Hello Jan and all,
Please see attached a documentation I downloaded on the subject of
"Guidelines For Web Page Accessibility"
The attached file is in plain text format so should be abled to be accessed from
any word processor.
Any difficulties in accessing the attached file "WEBGDLN.TXT" please contact me
direct at the details as shown below.
Kind Regards,
Ibby Karbhari
Managing Director
Moving-Mountains Technology Limited
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London W11 1EP.
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-----Original Message-----
From: [log in to unmask]
[mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of EIBISCH, Jan
Sent: 16 March 2000 09:33
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Websites
Hi everyone
This query stems from the circulation, throughout faculties/departments, of
of the QAA paper Students with Disabilities and in particular precept 4
ELECTRONIC INFORMATION INCLUDING WEBSITES.
I am being asked by a number of colleagues how they go about making a
website
accessible to 'students with disabilities'. I know this is a question with
many answers - but are there any general guidelines, or should the
individual
who is designing the website, contact individual organisations eg RNIB?
I should appreciate any information that I may pass on to colleagues.
Jan
Chelt & Glos
GOLD CUP DAY :-)
[log in to unmask]
Guidelines For Web Page Accessibility
Note: The following guidelines, brought to you by the National Federation of
the Blind, are suggested to ensure maximum accessibility and usability to web
pages for persons who are blind.
1. Avoid the use of multi-column presentations or tables.
Multi-column text or HTML tables on a web page render the page difficult or
impossible to read with most access technology for the blind. Unless otherwise
instructed to do so, this technology reads one entire line at a time, across
multiple columns instead of reading each column separately. Although some
screen access programs are beginning to be able to de-columnize some properly-
coded HTML pages, there are still many programs which cannot do so.
2. When encoding hypertext links on your web page, include enough words in
the link so that it can stand alone.
When a blind person browses a web page using speech or Braille access
technology, the Tab or Shift-Tab keys typically are used to move from link to
link. It is helpful when the link text can stand on its own. If a blind computer
user encounters a page where links read "click here," "this," or "click this," the
page will be difficult to comprehend. A word or phrase that describes the
purpose of the link is more helpful. Instead of saying "You can find out about
our exciting offer-simply click here," say something like "Check out our
EXCITING OFFER!"
3. Adjacent links should be separated.
Hypertext links are indicated visually with some form of highlighting. The
blind user needs to know which pieces of text are in hypertext links and
which are not. If two adjacent links are separated only by a carriage
return, some screen access programs will incorrectly treat these as a single
link and thereby provide the blind user with bad information. Try to place
something other than a carriage return between adjacent links. Blank
characters, images, or bullets are fine; just don't place them next to a
carriage return.
4. Include an alternative, short text description for all images on your web
page.
This will provide textual descriptions or identification-essential if a blind
person is to learn the meaning of a graphical object that cannot be seen with
a screen access system. It is not at all unusual for a blind person to configure
the web browser so that graphics are turned off; unless the alternative
description is provided, there will be no way for the graphical object to be
detected. You might use a tag like the following:
<img src="nfblogo.gif"
alt="Image of NFBlogo:security-equality-opportunity" width="182"
height="169">
5. For simple images, such as icons performing the function of bullets, use
simple Alt attributes.
Using a long text description, e.g., alt="Bulleted item," clutters the screen and
generates excessive verbiage when a speech-based screen reading system is
used. It is better to use bulleted lists (the <UL> code in HTML) or simple
elements to indicate bullets like the asterisk or small letter "o." These
are good alternative text choices in the <img src... > code, but remember to
always include one space after the character you choose (e.g., ALT="* " or
ALT= "o ").
6. Avoid using images as hypertext links.
If a blind person is using a text-only browser or if graphics are turned
off, the link will not be detected. If you must use an image as a hypertext
link, you should be sure to use a separate text file to give a description
and/or transcript of the image.
7. If image maps (ISMAP) are present on your web pages, provide an alternate
means for selecting the items contained within the maps, placing them
directly above or below the image map. Be sure to include instructions for
the user.
Image maps cannot be used with text-only browsers. The hypertext links
contained within them are typically selected with the mouse and are not
readily accessible through the keyboard. Nor can they be detected readily
with screen access technology for the blind.
8. Graphically based file formats should be used only as alternatives to
ASCII files. If documents must be provided in a specialized format, provide
the equivalent text file in HTML or plain text format.
Some web sites are introducing special data structures and viewers to
differentiate themselves or provide special functions not available with
typical web browsing software. The only way for these custom data and views
to be accessible is if the access is built directly into the viewer. As a
rule, standard access tools for the blind do not work with special viewers.
9. An optional e-mail address should be provided for a user to submit
required information as an alternative to using forms.
Generally speaking, forms are not a problem for blind people using browsers
such as Lynx for Unix and Internet Explorer. The use of forms will restrict
only a very small number of users. However, for some, filling out forms that
have been sent to them via e-mail is easier to do than filling out a form
through a web browser.
10. Provide an alternative text description for Java APPLETs.
Java APPLETs are still difficult for blind people to use-particularly, when
graphics has been turned off. For example, if you use a Java APPLET to display
an animated object, there is no way for the blind person to know that you
have done so. If the presence of the object is important to an understanding
of the information you want to convey, consider using a tag like the
following:
<APPLET CODE="tech.class" ALT="Animated Technology icon"
WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=200>
11. If your page is designed using HTML frames, consider including an
alternative layout within a NOFRAMES element.
Although the use of frame-capable browsers is growing among blind people,
many are still using text-based browsers which have no ability to process
HTML frames. Also, even if one has access to a browser which can handle
frames, navigating through frames with screen access technology is still
time-consuming. Your HTML code might look like this:
<FRAMESET COLS="*,130">
<FRAME SRC="frame01.html">
<FRAME SRC="frame02.html">
</FRAMESET>
<NOFRAMES>
Alternative Page . . .
</NOFRAMES>
Relevant Web Sites
http://www.trace.wisc.edu/docs/html_guidelines/htmlgide.htm
HTML authoring guidelines from the Trace Research Center of the University
of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin
http://www.w3.org/wai/references
References from the Web Access Initiative of the World Wide Web consortium
http://www.cast.org/bobby
(Web site with analysis tools to analyze web pages and report accessibility
problems)
4/14/98
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