Accessibility

Technology that can be used just as effectively by people with
disabilities as it can
by those without.

People with disabilities are the

largest and fastest growing minority group in the world

debunk myth: accessible web pages are dull

30% of users don't load images, search engines use textual information

debunk myth: accessible web pages are too time consuming and expensive

-Accessibility is "built-in" to HTML
-Cost-effective to factor accessibility in the
design phase

what phase should accessibility be factored in?

during the design phase

debunk myth: accessible web authoring is too hard to learn

Accessible Web design requires limited
working knowledge of HTML

debunk myth: Web is graphical and cannot/
should not be adapted for auditory or
text-only users

-Style sheets can add visual flare
-Use alternate text with multimedia

debunk myth: Assistive technology (AT) can
solve the problem

AT can only interpret information that is
formatted to the same standards

accessibility testing process

phase 1: assessment
-discovery
-test and eval
phase 2: dev support
-remediation
-validation

Types of Disabilities

◦ Blindness and visual limitations
◦ Deafness and hearing limitations
◦ Speech limitations
◦ Mobility limitations
◦ Cognitive limitations
◦ Multiple limitations

in addition to the disabled, accessibility also aids

-An active aging population
-Users to whom English is a second language
-Users operating with low-bandwidth or
environmental limitations

Statistics point to

an increasing population of people with functional limitations as the population ages

Americans with Disabilities Act, Title II

Communications must be as effective for
those with disabilities as for those without

Rehabilitation Act, Section 504

Establishes requirement to make programs,
services and activities accessible

Rehabilitation Act, Section 508

Provides standards to use in evaluating the
accessibility of web pages and other electronic communication

Section 508 requires
that

electronic and information technology that is developed or purchased by the
Federal Government is accessible by people with disabilities

Section 508 was enacted to

-eliminate barriers
-new available opportunities
-encourage tech dev for this
-bring ADA to harmony

Section 508 does NOT require

◦ Agencies to provide AT to the general public.
◦ All workstations to be fitted with AT.
◦ Retrofitting of E&IT (e.g., Web pages)

by making tech accessible you make it

more usable for everyone, enhance every user's experience

benefits of these laws?

-productivity/ participation of disabled employees
-reduced employment barriers for disabled

Federal, State, and Local Governments who address accessibility discover that

they serve their stakeholders more efficiently, meet legal obligations, and save money

Accessibility =

Barrier free as possible

Usability =

Easy to use for all

Goals of Accessible Design

web-based info and service available to disabled and the widest audience

how visually impaired use the web

◦ Screen readers
◦ Screen magnifiers
◦ Text browser
◦ Braille display

how hearing impaired use the web

◦ Braille display
◦ Direct connection to hearing aid
◦ Turn up the volume

how mobility impaired use the web

◦ Speech control
◦ Keyboard guards & overlays
◦ Slow keys & on-screen keyboards
◦ Replacement mice & switches

how those with cognitive disabilities use the web

◦ Most neglected disability
◦ Require clear and simple content
◦ Alternate presentations of data

how do web sites use design techniques, scripts, images and graphics in ways that make the content inaccessible or difficult to use?

-graphics w/out alt text
-complex nav
-video/audio w/out text
-require specific browser
-not user centric

solution to non accessible web?

define standards for web accessibility
-create tools to support it
-author sites to comply

Adaptive technologies are designed to

interpret websites designed to the standards

Authoring tools are designed to

integrate the standards into web designs

Validation tools are designed to

help determine standards compliance

pros of using accessibility standards

author doesn't need to know what adaptive tech client uses or test pages using that tech

cons of using accessibility standards

standards are not specific enough, so they are subject to interpretation
-No tool can fully automatically test or create accessible web pages

standard: W3C's Web Accessibility Initiative

Published guidelines, implementation methods, and priority checkpoints under the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines

reasons to follow accessibility standards

-Compliance with regulatory and legal
requirements
-Produces better web design and
implementation
-Funding issues

how to follow accessibility standards

pick a standard, author sites compliant to them, check and maintain them

types of standards

section 508, W3C

508 Standards: every non-text element shall provide

a text equivalent

508 Standards: multimedia presentation shall

have an equivalent alternative that is synched with the presentation

508 standards: audio

at least provide transcript, if possible video descriptions

508 standards: design web pages with color so that

all information conveyed with color is
also available without color; use contrast in b/w

508 standards: to convey meaning don't

rely only on color(Ex. red text is important)

508 standards: Documents shall be organized so

they are readable without requiring an
associated style sheet

508 standards: for each active region of a
server-side image map

Redundant text links shall be provided

best never to use

-server-side image maps, there is no way to make them accessible
-frames

508 standards: instead of server-side image
maps

Client-side image maps shall be provided except where the regions cannot be
defined with an available geometric shape

508 standards: for data tables

Row and column headers shall be
identified

to further enhance table accessibility...

use the <CAPTION> tag and "summary"
attribute

508 standards: Markup shall be used to associate data cells and header cells for

data tables that have two or more logical levels of row or column headers

508 standards: <TD> and <TH> purpose

Data cells (<TD>) must be associated with appropriate column and row headers cells (<TH>) to give them meaning

508 standards: Frames shall be titled with text that

facilitates frame identification and
navigation

508 standards: Pages shall be designed to avoid

causing the screen to flicker with a frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz

508 standards: when
compliance cannot be accomplished in
any other way

A text-only page, with equivalent info or functionality, shall be
provided and updated as needed

Providing a text-only alternative

-only solution if no others
-requires the maintenance of two sets of content

508 standards: info provided by a scripting language

shall be identified with functional text that can be read by assistive technology

to identify that clicking
on an image will run a JavaScript

use "alt" attribute

508 standards: When a web page requires that an application be
present on the client system to interpret
page content

the page must provide a link to a plug-in or applet

508 standards: When electronic forms are designed to be completed on-line, the form shall

allow people using assistive technology to
access the information, field elements, and
functionality required for completion/
submission of the form, including all
directions and cues

Forms pose accessibility issues when

form element is separated from its
associated label

to tag labels

use the <LABEL> tag and associated "for"
attribute

how to use <label> tag and "for" attribute

-Identify exact words to use as label in <label> tag
-use the "for" attribute to uniquely identify the
form element associated with the label

Use the "id" attribute in the associated
form element

to associate it with the
label

508 standards: A method shall be provided that permits

users to skip repetitive navigation links

there must be a
mechanism for users to skip

repetitive navigational links

508 standards: When a timed response is required,
the user shall

be alerted and given
sufficient time to indicate more time is
required

Someone's disability can limit the speed with which

they can read, move around, or fill in a
web form

how to make timed form more accessible?

notify user it page is about to time out, provide prompt asking if additional time is needed

If IT proves functional and adaptable
according to users' skills and needs, then

individuals with disabilities become
more independent and more productive
members of society

usable and accessible
design also moves firmly into supporting the needs of

all people

Accessibility

Technology that can be used just as effectively by people with disabilities as it can by those without.

What phase should accessibility be factored in?

During the design phase

Assistive technology (AT)

Technology used to assist people with disabilities access/use a computer. Note: AT can only interpret information that is formatted to be accessible

In addition to people with disabilities, accessibility also aids

-An active aging population
-Users to whom English is a second language
-Users operating with low-bandwidth or environmental limitations

Americans with Disabilities Act, Title II

Communications must be as effective for
those with disabilities as for those without

Rehabilitation Act, Section 504

Establishes requirement to make programs,
services and activities accessible

Rehabilitation Act, Section 508

Provides standards to use in evaluating the
accessibility of web pages and other electronic communication

Section 508 requires that

Electronic and information technology that is developed or purchased by the Federal Government is accessible by people with disabilities

Section 508 was enacted to

-eliminate barriers
-new available opportunities
-encourage tech dev for this
-bring ADA to harmony

Section 508 does NOT require

◦ Agencies to provide AT to the general public.
◦ All workstations to be fitted with AT.
◦ Retrofitting of E&IT (e.g., Web pages)

Accessibility =

Barrier free as possible

Usability =

Easy to use for all

Goals of Accessible Design

Web-based info and service available to disabled and the widest audience

How blind people or people with low vision use the web

◦ Screen readers
◦ Screen magnifiers
◦ Text browser
◦ Braille display

How Deaf and people that are hard of hearing use the web

◦ Braille display
◦ Direct connection to hearing aid
◦ Turn up the volume

How people with limited mobility use the web

◦ Speech control
◦ Keyboard guards & overlays
◦ Slow keys & on-screen keyboards
◦ Replacement mice & switches

How people with cognitive disabilities use the web

◦ Most neglected disability
◦ Require clear and simple content
◦ Alternate presentations of data