Enterprise Web Services
ADA Compliance on your website:
This page is to give you some quick links, easy steps, and ideas on how to make your webpages ADA accessable, DRS approved, and Section 508 compliant.
Why, you may ask, does this matter?
Well, for one thing, about 20% of the US population is categorized as disabled. That does not take into account those of us who are not "officially" diagnosed with low vision, legal blindness, neuro-muscular disease, cognitive disorders or difficulties with cognition and comprehension -- or the growing number of us that are getting older. As we age it may become more difficult for us to physically control our extremities, read or understand the written word, or comprehend commonly accepted implied or explicit instructions.
Those in themselves are good enough reasons for many folks, but the clincher? It's the law. Section 508 of the Disabilities Act is the US government's attempt to level the playing field for all of us. You can read more about Section 508 here.
What that means for YOU the web-developer or online course developer is rethinking how you present information on the web. It is not difficult to become ADA friendly -- it just requires a few simple rules, tags, and some common sense when designing your pages.
OK - the quick and dirty:
- Clean, crisp contrast between text and background.
what's wrong with black words on a white background? - Intuitive navigation and page controls
if you are supposed to CLICK IT to go there -- say so! Remember written words are easier to "see" by many browsers used by the disabled. Graphical controls need descriptive"alt" tags to explain their function. - PLAN your website before you build it.
a lynx browser or screen reader is used by many disabled folks and the TAB key is the most common way to get around. A page with a layout that is "tabable" ACROSS the page is much easier to navigate. - A sitemap is invaluable to someone who tires easily.
give me just ONE good link that's easy to find and I can go anywhere.
The harder stuff:
Remember to add these basics to each html page:
- The language tag (this goes in the html tag at the top of the page) - tells the screen reader the contents of the page are in eng/english or another language.
- Meta tags and key words that describe the content of the page and the website accurately.
- The summary tag on all tables which function as formatting and page control only.
- An ALT tag on each image which gives helpful, necessary information to the viewer -- not just a tag that says "image" if the image describes something the visitor needs to know or do like "enter the website here".
- A secondary form of navigation on each and every page within the site that is identical in layout and function. This is best supplied along the horizontal axis of a page -- again ease in tabbing.
And finally:
Test your pages and rework them until they pass the criteria for accessibility. You can read more about that here: http://www.ada.gov/pcatoolkit/chap5toolkit.htm. We have more information on web accessibility and website best practices here: http://www.mc.maricopa.edu/academics/ews/web/bestpractices.html
The last thing to do, have someone who does not know your site or content - and is disabled -- give your website a test drive. That's the final and real world make it or break it test. If it passes -- you are a prince(ss) amoung the masses -- if not -- get back to work and with a little tweaking -- you can have an awesome website that is attractive, and accessable by everyone.
That's it -- I'm off my soapbox.
Our offices are located at the Southern and Dobson Campus on the 2nd floor of the library, directly across from the elevators.
Please contact Enterprise Web Services for comments or corrections email phone: 480-461-7491 or 480-461-7283
