Web Standards [The Basics Part Four] - Accessibility

The objective of accessibility is to ensure that our interactive properties will be usable and available to the largest possible number of readers, visitors, and customers. Section 508 requires that many sites accommodate people with disabilities ranging from limited mobility to a vast range of visual impairments. By conforming to basic accessibility guidelines we not only open our sites to those users with disabilities but also further enhance our sites for those users accessing our sites away from their customary environment; environments such as kiosks, palm pilots and limited browsers in airports and other public places. By conforming to the web standards demanded earlier in this document, most general accessibility issues will be addressed (ex: image alt tags).

Basic accessibility guidelines to follow:
Color

• If color is used to denote information (such as click-ability), reinforce it with other methods (for instances, bolding or underlining links).
• Avoid referring to color in text. (ex: “Click the Yellow Box”).

CSS

• Ensure markup conveys meaning when CSS is turned off. The hierarchy of elements should remain constant.
• Don’t worry about aesthetics with style sheets turned off, unless it renders the site unusable.
• Navigation included, if an appropriate navigation sequence is not present, “tabindex” must be used to guide the user.

Text Size

• Avoid using pixel-based, non-resizable text.
• Use style switchers that allow the users to control text sizes

JavaScript

• Provide alternatives for non-mouse users
• Use “onkeypress=” command in conjunction with “onclick=”
• Use “noscript” to provide for those who can’t use JavaScript
• Avoid using Image Maps (especially server-side image maps)
• Add Skip Navigation Button (jump to content)

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