessible Web sites" syndrome. Instead, we should
think
in terms of the practical benefit of meeting the needs of the broadest
possible
spectrum of potential clients. Providing accessible Web materials means
reaching
a broad spectrum of individuals not only those with disabilities but also
those
who do not have the most recent hardware and software and visitors who
are logging
in remotely by the way of a dial-up modem. To achieve this worthwhile ideal,
we need to be aware of accessibility issues throughout the process of
design,
implementation, and evaluation of new technology. We also need to take a
fresh
look at our clients and their needs. This attention to detail is a
significant
indication of how well we are serving faculty, staff, students, and
visitors.
Accessibility is a value-added component to your Web pages and Internet
services.
Be aware of the scope of needs and the tools available. Greater
accessibility
is attainable and well worth the effort.
__________
Charmane K. Corcoran is the information and project principal in the Client Advocacy Office at Michigan State University and the first webmaster for the ACPA Standing Committee on Disability. She can be reached at corcora1@msu.edu.
Shawn D. Corcoran is a computer instructor at the Virginia Rehabilitation Center for the Blind and Vision Impaired. Previously, he was a software trainer for The Computer Solution Company.
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