RSI Sufferers Webpage Click Here 100 Times To Enter (permission obtained from Cartoonstock.com) ENG /FA Ashley Flitter Dana Livesay 1

Overview 2 Definitions Why is Accessibility Important? Disabled What works The Law Lawsuits Cool stuff to check your site and References

Accessible adj. Merriam Webster Online Merriam Webster Online Capable of being reachedCapable of being seen or used Capable of being understood or appreciated 3

What does it Mean? Web accessibility means that people with disabilities can use the Web. Specifically, it means that people with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, contribute to, and interact with the Web. Web accessibility also benefits others, including older people with changing abilities due to aging. 4

World Wide Consortium (W3C) and Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) DefinitionW3CWAI World Wide Consortium launched the WAI – all accessibility philosophy. Leaders in comprehensive resources and guidelines. Accessibility should be an integral part of the design philosophy of web developers. Able to be navigated and read by everyone regardless of being able-bodied, or the type of computer technology available. 5

Started Here… Section 504 of the U.S. Rehabilitation Act of Disability rights are a form of civil rights Covered by 14 th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990Act Extends requirements of Rehabilitation Act to all public and commercial facilities, not just those that received federal funding. 6

Americans with Disabilities Telecommunication Act of 1996 Department of Justice states that ADA covers government entities on the Internet, as well as providers whose services are deemed to be “ public accommodation.” Manufacturers must ensure products be designed and fabricated as "readily available“ to persons with disabilities. "readily available“ 1998 Amendment Federal websites must be accessible to employees and the public without causing an “undue burden” to the site owner. Accessibility standards developed by Architectural and Transportation Barriers Board for the Web and other areas of information technology. 7

Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Proposed Standards 1998 amendment to Section 508 of the U.S. Rehabilitation Act of 1973 published standards for Web Pages in December

No one I know is Disabled Half of all Americans 65 and older has a disability, with one-third of U. S. families affected because a member has a disability. That’s a population of 54 million people with: – Low, limited, or no Vision – Color blind – Deaf or hearing impaired – Physical, mobility issues – Neurological problems (Parkinson’s, MS, seizures) 9

Why even “able-bodied” People Can’t Access the Web: May not have or be able to use a keyboard or mouse, Have a small screen or slow Internet connection, Might have an older version of a browser, or worse – an operating system other than Windows or Mac, Perhaps they can’t read, speak, or understand the language in which an online document’s written. 10

Recent Lawsuits Sued 1996 TARGET: site not accessible to blind shoppers 1996 TARGET 1999-America Online: failed to alter its inaccessible software to allow compatibility with screen readers America Online Bank of America: difficulty with use of ATM’s Bank of America ByAction National Federation of the Blind. 1998, $600, NFB on behalf of blind student. Suit dropped when AOL 8.0 released; also put accessibility policy on site. BOA installed over 2500 talking ATM’s and made screens compatible with screen readers. 11

Leading Expert on Web Usability Jakob Nielson, Ph.D., is world renowned as the Usability King, respected author, User Advocate and principal of the Nielson Norman Group. Jakob Nielson, Authors a comprehensive newsletter on accessibility and usability. accessibility and usability. Dr. Nielsen invented several usability methods, including heuristic evaluation. Dr. Nielson holds 79 United States patents, mainly on ways of making the Internet easier to use.heuristic evaluation 12

Other Advocates and Lawsuits Microsoft Accessibility Training National Federation for the Blind Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) Section 508.gov What Does MNSU DO? Lawsuits - Social Policy Initiative Lawsuits 13

Cool Ways to Check your Site Screen Reader DASHER Color Contrast WAVE Cynthia Says 14

MAKING YOUR SITE ACCESSIBLE Tips for 15

Document Structure Developers should determine how they want their documents to be structured before they determine how they will be presented. Developers should not use structural elements to create presentation effects (i.e. html) 16

Using Text Equivalents Supplement images and other non-textual elements with text where possible. Test your textual supplements by reading your page out loud. If you can “read” your images and other multi-media elements, then you have used textual supplements appropriately. 17

Browser Compatibility Place in-line text descriptions of images immediately after the image. Create “D-links”, or links that contain longer text descriptions of images, on the same page or in a separate file for easy access. 18

Provide Alternative Pages Provide access to pages that use accessible characteristics if you cannot create accessible main pages. These pages should be updated as often as the inaccessible pages. Provide links at the top or bottom of each of the pages so that the user can move between them easily. 19

Alternative Pages Continued Design alternative pages for users that do not have access to a mouse or other pointer device. Create image map links and keyboard shortcuts. Makes links accessible through tabbing order. 20

Navigation and Comprehension Create a consistent page presentation through navigation structure. Use clear and simple language. Use accurate headings and link descriptions. Do not use automatic page refresh settings unless you can also provide a static page equivalent. 21

Testing Through User Scenarios Rather than doing full usability studies, you can test the accessibility of your site by : – Testing your pages with a text-only browser. – Use multiple graphic browsers. – Use new and old versions of the same browsers. – Use other tools that may be used by disabled users, such as a self-voicing browser, a screen reader, or an alternative keyboard. 22

Questions? 23