| been widely reported that some website owners are | | | | and other formatting rules should be applied where |
| facing the threat of legal action because they do not | | | | necessary to make the content easy to read. |
| offer a website that is easily accessible for disabled | | | | 5 – Scripts and web applications or widgets |
| people. But, even ignoring the legal threat, it is good | | | | may not be displayed on all computers. Some |
| business practice to ensure that your pages are | | | | browsers have Java elements and other page |
| accessible for anybody that wishes to view them. | | | | elements disabled. Provide alternative content for |
| Another aspect of accessibility is that different page | | | | those users that disable these features otherwise the |
| visitors may use different browsers, operating | | | | page will become meaningless. |
| systems, screen formats, and have different Internet | | | | 6 – Manually check your pages. See how long |
| connections speeds – while many of us have | | | | they take to load and whether the important elements |
| turned to Broadband speeds, there is still a large | | | | load quickly enough. See how easy navigation is and |
| number of people using a modem connection. | | | | whether improvements could be made to facilitate |
| 1 – Provide textual alternatives to non-textual | | | | greater levels of accessibility. Check that tables and |
| items. It's been good practice to include Alt text for | | | | frames make sense and are well labeled. |
| images for some time, but the advance of Internet | | | | 7 – Validate the markup of your content using a |
| technologies means that images are only a small part | | | | validation tool or service. These check your markup |
| of the overall picture. Video, audio, and animations as | | | | language to find any errors or typos that may have |
| well as scripts, buttons, and even bullets should have | | | | been made. Errors may not be immediately obvious |
| an alternative. | | | | when you manually check a page but may become |
| 2 – Do you use colors that are easily read? | | | | more than obvious when a surfer goes about their |
| Some people have problems with specific colors or | | | | regular business on your website. |
| color combinations and offering your page in a variety | | | | 8 – Check your site using different browsers, |
| of schemes or skins is becoming more popular. Doing | | | | screen resolutions, and operating systems. Check as |
| so helps to overcome the problem and it generally | | | | many alternatives as possible, and ask others to do |
| allows visitors to personalize your website. | | | | the same for you. This will help to ensure that your |
| 3 – Do text links use anchor text that makes | | | | pages are easily accessible for any visitor regardless |
| sense when read through without the link in place? For | | | | of their setup and connection. |
| example, if you were to use “click” as | | | | Providing Accessibility For All |
| linking text then the paragraph or sentence that | | | | Accessibility is a big part of design and development. If |
| includes this link would not make sense. | | | | you develop and maintain your own website then it is |
| 4 – Page formatting should make your page | | | | down to you to ensure that it remains accessible for |
| easy to understand and, therefore, accessible. Good | | | | as many visitors as possible. By checking the tips |
| navigation is an absolute necessity and if you use | | | | above it should ensure that more people are able to |
| image buttons as part of your navigation then you | | | | access more of your content, therefore improving |
| need to provide a textual alternative. Headings, lists, | | | | your accessibility level. |