1. Techniques, Tools and Resources for Making WordPress Website WCAG 2
Techniques, Tools and Resources for Making WordPress Website WCAG 2.0 Compliant: Accessibility Does Not Have to Be Overwhelming
Dave Wynne
Web Developer | Office of Vice President for Research
WPCampus
Sarasota, FL
July 16, 2016

2. Definition of disability
American Disability Act defines disability:   The ADA defines a person with a disability as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity. This includes people who have a record of such an impairment, even if they do not currently have a disability. It also includes individuals who do not have a disability but are regarded as having a disability. The ADA also makes it unlawful to discriminate against a person based on that person’s association with a person with a disability.   I have chosen the United Nation’s definition:   …an interaction with various attitudinal and environmental barriers that hinders their (disabled person’s) full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.

3. Why is web accessibility important to higher education?
Section 508, Section 504 and the ADA all impact the delivery of web-based content for institutes of higher education. Section 508 – Rehabilitation Act Amendments act of 1998 “Electronic and Information Technology must be equally accessible to people with and without disabilities”. U.S. Department of Education Assistive Technology Act- Higher Ed. has to meet these guidelines Section 504 and the ADA are civil rights legislation. Section 508 Refresh, references WCAG 2.0, level A and AA United Nations: UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities recognizes access to information and communications technologies, including the web, as a basic human right.

4. What if a higher education institute do not comply to these laws?
Higher Education Civil Rights Complaints and Lawsuits:
The complaint can go directly to the Federal Government not institutions
Requires conformance with WCAG 2.0 A and AA
Remediation Plans are created for the whole institution
Higher Education Accessibility Lawsuits, Complaints, and Settlements

5. Section 508 Refresh references WCAG 2.0 for web accessibility
Very complex guidelines:
12 Guidelines
61 Success Criteria
Must meet Level A and Level AA
1200 pages of information
Good starting place for Beginners is WebAIM’s WCAG 2.0 Checklist
POUR:
Perceivable
Operable
Understandable
Robust
Don’t get overwhelmed yet….

6. Let us simplify….
7 tools/understandings of how to make web pages accessible. Embrace these accessibility guidelines as you would any set of design constraints. They are part of the challenge of creating amazing products. Lots of resources for further study will be provided at the end of this presentation.

7. 1. Alternative Tags (alt tags)
Media
Appropriate text alternative for a search button would be “search”, not “magnifying glass”.

8. 2. Color
Don’t use color as the only visual means of conveying information.
Color blindness: 1 in 12 for men 1 in 200 for women
Low vision: 1 in 30
Blind: 1 in 188
Rather than ask users to “Click the red button to continue,” instruct users to “Click the Submit button to continue.”
Error messages on web forms:
Submit

9. 2. Color continued
Contrast between text and background WebAIM color contrast checker

10. 3. Structure
<title> <h1> <h2> <h3> <h4> <h5> <h6> Ordered List <ol> or <ul> Examples of tags: <strong> vs <b>, <em> vs <i>

11. 4. Hyperlinks Do not do the following: Click here
URL:
[Link]
Do the following:
Readability
Length
The link text must have a 3:1 contrast ratio to not linked text
The link must present a “non-color designator” (typically use underline) or both mouse hover and keyboard focus a: hover vs. a:focus does not just lead to color change.

12. 5. Caption Video and Audio files
Link to YouTube video Credit: 3Play Media Don’t auto-play video or audio files. Allow the user to choose to play.

13. 6. WAI-ARIA landmarks
WAI-ARIA, the Accessible Rich Internet Applications Suite, defines a way to make web content and applications & widgets more accessible to people with disabilities. It especially helps with dynamic content and advanced user interface controls developed with Ajax, HTML, JavaScript, and related technologies. WAI-Aria Overview

14. 6. WAI-ARIA landmarks continued
Example: Headings with Regions
In the example below, header elements are associated with the content they head. Note that the region being referenced is the region that contains the header.

15. 7. Accessibility Checkers
WAVE Toolbar Web Accessibility Toolbar

16. Who Must Comply
Anyone who is involved in the development, maintenance, procurement or utilization of electronic and information technology must comply with the Section 508 Standards. This includes but is not limited to:
Website and Application Developers
IT Professionals
Academic Community (Faculty and their designates)
Procurement Personnel
Digital Media Designers
Instructional Designers and Technologists

17. Questions?
Dave Wynne
Web Developer | Office of Vice President of Research
University of Georgia
Link to presentation
Link to resources