Website accessibility

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) sets the standard for web site accessibility. Each of the items below links to the W3C standards.

Web pages should be:

• 1 Perceivable
  • 1.1 Provide text alternatives for any non-text content so that it can be changed into other forms people need, such as large print, braille, speech, symbols or simpler language.
  • 1.2 Provide alternatives for time-based media.
  • 1.3 Create content that can be presented in different ways (for example simpler layout) without losing information or structure.
  • 1.4 Make it easier for users to see and hear content including separating foreground from background.
• 2 Operable
  • 2.1 Make all functionality available from a keyboard.
  • 2.2 Provide users enough time to read and use content.
  • 2.3 Do not design content in a way that is known to cause seizures.
  • 2.4 Provide ways to help users navigate, find content, and determine where they are.
• 3 Understandable
  • 3.1 Make text content readable and understandable.
  • 3.2 Make Web pages appear and operate in predictable ways.
  • 3.3 Help users avoid and correct mistakes.
• 4 Robust
  • 4.1 Maximize compatibility with current and future user agents, including assistive technologies.

Automated checkers:

Although automated web page accessibility checkers can provide some false positives and be difficult to interpret, they can be one step in creating web accessibility.

• W3C provides a list of possible validators: http://www.w3.org/WAI/ER/tools/complete.html
• WebAim provides an online option: http://wave.webaim.org/

Additional reading and resources:

• The Case for Web Accessibility (web page, W3C)
• Examples of Web Accessibility (web page, W3C)
• Guide To Establishing Faculty Web Presence (PDF, 749KB, California State University, Northridge (CSUN))
• Guide For Web Accessibility Checking Tools (PDF, 623KB, California State University, Northridge (CSUN))
• Testing color contracts (web program, independent provider)
• Testing web pages for use by individuals with colorblindness (web program, independent provider)