Check that all information conveyed with color is also available without color

This is so obvious that I can't think that nobody has thought of it before.
The
WCAG techniques suggest:

  "To test whether color contrast is sufficient to be read by people with
color
  deficiencies or by those with low resolution monitors, print pages on a
black
  and white printer (with backgrounds and colors appearing in grayscale)."

As many people have pointed out printing is not sufficient as the browser
compensates
for color problems. Using a B&W monitor it's awkward to compare between
monitors.

A simple solution is as follows. My example uses Windows and Microsoft
Office Photo
Editor but it will work with other platforms and editors I think.

1. Use Ctrl+Alt+PrintScreen to copy the image of the browser window
   to the clipboard.

2. In Photo Editor, select Edit/Paste as new Image

3. Select File/Properties/Image/Type and switch to grayscale

4. Repeat step 2

You now have two copies of the window, one with color and one in grayscale,
and you
can toggle between them with Ctrl+F6 to compare.

Alan Chuter
achuter@teleservicios.com
Fundosa Teleservicios (ONCE Foundation), Madrid, Spain
ONCE (Spanish National Organization of the Blind)

Received on Monday, 17 June 2002 05:04:39 UTC