1. Web Accessibility Wendy Mullin University of South Carolina

2. What is Web Accessibility? An accessible Web site is one that people can fully use and interact with regardless of the range of their abilities or their browser technology. Can be used in a variety of ways that do not depend on a single sense or ability.

3. Why should we care? Use of the Web is spreading rapidly into all areas of society Today, many people rely on the Internet to communicate, to get information and news, to shop, and for entertainment.

4. Why should we care? The Internet is often more important those with disabilities because of circumstances related to their disabilities. Using a computer and the Internet, someone who is blind or paralyzed can order groceries, read the news, download a book, communicate with others.

5. Why should we care? 20.6 percent or 54 million persons in the United States have some level of disability (Census statistics from 1994) Average age of population in US and many other countries is increasing. Aging sometimes results in combinations of accessibility issues, such as hearing changes and changes in dexterity & memory.

6. Disabilities Visual Impairments Deafness and Hearing Impairments Deaf-Blindness Mobility Impairments Cognitive Impairments Seizure Disorders

7. Blindness No use of monitor or mouse Use of screen reader or refreshable Braille Display Label graphics (alt tags) Label any non-text element Alternatives for Javascripts, Java, Plug-ins Describe Video Properly mark-up Tables and Frames Keyboard support

8. Low Vision Range of Usable Vision Screen Enlarger/Magnifier Don’t override the users control over fonts & colors High Contrast Don’t rely on user being able to read “text” conveyed as an image

9. Color Blindness Different types of color-blindness & color deficiencies Colors with most potential for confusion: reds, greens, oranges, yellows Don’t override the users control over fonts & colors Do not rely on color alone to convey important information High Contrast

10. Deafness & Hearing Impairments Amount of multimedia on Web increasing Sound clips: have textual transcript Video clips with sound: synchronized captioning

11. Deaf-Blindness Degree of hearing impairment and usable vision varies Screen enlargers, refreshable Braille Displays, Screen Readers Don’t rely on just one sense or ability to convey information

12. Mobility Impairments Range of impairments Some can use keyboard and mouse with difficulty Some use mouth stick/head wand to use keyboard “puff-and-sip” switches Don’t rely on ability to use a mouse Need keyboard or single-switch support for menu commands

13. Cognitive Impairments Many types of impairments, with a wide range of abilities Learning Disabilities, Downs Syndrome, Stroke victims Consistent navigational structure Text is clear and simple Some benefit from graphics or icons that supplement text or links (not decorative)(use alt tags)

14. Seizure Disorders At certain rates, flickering or stoking designs can cause someone with a seizure disorder to have a seizure.

15. Aging Population Our population is aging. Age-related impairments may include Visual impairments from macular degeneration, glaucoma, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy. Hearing impairments Mobility impairments Cognitive impairments

16. Who Does Web Accessibility Benefit? While the primary focus of Web accessibility is for those with disabilities, when you create a page that is not dependent on any one single sense or ability, it creates better access for everyone.

17. Benefits for everyone For those using alternative methods of accessing the Internet: PDAs, mobile phones, Web-TV, Internet appliances, kiosks. Inability to utilize many advanced features of the Web (Multimedia, PDF’s, scripts) Mouse ?, Sound ?, Keyboard ? Low bandwidth Noisy environments, screen-glare Other distractions

18. Legal Issues American with Disabilities Act (ADA) The requirement for "effective communication" applies to the Internet, but how it applies is still under discussion. No Case Law: cases settled out of court in favor of the disabled

19. Legal Issues Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Applies to agencies receiving federal funds Addresses "effective communication" and mandates accessibility when it can be done with reasonable accommodation

20. Legal Issues Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Section 508 requires that when Federal agencies develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and information technology they must ensure that it is accessible to people with disabilities unless it would pose an undue burden.

21. Legal Issues Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 Applies to Federal agencies Does it apply to States?

22. What is SC doing? SC has started the process of making Information Technology accessible to the disabled. More and more online interaction with the government. Very likely IT accessibility will be a mandate from the Federal government.

23. What is SC doing? Access to Information Technology Partnership and Coordinating Committee Web Accessibility Workgroup Policy

24. Accessibility Myths Myth 1: Accessible Web pages are dull and boring Pages that are accessible to the disabled don’t have to be dull, boring, or plain. You can use many new technologies. However, you must make sure that the page transforms gracefully for those who do not have the latest technology and who are disabled.

25. Accessibility Myths Myth 2: Accessible pages must be written in HTML 2.0 You can use the newest HTML standards and still maintain accessibility. However, you must make sure that the page transforms gracefully for those who do not have the latest technology and who are disabled.

26. Accessibility Myths Myth 3: An accessible web page is nothing more than plain text. Last resort. Does not meet needs of other disabilities. Usually not updated

27. Standards W3C/WAI http://www.w3.org/tr/1999/wai-webcontent-19990505/ Section 508 http://www.access-board.gov/news/508-final.htm

28. Standards: Section 508 (a) A text equivalent for every non-text element shall be provided (e.g., via "alt", "longdesc", or in element content).

29. Standards: Section 508 (b) Equivalent alternatives for any multimedia presentation shall be synchronized with the presentation.

30. Standards: Section 508 (c) Web pages shall be designed so that all information conveyed with color is also available without color, for example from context or markup.

31. Standards: Section 508 (d) Documents shall be organized so they are readable without requiring an associated style sheet.

32. Standards: Section 508 (e) Redundant text links shall be provided for each active region of a server-side image map.

33. Standards: Section 508 (f) Client-side image maps shall be provided instead of server-side image maps except where the regions cannot be defined with an available geometric shape.

34. Standards: Section 508 (g) Row and column headers shall be identified for data tables.

35. Standards: Section 508 (h) 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.

36. Standards: Section 508 (i) Frames shall be titled with text that facilitates frame identification and navigation.

37. Standards: Section 508 (j) Pages shall be designed to avoid causing the screen to flicker with a frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz.

38. Standards: Section 508 (k) A text-only page, with equivalent information or functionality, shall be provided to make a web site comply with the provisions of this part, when compliance cannot be accomplished in any other way. The content of the text-only page shall be updated whenever the primary page changes.

39. Standards: Section 508 (l) When pages utilize scripting languages to display content, or to create interface elements, the information provided by the script shall be identified with functional text that can be read by assistive technology.

40. Standards: Section 508 (m) When a web page requires that an applet, plug- in or other application be present on the client system to interpret page content, the page must provide a link to a plug-in or applet that complies with §1194.21(a) through (l).

41. Standards: Section 508 (n) 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 and submission of the form, including all directions and cues.

42. Standards: Section 508 (o) A method shall be provided that permits users to skip repetitive navigation links.

43. Standards: Section 508 (p) When a timed response is required, the user shall be alerted and given sufficient time to indicate more time is required.

44. Suggestion: Links: Use text that makes sense when read out of context (avoid “click here”); be descriptive Frontload your links Clean, Valid Code: Better for those using assistive technologies, better for mobile technologies, and better for everyone.

45. How should USC respond? Developing and Implementing Policy Timeline

46. Resources SC's Web Accessibility Workgroup http://webaccess.scetv.org Section 508 Tutorial from the National Weather Service http://www.nws.noaa.gov/sec508/ W3C/WAI http://www.w3.org/WAI/

47. Resources WebAim http://www.webaim.org Bobby Accessibility Checker http://www.cast.org/bobby/ SC's listserv http://webaccess.scetv.org WebAim's listserv http://www.webaim.org/discussion/

48. Accessibility Benefits Everyone It’s the right thing to do for those with disabilities. Future of technology: Multiple ways of accessing the Internet If your code is valid and you have applied the accessibility standards to your Web site, then people will still be able to access your information.