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Accessibility of Web Pages

In 1998, Section 508 of the 1973 Workforce Investment Act was revised to require greater accessibility of all electronic and information technology development maintained, procured, or used by the federal government. This act also affects anyone who does business with the US government. Currently all US government web sites are undergoing review and revision. Changes to make them fully accessible are to be implemented by June 21, 2001. However the Bush Administration may review the issue and implement a 60-day delay. Also, a few states have issued accessibility mandates for state government web pages -- mandates at the state level could impact the web pages of public and state-affiliated libraries.

The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) roughly states that for publicly accessible areas, "reasonable accommodations" for disabled individuals must be made. Up until recently, "publicly accessible areas" were thought to be physical facilities; however legal arguments are being made that the Internet and web pages can also be considered "publicly accessible areas", albeit virtual ones.

Currently, there is no national or international "mandate" to make all web pages universally accessible. However, in 1997 the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) created the "Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)" to promote and achieve web functionality. The WAI has produced guidelines and checklists that are considered the definitive web accessibility resources at this time. Additionally, it seems clear that there are legal issues on the horizon, and it will behoove webmasters to review and revise their web sites in light of accessibility issues -- and not just because of possible non-ADA compliance. Technology continues to evolve; people now access web pages through different devices, such as PDA's, cell phones, WebTV, and even through voice-activated computers in automobiles. Many of the changes made to assist people with visual, aural, or physical disabilities will also benefit those accessing the Internet through these new devices.

In designing web pages or redisigning exisiting web pages to make them more accessible, do the following:

Familiarize yourself with the WAI guidelines and checklists.
Evaluate your web pages in light of these guidelines using tools like Bobby, or others listed below.
Prioritize the changes needed to be made.
Implement a plan to make the appropriate changes.

Common Accessiblity Issues

Images and image maps that don't use the "ALT" tag or a "longdesc" option; also "ALT" tags that are too brief or too lengthy.
Tables used to format information displayed on a page.
Color used in text and graphics, especially if there is poor contrast between the background and the text color or if red or green colors are used to display information.
Frames used without the "noframes" option and not properly titled.
Drop-down Java menus.
Java scripts used without a "no Java scripts" option.
Uninformative links when taken out of context, e.g., "Click Here".
PDF files and forms.
Audio and video files.
Fixed font sizes.
Use of blockquotes and lists to create an indented look, rather than their designed purpose of setting off quotes or lists.

Possible Solutions

Use the "ALT" attribute with all significant images.
With insignificant images (a bar or a bullet), use ALT="", using a null value between the "" so the image is ignored by a text reader.
Whether image links or text links, make sure the text used for the link is descriptive, e.g., "Link to Home Page" instead of just "Home Page" or "Click Here".
Use client-side image maps so the "ALT" attribute can be used.
Use the <br> tag after information in a table cell.
Use Cascading Style Sheets to achieve formatting, but also check the pages with the style sheets turned off. http://www.builder.com/Authoring/CSSToday/ss01d.html?tag=st.bl.f072099.more.CSSToday_1d
Convert PDF files to HTML files and provide links to both.
With HTML 4.0 and the latest versions of Internet Explorer and Netscape, the [Tab] key can be used to move between links. The order of tabbing can be controlled by using the "TABINDEX" attribute within links.
Another feature of HTML 4.0 is the the "ACCESSKEY" attribute. When used within links, it implements a keyboard shortcut using the [ALT] key and another specified key, such as [ALT] [G] as a shortcut to "Go to the Home Page" link. Be careful not to override any standard browser keyboard shortcuts.
Provide a text equivalent or summary for audio and video files.
Make a site map available.
Provide text-based alternative pages.

Take the first step -- analyze the web site for accessibility problems; read the WAI accessibility guidelines and checklists; then prioritize the changes needed to make the web site more accessible. There is a plethora of guidelines, checklists, and tools for webmasters or web groups to use in the analysis and revision of web site accessibility issues, some of which are listed below:

Legal Issues

"Federal IT Accessiblity Initiative".
United States Congress. "Addition to the Record: House Judiciary Committee Oversight Hearing on the 'The Applicability of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to Private Internet Sites.'"
United States Department of Justice. "ADA Home Page."
United States Department of Justice. "Section 508 Home Page."

Overviews and General Resources

HTML Writers' Guild. "AWARE (Accessible Web Authoring Resources and Education) Center."
DRM (Disabilities Resources Monthly) WebWatcher. "Web Page Design."
National Cancer Institute. "Usability.gov."
National Center for Accessible Media.
United States Access Board. "Board Issues Standards for Electronic Information Technology".
University of Washington. "DO-IT Program: Technology and Universal Design"
University of Wisconsin Trace Research & Development Center.
World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). "Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)."

Guidelines

Bartlett, Kynn. "Six Principles of Accessible Web Design: An Introduction to the WAI Page Author Guidelines".
City of San Jose World Wide Web Page Disability Access Design Standards
Cowen, Amy. "Building an Accessible Website". CNET Builder.com
IBM's Accessibility Guidelines.
Microsoft Accessible Web Design Guidelines.
Montgomery College. "Universal Design, The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)".
Nielsen, Jakob. "Disabled Accessibility: The Pragmatic Approach"
State of Connecticut Universal Website Accessibility Policy - Version 4.0, effective July 26, 2000.
Universal Web Design: Access Washington Style Guide.
University of Minnesota. "Computer Accommodations Program -- Guidelines for Accessible Web Page Design"
World Wide Access: Accessible Web Design.
World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). "WAI Quick Tips Reference Card".
World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). "Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0".
World Wide Web Consortium (W3c). "Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0, Working Draft January 2001".

Checklists

IBM Java Accessiblity Checklist - Version 3.0 January 15, 2001.
IBM Web Accessibility Checklist - Version 3.0 January 30, 2001.
Microsoft Checklist for Testing Your Web Pages for Accessibility.
WebAble Section 508 Accessibility Requirements for Web Sites.
World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). "Checklist of Checkpoints for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0".

Tools

Adobe PDF to HTML Converter -- Converts PDF files to HTML files.
Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) Bobby -- Free utility that identifies and repairs significant disability access barriers using the WAI 3 levels of priority.
JAWS -- One of the screen reader software programs used by the blind, available for 40 minute trials.
Lynx (Windows 95/NT) -- Free download of Lynx, a text- based browser.
LYNX Viewer Online -- This service allows web authors to see how web pages appear when viewed with Lynx.
Logitran RTF to HTML Converter -- Converts RTF files to HTML files.
Macromedia. Dreamweaver "Check Page For Accessibility Extension".
NEWMAN Color-Blind Design Evaluation.
OutSpoken -- One of the screen reader software programs used by the blink, available for a 30 day trial.
SSB Technologies. InSight -- Proprietary software that identifies Section 508 accessibility problems.
SSB Technologies. InFocus -- Proprietary software that fixes Section 508 accessibility problems.
Sun Systems. Java Accessibility API.
VisCheck Color Blindness Simulator.
World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). "Evaluation, Repair, and Transformation Tools for Web Content Accessibility" -- Links to additional tools that assist in identifying accessibility problems with web sites and making pages more accessible and that assist disabled Web users to access web pages.
World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). HTML Tidy -- Free utility that cleans up HTML coding errors and can help to identify where changes need to be made to make pages more accessible.

Vendors

Additional Resources:

Adobe.: "Adobe's Tips and Tools for Optimizing PDF files for Accessibility."
Accessible Web Authoring Resources and Education Center (AWARE).: "Common Myths About Web Accessibility".
Casey, Carol.: "Accessibility in the Virtual Library: Creating Equal Opportunity Web Sites". Information Technology and Libraries (March 1999): 22-25.
Dukart, James.: "Guidelines Make Web Sites More Accessible". Virtual Government (August 1999): VG6, VG13.
Heid, Jim.: "Create a Barrier-Free Web Site". Macworld (August 2000):109-111.
Heid, Jim.: "Designing for Other Impairments". Macworld.
Holzschlag, Molly E.: "Web Accessibility with HTML 4.0" Web Techniques (December 1999): 22-25.
Kaye, H. Stephen.: "Computer and Internet Use Among People with Disabilities". March 2000.
Mates, Barbara.: Adaptive Technology for the Internet: Making Electronic Resources Accessible to All. Chicago: American Library Association, 2000. Note, especially Chapter 2, "Click (W)Here(?)-- Basic Document Design" and Chapter 12, "Working in the Real World".
Microsoft.: "Microsoft's Accessibility Center".
New York Institute for Special Education.: "Blindness Resource Center: Access to the Internet and Web"
Olson, Walter.: "Access Excess". Reason (May 2000): 49-51.
Reilly, Rob.: "The Tech Coordinator's Corner: Is You Web Site ADA-Compliant?" Multimedia Schools (September 2000: 58-59.
Schmetzke, Axel.: Library Hi Tech. A future issue of Library Hi Tech will deal with "Accessibility of Web-Based InformationResources for People with Disabilities".
Waddell, Cynthia.: "Applying the ADA to the Internet: A Web Accessibility Standard".
Waddell, Cynthia.: "Electronic Curbcuts": The ADA in Cyberspace. Human Rights (Winter 2000): 22-24.
Waters, Chrystal.: Universal Web Design. Indianapolis, IN: New Riders Publishers, 1997.

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