Re: MSU: Anyone who has time...Please comment

Charmane,
I took the liberty of running RAMP with "AAA" level  on that page. Reports are attached.
Besides my comments follow:
Comments:
1. Do not think "Green-line art border" is a valuable piece of description. Could just be null.
2. You might consider keeping the Go To Content link after The "Advancing Knowledge. Transforming Lives." statement.
3: Consider introducing a h2 header  "Accessibility Statement (or Mission)" above the statement.
4. Consider using h2 header tag for what the lists conveys: Resources, Benefits etc.  Will help navigation too.
5. Consider moving the "updated on, copyright and MSU address "  to the end of the page after all links that seem to follow.
6.: Just FYI: Default option for JAWS  is set to recognize data tables and therefore the layout tables go unannounced and so do the summaries!
I used JAWS 4.51. 
I tested it  with Home Page Reader  too.  
Hope this helps and  you find the  RAMP analysis  useful.
Sailesh Panchang
Senior Accessibility Engineer
Deque Systems Inc
11752, Valley Ridge Circle, Fairfax, VA 22033
Tel: 703-218-8018
Fax: 703-218-5047
E-mail: sailesh.panchang@deque.com
* Look up <http://www.deque.com> *

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Charmane K. Corcoran 
  To: w3c-wai-eo@w3.org 
  Cc: Justin Thorp ; veejayc@msu.edu 
  Sent: Thursday, June 12, 2003 1:03 PM
  Subject: Anyone who has time...Please comment


  Hi, All

  We are working on a web accessibility information website redesign. We are trying to demonstrate to the University that you can follow the W3C Web Accessibility guidelines and still have a nice looking site. This is just one type of page we are going to demonstrate. Eventually, we will have pages that use CSS for layout instead of HTML and tables. The examples will be designed so that the departments can download them, plug in their stuff and be done. 

  If you can spare any time at all, I would appreciate your *frank* comments on the following site:
  http://www.msu.edu/~dig/test/webaccess/develop/
  I am not leery of negative comments. They will be most helpful in refining our approach.

  We validate on Bobby to W3C guidelines to Level III, I believe. We also validate to Section 508 though we are not required to do that. Our interpretation of the guidelines I think is sound but it is critical to have a second pair of eyes look at it, too.

  The tables are relative and are expandable both horizontally and vertically without destroying the design nor the ability for the screen reader to read it in a more linear fashion. I have viewed it on a 1600 x 1200 resolution on a 22 inch monitor and it still functions as it should.

  We tested it with JAWS. It seems to read the information in the appropriate order. There is a hidden "Go to content" link at the top of the page that screen readers will pick up as the first link and goes to an anchor link at the top of the content. That link is not needed for visual users as far as I can tell so you will not see it on a visual display.

  There are two codes that we are using are not in HTML 4.01 Traditional but are read by Netscape and Internet Explorer. Except for those two items, we validate to HTML 4.01 Traditional. That is not an accessibility issue but thought it worth noting. 

  Any comments on either accessibility or usability that you have will be welcome. Thanks in advance.

  Charmane





  MSU: Advancing Knowledge. Transforming Lives.

  Libraries, Computing & Technology: 
  Connecting People and Information

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  Have a Productive Day!
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Charmane K. Corcoran 
  Information & Project Principal 
  Michigan State University 
  Client Advocacy Office 
  316A Computer Center 
  East Lansing MI 48824 

  E-Mail: 
  corcora1@msu.edu
  Phone: 
  Departmental Office: 517/353-4856
  Direct/Voice Mail: 517/355-4500 Ext. 244 
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