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SearchEditors Draft: 03 February 2010 [changelog] $Date: 2010/02/05 09:58:11 $ by $Author: andrew $
Status: This document is an in-progress Editor's Draft revision; the existing published version is at <http://www.w3.org/WAI/training/Overview.html>. Please send comments to wai-eo-editors@w3.org (a publicly archived list).
[Draft] Topics for Web Accessibility Presentations and Training
This page outlines some potential topics to speak about during a presentation, or to use as a section of a training session. Some topics include draft presentations that can be used directly, others are just frameworks to build a presentation from. The topic overviews can also be used starting points for developing training sessions as described on the training examples page.
List of Topics
Select a link for more information about presenting that topic and resources to draw from.
1. Introducing Web Accessibility
Goal
To help people understand basic principles of web accessibility, who is affected and why it is important.
Audience
General Public
Description
This topic introduces the importance of the Web as an essential communication tool. It examines the issue that people with disabilities and older people should have equal access and should not face barriers. It further introduces reasons why web accessibility is important by discussing how people with disabilities use the Web every day and the impact on their lives when web information and tools are not accessible.
What the audience will learn
- What web accessibility means
- The many ways that people's lives are affected by lack of equal access to web based technologies
- About international efforts to ensure web accessibility.
- How to get involved and where to get more information about web accessibility
Speaker Notes
Key Points:
- Access to the Web is an essential component to full participation in the information society.
- If we live long enough, every one of us will require some aspect of accessible design to continue to participate.
- How people with disabilities and older people use the Web.
- The impact of poor accessibility on many people.
Primary Resources
- Examples of poor web accessibility
- Show video on website accessibility and use of the Web by people with disabilities and/or older people
- Demonstrate some assistive technology (or get a person who relies on it to demonstrate)
- Accessibility - W3C - introduces the why, what and how of web accessibility
- Online slides why is Web accessibility an issue and impact of Web on people with disabilities from Overview of WAI .
- Material from Use of the Web from Web Accessibility for Older Users presentation
- Introduction to Web Accessibility - a longer introduction to the what, why and how of web accessibility
- How People with Disabilities use the Web - provides examples of people with different disabilities using Web sites, applications, browsers, and authoring tools
- Before and After Demonstration [Draft] - shows some typical pages as inaccessible and accessible with minimal difference to visual appearance
- Videos of People with Disabilities using ICT - some demonstrations, some interviews (compiled by UIAccess)
Additional resources:
- Inaccessibility of CAPTCHA - examines potential solutions to test that users are human, not software robots, in a way that is accessible to people with disabilities
Handouts:
- @@
Questions to Engage Audience:
- How do YOU use the web? for...work school, social exchanges, etc?
- Anyone with elderly parents...are they online?
- Think of an accomodation in the built environment for people with disabilities (auto-doors, curbcuts, ramps, captions.) Does anyone else ever use those? Who/how? Accessibility benefits everyone.
- Ask everyone who would like to live to the age of 80 or beyond to stand or raise hand. Then ask those with a birthday before Jan 30 to sit down. Those are the number born with a disability. Ask those with a birthday in Jan-March to sit down/lower hand. Those are disabilities acquired by age 23. Repeat with April - June (equivalent to numbers of people who acquire disability by age 50. July - September (age 60). Then have people sit by month announcing decade. October (70) November to Dec 15 (80) Look around the room. Those still standing are approximately equivalent to the number of people who will make it past the age of 80 without acquiring a disability that will impact their ability to use the Web. Accessibility benefits all of us who live long enough.
2. How People with Disabilities Use the Web
Goal
Help people understand assistive technologies, alternative web access strategies and common barriers faced by people with disabilities and older users accessing the Web.
Audience
Everyone
Description
This topic describes some of the barriers and difficulties faced by people with disabilities and older people and introduces the different ways they might access the Web. Strategies may include both adaptive strategies and assistive technologies with regular browsers. These combinations mean that most people with disabilities or impairments can access the Web when it is built using principles of accessible design.
What the audience will learn
- Accessibility has an impact on the lives of people with many different disabilities and age-related impairments
- About the barriers experienced by people with disabilities and older users on the Web.
- Become more familiar with actual devices and adaptive strategies used by people with disabilities and older users
- Where to get more information
Speaker Notes
Key Points
- Cross-disability aspects of web accessibility
- Impairments and disabilities experienced by older people
- Impact of poor accessibility on access by people with disability
- How people with different kinds of disabilities use the Web
- Adaptive strategies and assistive technologies used by people with disabilities
- Interplay of user agents with web content
Primary Resources
- a text-only browser
- a screen reader with speech output
- a screen magnifier
- voice recognition software
- captions on a video
- adapted keyboards
- with the images and multimedia turned off
- by tabbing through the pages and following some key links
Handouts:
- @@
Questions and demonstrations to Engage Audience
- @@
3. Components of Web Accessibility
Goal
People understand that there are three sets of WAI guidelines that contribute to Web accessibility and the importance of each one.
Audience
Web developers and others with professional responsibility for creating accessible online content and applications; accessibility advocates; ICT departments
Description
This topic illustrates how Web accessibility depends on several components working together and how improvements in specific components will substantially improve Web accessibility. It also shows how the WAI guidelines address these components.
Learning objectives for audience
- Know that there are three related sets of WAI guidelines
- Understand the role of each set in creating and maintaining an accessible Web
- Relate underlying technologies to accessibility (and WAI-ARIA as an enabler)
- Understand how various guidelines and specifications fit together to ensure accessibility
- Know where to get more information
Key points for speaker
- Discuss the importance of all the WAI guidelines in ensuring an accessible Web - content, browsers, media players, authoring tools, assistive technologies, and users
- Web content - getting it; creating it
- Role of browsers and assistive technologies
- Role of authoring tools and evaluation tools
- Role of underlying technologies (HTML, XML, CSS, SVG, SMIL, etc.)
- Problems when things aren't right
- Introduce WAI Web accessibility guidelines that cover the different components
- WCAG, ATAG, UAAG
- Introduce WAI-ARIA and it's role in making scripting and dynamic pages accessible
Demonstrations/Exercises/Activities
- Ask participants about which aspects they are responsible for, or can influence, and discuss
Resources
- "Components of Web Accessibility" Presentation - this presentation can be used as the basis for this topic
- Essential Components of Web Accessibility - shows how Web accessibility depends on several components working together
- Involving Users in Web Projects for Better, Easier Accessibility - a start to reaping the benefits of involving people with disabilities and older people with accessibility needs due to aging, throughout your projects
- How People with Disabilities Use the Web - provides examples of people with different disabilities using Web sites, applications, browsers, and authoring tools
- Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Overview - an overview of WCAG and the related documentation
- Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines (ATAG) Overview - an overview of ATAG and the related documentation
- User Agent Accessibility Guidelines (UAAG) Overview - an overview of UAAG and the related documentation
Additional resources:
- Accessibility Features of HTML, Accessibility Features of CSS, Accessibility Features of SMIL, Accessibility Features of SVG
- WAI-ARIA Overview - describes the problems that WAI-ARIA addresses, and introduces the WAI-ARIA suite of technical document
4. Promoting Web Accessibility
Goal
To encourage web accessibility advocates and support their efforts to promote inclusive design practices.
Audience
Accessibility advocates and all others wanting to encourage web accessibility
Description
This topic introduces ways of promoting and furthering web accessibility. This might be as a 1:1 or small group discussion at any time as well as via a formal presentations or training sessions. It could also occur in an advocacy situation, or might involve engaging with WAI's interest groups or working groups.
Learning objectives for audience
- Understand that web accessibility is an ongoing challenge that needs a high level of awareness
- Become familiar with the components of web accessibility (WCAG, ATAG and UAAG) that make accessibility more easily achievable
- Think about the best approach, specific to each particular audience, for effective advocacy
- Identify opportunities to promote web accessibility, which might include speaking at local web development interest groups, developing organizational policies, undertaking research projects, etc
- Learn how to participate in WAI and other W3C projects
- Know where to get more information
Key points for speaker
- Discuss opportunities to encourage:
- Web sites to be accessible and meet WCAG
- Authoring tools, CMS's, blogging tools, wikis, etc to meet ATAG. For example by directly contacting vendors and developers and requesting increased accessibility support in future versions or by purchasing tools that provide the best support for accessibility
- Web browsers, media players, assistive technologies, and other user agents to meet UAAG
- Organizations to adopt an accessibility policy for their organization that defines their commitment to Web accessibility
- Discuss (as appropriate):
- Opportunities to promote web accessibility within local & regional web-related user-groups
- Involvement opportunities in WAI interest and working groups
- WAI process and opportunities to contribute
- Mainstreaming of accessibility solutions and research opportunities
- Translation opportunities
- Advocacy opportunities
- Use of WAI logos
Demonstrations
- Demonstrate use of WAI logos
Resources
- Participating in WAI - describes the different participation opportunities in WAI
- WAI Working Groups and Interest Groups - listing of all he WAI working groups and interest groups with links to their individual pages
- Translating WAI Documents - pointer to translation policy; list of existing translations; priority list of documents for translation
- Contacting Organizations about Inaccessible Websites - steps and tips to help report websites with accessibility problems
- Developing Organizational Policies on Web Accessibility - addresses considerations that can arise when developing organizational policies on Web accessibility
- WCAG logos & ATAG logos - how and when to use the conformance logos
Additional resources:
- Why Standards Harmonization is Essential to Web Accessibility - explains the key role that harmonization of standards plays in increasing the accessibility of the Web
- How WAI Develops Accessibility Guidelines through the W3C Process: Milestones and Opportunities to Contribute - introduces how WAI works through a process designed to encourage community input and consensus development
5. Introducing WCAG 2.0
Goal
Basic familiarity with WCAG 2.0 and its benefits.
Audience
Anyone needing an introduction to WCAG 2.0 and familiarization with the WCAG 2.0 documents
Description
This topic introduces WCAG 2.0 and its benefits. It presents the principles, guidelines, success criteria and techniques along with the various WCAG 2 documents that help developers and others understand and utilize WCAG 2. It should emphasize the role of How to Meet WCAG 2.0 as the gateway to working with WCAG 2. It also introduces WCAG 2.0 conformance requirements.
Learning objectives for audience
- Understand the four basic principles under which WCAG 2 is organized
- Relate the four organizing principles to the supporting Guidelines, Success Criteria and associated techniques
- Understand the benefits of WCAG 2 in relation to internationalization, interoperability, adaptability to emerging technologies, etc
- Learn about tools and documents provided to support practical implementation and testing
- Know how to locate support resources through the "How to Meet WCAG 2.0" gateway
Key points for speaker
- The four principles of Web accessibility in WCAG 2.0 - Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, Robust
- The twelve WCAG 2.0 Guidelines (in brief)
- The structure of WCAG 2.0 success criteria and associated techniques (Failure, Sufficient, Advisory)
- The benefits of WCAG 2.0
- International standard
- Applies to more advanced technologies
- Clearer criteria and more precisely testable
- Adaptable, flexible for different situations, and developing technologies and techniques
- Extensive supporting materials, practical implementation guidance
- The WCAG 2.0 documents
- How to Meet WCAG 2.0 (Checklist and gateway to other documents)
- Understanding WCAG 2.0 (Intent of success criteria)
- Techniques for WCAG 2.0 (Instructions for developers)
- WCAG 2.0 Technical Recommendation (the Standard)
- Conforming to WCAG 2.0
Demonstrations/Exercises/Activities
- How to Meet WCAG 2.0 - A customizable quick reference to WCAG 2.0 requirements (success criteria) and techniques
Resources
- Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Overview - an overview of WCAG and the related documentation
- Understanding the Four Principles of Accessibility (from understanding WCAG 2.0)
- The WCAG 2.0 Documents - describes the different WCAG 2.0 technical documents, to help know where to go for different types of information
- Benefits of WCAG 2 presentation - a complete presentation to draw from
- Improving the Accessibility of Your Web Site - approaches to make the process of improving accessibility more efficient and effective
- How to Meet WCAG 2.0 Customizable Quick Reference - lists all of the WCAG 2.0 requirements and techniques to meet the requirements; also:
Additional resources:
- How WAI Develops Accessibility Guidelines through the W3C Process: Milestones and Opportunities to Contribute - introduces how WAI works through a process designed to encourage community input and consensus development
Handouts:
- WCAG 2 at a Glance - a paraphrased summary of Web Content Accessibility Guidelines WCAG 2.0
6. Migrating to WCAG 2
Goal
Understand the relative ease of migrating to WCAG 2.
Audience
Web developers; policy makers; accessibility advocates
Description
This topic is intended to help those who have previously incorporated older accessibility standards to make the shift to WCAG 2. The materials and resources included here help to prioritize, analyze, and document technical and organizational requirements.
Learning objectives for audience
- Understand that the basic goals of accessibility have not changed
- Learn to identify priority areas for revision based on impact and effort
- Understand the need to analyze and relate those priorities to WCAG 2 Principles, Guidelines and Success Criteria
- Develop methods to document the process and update organizational policies and supporting materials
- Know where to get more information, including WCAG 2 translations
Key points for speaker
- Accessibility is fundamentally the same
- Impact and effort assessment to prioritize updates
- Determining conformance parameters, including technologies relied on
- Analysis of how the WCAG 2 technical requirements apply to your site
- Existing checkpoints that relate to WCAG 2 requirements
- New WCAG 2 success criteria
- Updating of organizational policies and technical documents
- Availability of WCAG 2 translations
Resources
- How to Update Your Web Site from WCAG 1.0 to WCAG 2.0 - detailed guidance for designers, developers, and project managers
- How WCAG 2.0 Differs from WCAG 1.0 - describes the differences in structure and the different support resources
- Comparison of WCAG 1.0 Checkpoints to WCAG 2.0 - lists the new requirements in WCAG 2.0, and shows how each WCAG 1.0 checkpoint relates to WCAG 2.0
- Benefits of WCAG 2 presentation - a complete presentation to draw from
- Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Overview - an overview of WCAG and the related documentation
- The WCAG 2.0 Documents - describes the different WCAG 2.0 technical documents, to help know where to go for different types of information
- WCAG 2.0 Translations - a list of complete and in-progress translations
Additional resources:
- Improving the Accessibility of Your Web Site - approaches to make the process of improving accessibility more efficient and effective
- Implementation Plan for Web Accessibility - considerations for the planning process for implementing web accessibility
Handouts:
- WCAG 2 at a Glance - a paraphrased summary of Web Content Accessibility Guidelines WCAG 2.0
7. Designing Accessible Websites (with WCAG 2)
Goal
To inform about developing accessible web content and applications.
Audience
Web designers and developers
Description
This topic introduces techniques for developing websites that will be accessibile to people with disabilities and older people. It introduces the gateway to the WCAG 2.0 techniques and highlights appropriate techniques for various aspects of a typical website, as well as techniques that create accessibility barriers for some people.
NB. see also the Accessibility of Authoring Tools topic to include aspects of user generated content.
Learning objectives for audience
- Learn to use the How to Meet WCAG 2.0 Customizable Quick Reference as a guide to find and implement proven accessible design techniques
- Understand the applicability of WCAG 2.0 Success Criteria to all web technologies, including complex, dynamic, and media content
- Distinguish between the different categories of documented techniques and their relationship to best practice
- Apply principles of accessibility using specific techniques that are validated by means of success criteria
- Become familiar with navigating among the various resources
- Know where to get more information
Key points for speaker
- The principles and guidelines from the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 as general accessibility principles
- The success criteria for WCAG 2.0 and their applicability to all web technologies
- The different types of documented techniques for WCAG 2.0 - failure, sufficient and advisory
- The importance of the advisory techniques as best practice for different groups such as older people
- Use of How to Meet WCAG 2.0 Customizable Quick Reference for finding documented techniques
- Selected techniques, including
- text, including presentation and resizing
- semantic structure & markup
- forms, timeouts, and input assistance
- data tables
- links
- color and contrast
- images, animations and flashing content
- scripting and keyboard access
- multimedia, including sound contrast, captions, audio description, and transcripts
- Accessibility of Ajax and related DHTML technologies and the role of WAI-ARIA
Demonstrations/Exercises/Activities
- The Before and After Demonstration pages showing some of the improvements and techniques used
- The How to Meet WCAG 2.0 Customizable Quick Reference) to demonstrate access to the WCAG 2.0 Techniques document and markup examples
- A short captioned video (with transcript) to show how even a multimedia example can be fully accessible
- Recoding some of the BAD 'before' pages to improve accessibility
Resources
- Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Overview - an overview of WCAG and the related documentation
- Benefits of WCAG 2 presentation - a complete presentation to draw from
- The WCAG 2.0 Documents - describes the different WCAG 2.0 technical documents, to help know where to go for different types of information
- How to Meet WCAG 2.0 Customizable Quick Reference - lists all of the WCAG 2.0 requirements and techniques to meet the requirements; also links to "Understanding" for descriptions, examples, and resources
- HTML techniques from How to Meet WCAG 2.0
- CCS techniques from How to Meet WCAG 2.0
- Scripting techniques from How to Meet WCAG 2.0
- SMIL techniques from How to Meet WCAG 2.0
- WCAG 2.0 Conformance - lists the WCAG 2.0 conformance levels and requirements
- WAI-ARIA Overview - describes the problems that WAI-ARIA addresses, and introduces the WAI-ARIA suite of technical document
- Better Web Browsing: Tips for Configuring Your Computer [Draft] - references to resources to help people customize their web browser and computer setup
- @@ Accessible video sample (resource to be provided)
- @@ Techniques also exist for the accessibility of other web technologies such as Flash, PDF, Silverlight, etc - these techniques are documented on the vendor's site as well as by third parties
Additional resources:
- Improving the Accessibility of Your Web Site - approaches to make the process of improving accessibility more efficient and effective
- Inaccessibility of CAPTCHA - examines potential solutions to test that users are human, not software robots, in a way that is accessible to people with disabilities
- Accessibility Features of HTML - relates to HTML 4.0
- Accessibility Features of CSS - summarizes the features of the Cascading Style Sheets level 2 (CSS2) known to directly affect the accessibility of Web documents
- Accessibility Features of SMIL - summarizes the accessibility features of the Synchronized Multimedia Language version 1.0 (SMIL 1.0),
- Accessibility Features of SVG - describes the Scalable Vector Graphics 1.0 Specification (SVG 1.0) features that support accessibility
- WAI-ARIA Authoring Practices 1.0 - a guide to understanding and implementing Accessible Rich Internet Applications
Handouts:
- Web Accessibility QuickTips - WCAG 2 at a Glance - a paraphrased summary of Web Content Accessibility Guidelines WCAG 2.0
- Including People with Disabilities in Design Studies
8. Browser Accessibility and UAAG
Goal
Understand the importance of user agents in enabling web accessibility.
Audience
Web developers; ICT departments; accessibility advocates
Description
This topic introduces the interrelationship between content and browsers and the adaptive strategies that some people use with their browsers. It also introduces the User Agent Accessibility Guidelines as one of the requirements for web accessibility.
Learning objectives for audience
- Understand UAAG as one of the key components to ensuring Web accessibility
- Gain insight about how UAAG relates to other WAI guidelines [@@ and the current status of the Working Draft for UAAG 2.0]
- Learn about how browsers, media players, etc interface with assistive technologies
- Learn about the adaptive strategies used by people with disabilities in configuring user agents
- Know where to get more information
Key points for speaker
- The inter-relationship of the three WAI guidelines in achieving accessibility
- General principles and specific checkpoints for accessibility of browsers, multimedia players, and interface with assistive technologies
- Adaptive strategies and assistive technologies people might adopt for better web browsing
Exercises/Activities
- Ask audience about the browser software they are using, and discuss accessibility issues which arise
- Ask audience about the media player software they are using, and discuss accessibility issues which arise
- Ask people to use adaptive strategies such as significant screen enlargement or keyboard-only navigation to explore a number of websites and multi-media sites, including their own, during or after the session
Resources
- Essential Components of Web Accessibility - shows how Web accessibility depends on several components working together
- "Components of Web Accessibility" Presentation - presentation that can be drawn on about different people and technology components that have a role in providing Web accessibility
- User Agent Accessibility Guidelines (UAAG) Overview - an overview of UAAG and the related documentation
- Table of Checkpoints for User Agent Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 - list may be used to review a tool or set of tools for accessibility
- Better Web Browsing: Tips for Configuring Your Computer [Draft] - references to resources to help people customize their web browser and computer setup
Additional resources:
- User Agent Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 - specifies requirements that, if satisfied by user agent developers, will lower barriers to accessibility
- User Agent Accessibility Guidelines (UAAG) 2.0 [Draft] - updated (draft) requirements that, if satisfied by user agent developers, will lower barriers to accessibility
- How WAI Develops Accessibility Guidelines through the W3C Process: Milestones and Opportunities to Contribute - introduces how WAI works through a process designed to encourage community input and consensus development
9. Authoring Tool Accessibility and ATAG
Goal
Understand the importance of authoring tools in achieving web accessibility.
Audience
Web developers; web managers; procurement personnel
Description
This topic introduces the interrelationship between content and authoring tools and discusses the ongoing merger of technologies (browser with authoring tool) with web-based authoring and user-generated content. It also discusses the selection of accessible authoring tools and introduces the Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines.
Learning objectives for audience
- Understand ATAG as one of the key components to ensuring Web accessibility
- Gain insight about how ATAG relates to other WAI guidelines [@@ and the current status of the Working Draft for ATAG 2.0]
- Learn how to choose the most accessible options for in-house CMS and other authoring tools
- Understand the concept of work-arounds for inaccessible tools
- Know where to get more information
Key points for speaker
- The inter-relationship of the three WAI guidelines in achieving accessibility
- The requirement for authoring tools to have an accessible interface as well as to generate accessible web content
- The selection and use of in-house authoring tools or CMS's and consideration of limitations or workarounds
- The design of accessible authoring tools, including Blogs and other tools for user-generated-content, that support the production of accessible content
Exercises/Activities
- Ask audience about the authoring tools or CMS's, etc they are using, and discuss accessibility issues which arise
- Ask the audience about the blogging or other user-generated content tools they are using and possible accessibility issues
- Ask participants to use adaptive strategies such as significant screen enlargement or keyboard-only navigation to publish some user generated content, during or after the session
- Ask participants to check their authoring tool or CMS for accessibility by users and accessibility of output after the session
Resources
- Essential Components of Web Accessibility - shows how Web accessibility depends on several components working together
- "Components of Web Accessibility" Presentation - presentation that can be drawn on about different people and technology components that have a role in providing Web accessibility
- Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines (ATAG) Overview - an overview of ATAG and the related documentation
- Selecting and Using Authoring Tools for Web Accessibility - provides information which may help find improved authoring tools and/or work around the gaps in existing authoring tools
- Checklist of Checkpoints for Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 - lists of all checkpoints from the Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines 1.0
- Checklist for Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 [Draft] - lists all of the guidelines and success criteria from ATAG 2.0
- Implementing ATAG 2.0 [Draft] - a guide to understanding and implementing Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines 2.0
- Better Web Browsing: Tips for Configuring Your Computer [Draft] - references to resources to help people customize their web browser and computer setup
Additional resources:
- How WAI Develops Accessibility Guidelines through the W3C Process: Milestones and Opportunities to Contribute - introduces how WAI works through a process designed to encourage community input and consensus development
10. Accessible Rich Internet Applications
Goal
An understanding of the requirements for accessible rich internet applications.
Audience
Web developers; @@ policy makers; @@ procurement personnel
Description
This topic introduces techniques for developing rich internet applications that will be accessibile to people with disabilities. It introduces the WAI-ARIA resources and highlights appropriate techniques for various features of an accessible rich internet application.
Learning objectives for audience
- Understand the various accessibility barriers of rich internet applications
- Understand the relationship of WAI-ARIA to WCAG 2.0
- Learn about the technical solutions provided by WAI-ARIA
- Know where to get more information
Key points for speaker
- Identify types of accessibility barriers in rich internet applications
- Basic steps to make rich internet applications accessible
- WAI-ARIA features that make help make Ajax, DHTML, etc accessible
- WAI-ARIA Roles, States, Properties, plus relationships and live regions
Demonstrations/Exercises/Activities
- Illustrate some WAI-ARIA uses like drag-and-drop, sliders, navigation, etc
Resources
- WAI-ARIA Overview - describes the problems that WAI-ARIA addresses, and introduces the WAI-ARIA suite of technical document
- WAI-ARIA FAQ - some frequently asked questions (FAQ) about WAI-ARIA
- WAI-ARIA Primer - introduces developers to the accessibility problems that WAI-ARIA is intended to solve, the fundamental concepts, and the technical approach of WAI-ARIA
- WAI-ARIA Authoring Practices 1.0 - a guide to understanding and implementing Accessible Rich Internet Applications
- WAI-ARIA techniques from How to Meet WCAG 2.0
Additional resources:
- Scripting techniques from How to Meet WCAG 2.0
- How WAI Develops Accessibility Guidelines through the W3C Process: Milestones and Opportunities to Contribute - introduces how WAI works through a process designed to encourage community input and consensus development
11. Business Case for Web Accessibility
Goal
Appreciation of the business case for web accessibility.
Audience
Web accessibility advocates, web site managers and other management staff who need data to inform decisions about the return on web accessibility investment
Description
This topic introduces social, technical, financial and legal factors that might influence an organization's decision about web accessibility. It also introduces the flow-on effects, including to the mobile web, and the components that might comprise an organization's web accessibility policy.
Learning objectives for audience
- Learn about the changing demographics of web users as the world population ages
- Relate web accessibility to improved cross-device browsing including television, mobile, etc
- Survey social factors, procurement practices and government policies relevant to accessibility and business
- Understand the legal landscape and liabilities associated with web accessibility
- Learn from case studies and successful corporate accessibility policies and practices
- Know where to get more information
Key points for speaker
- Disability statistics relevant to use of the Web, including population ageing
- Carry-over benefits of accessibility for other Web users
- Mainstreaming of accessibility with device independence - car, television, games consoles, mobile-phone, etc with speech output, touch screen, motion sensors, etc
- Social, technical, financial and legal factors in developing a business case as relevant to the audience's context
- Government, industry, or other policies that are relevant to the audience's context
- Case studies of accessibility improvements
- Features of an organization's policy for web accessibility
Demonstrations
- Web access via a mobile phone or hand-held device to popular/relevant websites (or use a mobile browser emulation)
Resources
- Developing a Web Accessibility Business Case for Your Organization - a suite of five web pages covering the social, technical, financial, and legal and policy factors in the business case for Web accessibility
- Online slide Web accessibility is a marketplace issue from Overview of WAI presentation
- Material from Changing demographics and Changing abilities from Web Accessibility for Older Users presentation [Draft]
- @@ Also see your national statistics agency (and possibly some national disability organizations)
- Online slide accessibility contributes to universal design from Overview of WAI
- Web Content Accessibility and Mobile Web: Making a Web Site Accessible Both for People with Disabilities and for Mobile Devices - introduces the similarities along with benefits of addressing both areas
- Case Studies of Accessibility Improvements from Resources for Developing a Web Accessibility Business Case for Your Organization
- Policies Relating to Web Accessibility - links to laws and policies regarding Web accessibility around the world (not definitive)
- Developing Organizational Policies on Web Accessibility - addresses considerations that can arise when developing organizational policies on Web accessibility
12. Improving the Accessibility of Existing Websites
Goal
Support organizations taking the initial steps towards implementing web accessibility.
Audience
Web developers; website owners; decision makers in corporate, government and educational institutions
Description
This topic will assist organizations to start the process of embracing web accessibility by improving their existing website and planning for ongoing accessibility. It will walk them through a process of understanding accessibility, identifying problems, prioritizing repairs, and planning for future accessibility.
Learning objectives for audience
- Identify existing accessibility barriers
- Understand the elements needed to create a plan with timeline and measurable objectives to improve website accessibility
- Learn to create an effective accessibility policy and ongoing maintenance plan relevant to individual circumstance
- Know where to get more information
Key points for speaker
- Identifying scope and nature of accessibility problems
- Creating an implementation plan to optimize accessibility improvements
- Prioritizing 'low-hanging-fruit' for immediate accessibility fixes
- Planning for ongoing accessibility and creating an accessibility policy and monitoring process
Demonstrations/Exercises/Activities
- Quick techniques for preliminary web accessibility review
Resources
- Improving the Accessibility of Your Web Site - approaches to make the process of improving accessibility more efficient and effective
- Preliminary Review of Web Sites for Accessibility - describes a method to quickly identify some accessibility problems on a website
- Conformance Evaluation of Web Sites for Accessibility - describes a conformance evaluation method that combines automatic, semi-automatic, and manual testing
- Implementation Plan for Web Accessibility - considerations for the planning process for implementing web accessibility
Additional resources:
- Developing a Web Accessibility Business Case for Your Organization - a suite of five web pages covering the social, technical, financial, and legal and policy factors in the business case for Web accessibility
- Involving Users in Web Projects for Better, Easier Accessibility - a start to reaping the benefits of involving people with disabilities and older people with accessibility needs due to aging, throughout your projects
13. Involving Users in Web Projects
Goal
Encourage all web projects to involve users from the start.
Audience
Project Managers; development teams; QA and usability departments
Description
This topic documents how to involve people with disabilities from the beginning of a web development project. It demonstrates that doing so will provide better understanding of accessibility issues and enable the implementation of more effective accessibility solutions. It also explains how including users with disabilities and older users in web development and evaluation can identify usability issues that are not discovered by conformance evaluation alone.
Learning objectives for audience
- Understand benefits of involving users with disabilities and older users in development and evaluation of web sites
- Gain skills in how to engage such users
- Understand the complementary nature of conformance to guidelines and user experience reporting
- Know where to get more information
Key points for speaker
- The importance and benefits of involving users in all aspects of web projects
- How and when to involve users throughout a project
- The benefits of involving users in web accessibility evaluation
- How to combine testing with users with formal conformance evaluation methods
- Care required when drawing conclusions
Demonstrations/Exercises/Activities
- Ask participants to share experiences of involving users in their projects
- Ask participants to identify opportunities to involve users in their own project and discuss
Resources
- Involving Users in Web Projects for Better, Easier Accessibility - a start to reaping the benefits of involving people with disabilities and older people with accessibility needs due to aging, throughout your projects
- Involving Users in Evaluating Web Accessibility - describes the benefits from evaluating with real people and identifying usability issues that are not discovered by conformance evaluation alone
- How People with Disabilities Use the Web - provides examples of people with different disabilities using Web sites, applications, browsers, and authoring tools
Handouts:
14. Web Accessibility and Older Users
Goal
Provide understanding of the importance of web accessibility for older people.
Audience
Web developers; procurement personnel; accessibility advocates
Description
This topic explores the changing demographics in most countries as the world population ages. It associates the need for web accessibility with the increasing prevalence of impairments of older age. It demonstrates the need for all WAI guidelines to be adopted to meet the needs of older users and presents the outcomes of the WAI-AGE Project to support industry and users.
Learning objectives for audience
- Understand that the world population is aging and that increasing numbers of older users are online
- Relate the age related impairments of older people to the need for web accessibility
- Understand the value of conforming to WAI Guidelines to meet the needs of older users
- Learn about the WAI-AGE project and how to become involved
- Know where to get more information
Key points for speaker
- Demographic forecasts show a rapidly increasing older population in most countries
- Older age is often accompanied by changing abilities
- Older people are online taking advantage of unprecedented opportunities, but facing barriers
- Web accessibility needs of older people are similar to the needs of people with disabilities
- Research slow to recognize the overlap
- Importance of all WAI Guidelines in a converging web world
- WAI-AGE project deliverables for industry and users
- Importance of standards harmonization in delivering accessibility
- Opportunities to become involved with WAI's work on ageing
Demonstrations/Exercises/Activities
- Show some video with older people using the Web
Resources
- Web Accessibility for Older Users presentation [Draft] - this presentation can be used as the basis for a presentation on this topic
- Overview of "Web Accessibility for Older Users: A Literature Review" - the Literature Review is to inform education and outreach to better promote accessibility solutions for older Web users
- WAI-AGE Project page - includes information about the activities of the WAI-AGE project
- WAI-AGE Project Deliverables page - contains an overview of the education and outreach material to be updated or developed within the WAI-AGE Project
- Videos of People with Disabilities using ICT- some demonstrations, some interviews (compiled by UIAccess)
Additional resources:
- Developing a Web Accessibility Business Case for Your Organization - a suite of five web pages covering the social, technical, financial, and legal and policy factors in the business case for Web accessibility
- Why Standards Harmonization is Essential to Web Accessibility - explains the key role that harmonization of standards plays in increasing the accessibility of the Web
15. Accessibility and the Mobile Web
Goal
Provide an understanding of the overlapping issues between web accessibility and mobile web use.
Audience
Web developers; procurement personnel; web policy makers
Description
This topic should encourage development of websites for accessibility and mobile use concurrently. It demonstrates the common barriers faced by both groups of users, the overlapping solutions available to developers, and the ease of meeting the needs of both groups simultaneously.
Learning objectives for audience
- Understand the similarities in the experience of web users with disabilities and users of mobile devices
- Understand the differences between those user groups
- Learn to meet the overlapping requirements during development
- If one set of requirements has been met, learn to incorporate the other
- Know where to get more information
Key points for speaker
- Experiences shared by people with disabilities and mobile web users - Perceivable; Operable; Understandable; Robust
- Similarity and overlap of solutions for web accessibility and mobile web
- Differences of approach between WCAG and Mobile Web Best Practices (MWBP)
- Ease of meeting the requirements of both audiences
- Incorporating mobile web best practices if you are already accessible
- Incorporating accessibility if you are already mobile friendly
- Meeting the needs of both during development
Demonstrations/Exercises/Activities
- Demonstrate relevant websites on a mobile device or using a mobile browser emulator
- Demonstrate overlapping accessibility issues such as keyboard access, tunnel vision (via emulation), screen magnifier, linearization via removal of style sheets, scripting not supported
Resources
- Web Content Accessibility and Mobile Web: Making a Web Site Accessible Both for People with Disabilities and for Mobile Devices - introduces the similarities along with benefits of addressing both areas
- Shared Web Experiences: Barriers Common to Mobile Device Users and People with Disabilities - provides examples of barriers that people with disabilities and people using mobile devices experience when interacting with Web content
- Relationship between Mobile Web Best Practices (MWBP) and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) - technical report describing the similarities and differences between the requirements in WCAG and MWBP
- From MWBP to WCAG 2.0 (and From MWBP to WCAG 1.0) - describes what also needs to be done to meet WCAG for those familiar with MWBP
- From WCAG 2.0 to MWBP (and From WCAG 1.0 to MWBP) - describes what also needs to be done to meet MWBP for those familiar with WCAG
Additional resources:
- Mobile Web Best Practices 1.0 - technical report specifying Best Practices for delivering web content to mobile devices
- Developing a Web Accessibility Business Case for Your Organization - a suite of five web pages covering the social, technical, financial, and legal and policy factors in the business case for Web accessibility
- How People with Disabilities Use the Web - provides examples of people with different disabilities using Web sites, applications, browsers, and authoring tools
16. Web Accessibility Policy and Legislation
Goal
Participants will gain an understanding of local web accessibility policy and legislation, the need for international harmonization, and the essential elements of an organizational policy.
Audience
Web policy makers; procurement personnel; accessibility advocates
Description
This topic will introduce the policy and/or legal situation that applies in many countries to an organization's online presence and the requirement either not to discriminate or to implement web accessibility. It will cover the need for standards harmonization internationally, and give participants a starting point for implementing their own organizational policy.
Learning objectives for audience
- Learn about web accessibility policy specific to local audience
- Understand the need for and the benefits of international policy and standards harmonization
- Learn the essential elements that an agency, business or organization needs in order to develop successful web accessibility policy
- Know where to get more information
Key points for speaker
- Legal and policy factors apply differently to specific organizations and situations
- Many countries are ratifying the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
- Determination of legal and policy factors applying to a specific organization
- National policies and legislation that might apply
- Industry policy or guidelines that might apply
- Company policy that might apply (e.g. HR or CSR)
- Why standards harmonization is important for web accessibility
- Developing a web accessibility policy for an organization
- Which guidelines
- What level of conformance
- Milestones for implementation
- Monitoring and follow-up processes
- Integration and updating
[Demonstrations/Exercises/Activities]
- @@
Resources
- Legal and Policy Factors in Developing a Web Accessibility Business Case for Your Organization - provides guidance on addressing legal and policy factors in a business case for Web accessibility
- UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities - ratified by many countries and specifically includes accessibility of the Internet and other information and communications technology (ICT)
- International Policies Relating to Web Accessibility - links to laws and policies regarding Web accessibility around the world (not definitive)
- Why Standards Harmonization is Essential to Web Accessibility - explains the key role that harmonization of standards plays in increasing the accessibility of the Web
- Developing Organizational Policies on Web Accessibility - addresses considerations that can arise when developing organizational policies on Web accessibility
Additional resources:
17. Quick Check for Web Accessibility
Goal
Introduce the concept of a quick website accessibility check, including benefits, techniques and limitations.
Audience
Web developers; website managers; project managers; procurement personnel; accessibility advocates
Description
This topic explores the difference between a quick preliminary website accessibility check and a thorough conformance evaluation review. It demonstrates some easy evaluation techniques and provide participants with the understanding and skills to undertake their own quick reviews and present the results.
Learning objectives for audience
- Learn what is meant by a quick website accessibility check
- Understand basic techniques for performing a quick review
- Learn the difference between a quick check and a full conformance review
- Know where to get more information
Key points for speaker
- Limitations of a quick web accessibility check
- Selecting representative pages to check
- Quick checks to make with a regular browser
- Checking web pages using specialized browsers
- Use of automated web accessibility evaluation tools (noting that while many tools are still oriented towards WCAG 1.0 evaluation they can still give a useful overview)
- Summarizing the results of the quick check
A longer presentation might also cover:
- Difference between an initial evaluation and a conformance evaluation
- Role of users in web accessibility evaluation
- Combined expertise required for full evaluation
Demonstrations/Exercises/Activities
- "Before and After Demonstration" site for illustrating browser-based evaluation techniques and automated tools
- Quick evaluation of participants' own sites and summary of results
Resources
- Preliminary Review of Web Sites for Accessibility - describes a method to quickly identify some accessibility problems on a website
- Selecting Web Accessibility Evaluation Tools - highlights different features of evaluation tools which can assist during evaluation reviews
- Web Accessibility Evaluation Tools - filterable list of Web accessibility evaluation tools
- Involving Users in Evaluating Web Accessibility - describes the benefits from evaluating with real people and identifying usability issues that are not discovered by conformance evaluation alone
- Using Combined Expertise to Evaluate Web Accessibility - describes the diverse kinds of expertise and perspectives required to evaluate the accessibility of web content
- Before and After Demonstration [Draft] - shows some typical pages as inaccessible and accessible with minimal difference to visual appearance
Additional resources:
- Better Web Browsing: Tips for Configuring Your Computer [Draft] - references to resources to help people customize their web browser and computer setup
- Conformance Evaluation of Web Sites for Accessibility - describes a conformance evaluation method that combines automatic, semi-automatic, and manual testing
- Evaluation Approaches for Specific Contexts - describes considerations for evaluation of large and complex websites
- Involving Users in Web Projects for Better, Easier Accessibility - a start to reaping the benefits of involving people with disabilities and older people with accessibility needs due to aging, throughout your projects
18. Conformance Evaluation for Web Accessibility
Goal
Participants will understand how to undertake a conformance review for website accessibility
Audience
Web developers; accessibility experts
Description
This topic will introduce the approach and techniques for a thorough website accessibility conformance evaluation review. It will illustrate relevant evaluation techniques and tools and provide participants with the understanding and skills to undertake their own conformance evaluations and present the results. They will also gain an understanding of the role of testing with users in a comprehensive evaluation.
Learning objectives for audience
- Understand the concept of a conformance evaluation for websites and how it differs from a quick review
- Be able to define scope, conformance level and sample size
- Learn about validators and automated tools and be able to choose among them
- Be able to report findings in a comprehensive and understandable way
- Understand when and how to involve users in evaluation process
- Know when and where to get more help and more information
Key points for speaker
- Difference between an initial evaluation and a conformance evaluation
- Determining the scope of the evaluation and desired conformance level
- Selecting a representative page sample to evaluate, including consideration for dynamic sites and other contexts
- Considerations in selecting appropriate evaluation tools
- Using validators and automated tools
- Undertaking manual evaluation of representative page sample
- Using a checklist; checking for failure techniques and sufficient techniques
- Examining with graphical browsers (and browser extensions)
- Examining with specialized browsers
- Reading and evaluating the page content
- Understanding some of the tools available to assist manual evaluation
- Summarizing and reporting the evaluation findings
- Benefits of involving users for a comprehensive evaluation
- Role of specialist help that may be appropriate
Demonstrations/Exercises/Activities
- "Before and After Demonstration" site to illustrate evaluation techniques and tools
- Try several different evaluation tools on same set of websites
- Evaluate some relevant pages, recommend improvements, and discuss
Resources
- Conformance Evaluation of Web Sites for Accessibility - describes a conformance evaluation method that combines automatic, semi-automatic, and manual testing
- Evaluation Approaches for Specific Contexts - describes considerations for evaluation of large and complex websites
- Selecting Web Accessibility Evaluation Tools - highlights different features of evaluation tools which can assist during evaluation reviews
- Web Accessibility Evaluation Tools - filterable list of Web accessibility evaluation tools
- @@ Checklist of Checkpoints for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0
- How to Meet WCAG 2.0 Customizable Quick Reference - lists all of the WCAG 2.0 requirements and techniques to meet the requirements
- Template for Accessibility Evaluation Reports (refers to WCAG 1.0, but applicable to WCAG 2.0)
See also the Before and After Demonstration Reports [Draft] - Involving Users in Evaluating Web Accessibility - describes the benefits from evaluating with real people and identifying usability issues that are not discovered by conformance evaluation alone
- Involving Users in Web Projects for Better, Easier Accessibility - a start to reaping the benefits of involving people with disabilities and older people with accessibility needs due to aging, throughout your projects
- Before and After Demonstration [Draft] - shows some typical pages as inaccessible and accessible with minimal difference to visual appearance
Additional resources:
- Involving Users in Web Projects for Better, Easier Accessibility - a start to reaping the benefits of involving people with disabilities and older people with accessibility needs due to aging, throughout your projects
- Preliminary Review of Web Sites for Accessibility - describes a method to quickly identify some accessibility problems on a website
- Using Combined Expertise to Evaluate Web Accessibility - describes the diverse kinds of expertise and perspectives required to evaluate the accessibility of web content
Handouts:
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