Book Understandingaccessibility 211p

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A Guide to Achieving Complianceon Web Sites and Intranets

Robert B. Yonaitis

HiSoftware PublishingConcord, New Hampshire USA

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HiSoftware Publishing,Concord, New Hampshire 03301 USA

2002 2005 by HiSoftware, Inc.6 Chenell Drive, Suite 280Concord, NH 03301 USA

Voice: (603) 229-3055Fax: (603) 223-9741 Web: http://www.hisoftware.comEmail: [email protected]

All rights reserved. Published 2002Printed in the United States of America

Substantial discounts on bulk quantities of HiSoftwarePublishing books are available to corporations, professionalassociations, educational institutions, and otherorganizations. For details and discount information, contactHiSoftware sales at +1(603) 229-3055 or send e-mail [email protected].

ISBN1-930616-03-1

Copyright 2002 by Hiawatha Island Software Company, Inc (HiSoftware). All

rights reserved. TRADEMARKS: AccMonitor , AccRepair , AccVerify,

AccessibilityWATCH, HiSoftware, are trademarks of Hiawatha IslandSoftware Company, Inc. Microsoft , Microsoft FrontPage , Microsoft Office,

Windows , and Windows NT are either registered trademarks or trademarks

of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Any and

all other product and company names mentioned herein are the trademarks or

service marks of their respective owners.


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About the AuthorRobert B. Yonaitis is the founder and Chief ExecutiveOfficer (CEO) of HiSoftware in Concord, New Hampshire.HiSoftware is a leading global supplier of accessibilitymanagement and testing solutions, KnowledgeManagement software and Web site management solutionsfor government, corporate, educational, and consumermarkets. Robert has more than 14 years of experience insoftware engineering. Prior to founding HiSoftware, he ledengineering teams at many Fortune 500 companies andState and Local Government agencies. Robert hasspecialized in re-engineering teams to facilitate betterperformance, decreased time to market and increasedquality.

Contacting the Author

Robert B. Yonaitis

HiSoftware, Inc.6 Chenell Drive, Suite 280Concord, NH 03301 [email protected]

Previous titles from Robert B. YonaitisWYSIWYGThe Elements of Promotiont Understanding Internet Traffic

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mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


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ACKNOWLEDGMENTSWhen HiSoftware Publishing releases a book it is becausethere is a tremendous need to clarify something related to atechnology and the Internet. In writing these books, we useinput we have received from countless customers as wellas employees of HiSoftware. In this book, we have

attempted to identify a strategy that will assist readers indealing with emerging accessibility standards through theuse of evolving technologies. In doing so, we have alsotried to create a blue print for best practices in accessibleWeb site design. We would like to acknowledge and thankeveryone who seeks to clarify, simplify and bring significantsolutions to the accessibility problem.

Corporate Contributors

Amy M. Overka Content EditorDana L. Simberkoff Content EditorThomas J. Sweet Content Reviewer

Cover designThe cover art and design layout are an original work of:

Tandem Designs

http://www.tandemdesigns.com/Kenneth Piccini & Jeannie Piccini
http://www.tandemdesigns.com/http://www.tandemdesigns.com/


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Table of Contents1. GETTING ACQUAINTED WITH THE ACCESSIBILITYPROBLEM AND ITS CHALLENGES .................................1

P EOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AND ACCESS TO WEB-BASED

INFORMATION ....................................................................2

DISABILITIES ADDRESSED BY THE ACCESSIBILITY S TANDARDS 4 IMPROVING THE WEB FOR EVERYONE ..................................6 INDUSTRY AND THE FUTURE OF ACCESSIBLE TECHNOLOGY ....6 FEDERAL REGULATIONS FOR ACCESSIBLE WEB CONTENT ......7

Overview of Subpart B.................................................9 Requesting a copy of Section 508 ...............................9 W3C guidelines for accessible Web content .............10 When accessibili y laws take effect ...........................10

WHERE TO START ............................................................11

Know the accessibili y laws. ......................................11 Find trusted resources...............................................11 Stay informed. ...........................................................12 Consider automated software....................................12 Who can help ............................................................13

CREATING ACCESSIBLE WEB CONTENT .............................14 Differences between Section 508 and W3C ..............14 Why you should build accessible...............................14 Be an advocate .........................................................15

ONE SET OF

CONTENT

.....................................................17

Why full text is not manageable.................................18

2. THE CHECKPOINTS AND THEIR MEANING .............21

UNDERSTANDING P ARAGRAPH ( A) / W3C P1 (1.1) ............22 UNDERSTANDING P ARAGRAPH (B) / W3C P1 (1.4) ............24 UNDERSTANDING P ARAGRAPH (C) / W3C P1 (2.1) ............26 UNDERSTANDING P ARAGRAPH (D) / W3C P1 (6.1) ............28


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UNDERSTANDING P ARAGRAPH (E) & (F) / W3C P1 (1.2) &(9.1) ..............................................................................29 UNDERSTANDING P ARAGRAPH (G) & (H) / W3C P1 (5.1) &(5.2) ..............................................................................31 UNDERSTANDING P ARAGRAPH (I) / W3C P1 (12.1) ...........34 UNDERSTANDING P ARAGRAPH (J ) / W3C P1 (7.1).............35

UNDERSTANDING P ARAGRAPH (K) / W3C P1 (11.4) ..........36

UNDERSTANDING P ARAGRAPH (L) / W3C P1 (PARTIAL 6.3) 38 UNDERSTANDING P ARAGRAPH (M) ....................................40 UNDERSTANDING P ARAGRAPH (N) ....................................42 UNDERSTANDING P ARAGRAPH (O) ....................................43 UNDERSTANDING P ARAGRAPH (P ).....................................44

3. INTRODUCTION TO ACCESSIBILITY TESTING........ 45

COMMON ACCESSIBILITY ERRORS ....................................45 AN INTRODUCTION TO QUALITY ASSURANCE ......................47

Beta Testing ..............................................................50 INTRODUCTION TO ACCESSIBILITY TESTING .......................51

Page versus Site .......................................................51 Advanced Content Delivery .......................................52

USING TOOLS ..................................................................53 Verification tools ........................................................53 Remediation (Repair) tools........................................56 Monitoring tools .........................................................57 What automated tools cannot do ...............................57 Evaluating Accessibility Testing and Repair Tools ....57

EXISTING CONTENT M ANAGEMENT S YSTEMS .....................59 EXISTING TESTING ARCHITECTURE ...................................59

What is an API?.........................................................60

4. DEVELOPING A STRATEGY FOR ACCESSIBILITYCOMPLIANCE ................................................................61

LOOKING FORWARD .........................................................62 THE R IGHT LEADERSHIP ...................................................64 A PHASED APPROACH .....................................................65


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The Site Assessment.................................................66 Setting Goals.............................................................72 Setting Design Guidelines .........................................72

IMPLEMENTING ORGANIZATIONAL GUIDELINES ....................74 Training Developers ..................................................74 Retrofi current content and develop al new content

a ccording to guidelines..............................................75

ACCESSIBILITY TESTING ...................................................76 Uni Testing ...............................................................77 Conformance Testing ................................................77 Compatibility Testing .................................................77 Assistive Technology Testing ....................................78

ACCESSIBILITY MAINTENANCE ...........................................78 INTRODUCTION TO INTRANETS ..........................................79

I nternet Sites vs. Intranet Sites..................................79 Creating an accessible Intranet .................................80

I ntranet Priori ies .......................................................80 T AKE S MALL S TEPS FOR LARGE GAINS IN ACCESSIBILITY ....81

5. ACCESSIBILITY & DYNAMIC CONTENT ...................83

INTRODUCING DYNAMIC CONTENT ....................................83 COMMON FORMS OF DYNAMIC CONTENT ...........................84

HTML Temp ates .......................................................84 Server Side Includes .................................................85 Web pages generated from a database ....................86

WEB S ITE S TRUCTURE ....................................................87 Add Structure to your Web site..................................88

WHO SHOULD BE TESTING DYNAMIC CONTENT ...................88 WEB BASED APPLICATIONS ..............................................89 BROWSER EMULATION .....................................................90 C ASE S TUDY I - COMMON ISSUES WITH DYNAMIC CONTENT AS SEEN IN A MAJOR E-COMMERCE SITE .............................91

Entering Product Information.....................................92 Selling the Product ....................................................93


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Lets fix the problem ..................................................95 When should the e-commerce company start? .........96

C ASE S TUDY II SUBMITTING YOUR WEB SITE TO A POPULARSEARCH ENGINE ..............................................................97

6. THE UNSEEN MEANING..........................................101

METADATA FOR ACCESSIBILITY .......................................101 An introduction to metadata.....................................101 Metadata for Accessibility........................................102 The structure of the Meta tag...................................103 Choosing Meta tags.................................................103 Adding Meta tags to documents ..............................104

WRITING TEXT EQUIVALENTS .........................................105 Tips for wri ing text equivalents ...............................105 Branding and Accessibility Guidelines.....................106 Prevent Meaningless Link Text ...............................106

ACCESSIBILITY AND IMAGES ............................................108 Common but FLAWED practices.............................109 Common Error to Avoid Text as Image..................111 Good Practices........................................................112

7. TUTORIAL: CORRECTING ACCESSIBILITY ERRORS...................................................................................... 115

USING THE TUTORIAL .....................................................116 S ECTION 1 SECTION 508 ( A) W3C GUIDELINES 1.1.......117

1 . Simple Image Requiring Alternative Text ...........119

2 . Same image: also serves as a navigation link .....120 3 . An image requi ing a long description .................121 4 . Object MS Office Spreadsheet ............................122 5 . Applet ..................................................................123 6 . Input Elements (also 508 (n)) ..............................124 7 . Inline Frame (IFRAME)........................................125 9 . Images As Bullets Example.................................127

S ECTION 2 SECTION 508 (B) W3C GUIDELINES 1.1.......129 Audio Files...............................................................129


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S ECTION 3 SECTION 508 (C) W3C GUIDELINES 2.1......131 1 . Colored Text as the only way to determine ar equi ed step ...........................................................132 2 . Requi ed form fields ............................................134

S ECTION 4 SECTION 508 (E) W3C GUIDELINES 1.2......136 1 . Provide Redundant Text Links for server Side Image

Maps .......................................................................137

S ECTION 5 SECTION 508 (G&H) W3C GUIDELINES 5.1&5.2 ............................................................................138

1 . Row and Column Headers shall be identi ied forData Tables .............................................................140 2 . All data tables should have a caption ..................142 3 . All column & row header cells are required toc ontain the scope attribute ......................................144 4 . All DATA cells are required to contain the headera ttribute i they are HEADER cells...........................146

5 . All DATA cells are required to contain the AXISa ttribute ...................................................................148 6 . When row grouping elements are used, all rows arer equi ed to be grouped ............................................150

S ECTION 6 SECTION 508 (I) W3C GUIDELINES 1.1 &12.1....................................................................................152

1 . All Frame Elements are required to contain the titlea ttribute ...................................................................154 2 . All Frameset Elements are required to contain the

n oframes element....................................................155

S ECTION 7 SECTION 508 (J ) W3C GUIDELINES 7.1.......157 1 . Do not use the BLINK Element............................158 2 . Do not use the MARQUEE element.....................159

S ECTION 8 SECTION 508 (L)&(M) W3C GUIDELINES 6.3160 1 . If you use the SCRIPT element use the NOSCRIPTe lement ...................................................................162 2 . Do not use script in ANCHOR elements ..............163 3 . Do not use script in AREA elements....................164


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S ECTION 9 SECTION 508 (0)........................................165 1 . Skip Navigation Links ..........................................166

8. USE ACCESSIBLE SOLUTIONS ..............................169

S OFTWARE S TANDARDS .................................................169 S ECTION 508 ................................................................171

The Voluntary Product Accessibility Template ........171 Software Output ......................................................173 Supporting Features................................................174 Remarks and Explanations......................................174

INTRODUCTION TO EITACC D ESKTOP S OFTWARES TANDARDS ..................................................................175 INTRODUCTION TO MICROSOFT ACCESSIBILITY GUIDELINES....................................................................................176

9. ACCESSIBILITY RESOURCES FOR FURTHERREADING...................................................................... 177

S ECTION 508 ................................................................177 RELATED WEB RESOURCES ...........................................178 W3C / WAI ..................................................................179 S OFTWARE S OLUTIONS ..................................................179 ACCESSIBILITY S ERVICES ...............................................180

APPENDIX A................................................................. 181

S ECTION 508 STANDARDS AND W3C P RIORITY 1CHECKPOINTS ...............................................................181

APPENDIX B................................................................. 187

S UMMARY OF S ECTION 508 STANDARDS FOR SOFTWARE APPLICATIONS AND OPERATING SYSTEMS .........................187

GLOSSARY ..................................................................189

INDEX ........................................................................... 193

REGISTER YOUR BOOK.............................................. 195


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INTRODUCTIONUnderstanding Accessibility: A Guide to AchievingCompliance on Web Sites and Intranets is designed to be acomplete guide to creating Web sites that achievecompliance with U.S. federal standards for accessible Web

content, outlined in the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of1998, Section 508, Subpart B, 1194.22. Additionally, thisguide can assist you in ensuring that your Web-baseddocuments comply with World Wide Web, or W3C,accessibility standards. In this book you will find:

Comprehensive information on the accessibilityguidelines

Advice and guidance on how to achieve compliance Easy-to-follow instructions that will help you build

accessible Web content A comprehensive reference on HTML coding for

creating accessible sites Case Studies for Dynamics and Static Web sites Comparisons between W3C and US Federal

Standards Useful information to help you select accessibility

audit software. Information on managing accessibility testing

Guidance in acquiring software based on softwareaccessibility requirements.

This book is for Web Authors, Project Managers andbasically any individual or team that is faced with thechallenge of creating an accessible Web site or retrofitting aWeb site to make it accessible. If you are new toaccessibility we suggest you start at the beginning and readthe entire book. If you are tasked with repairing sites that


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are not accessible, this book will serve as a reference andguide. If you review sites for accessibility this book will helpyou to select tools and understand accessibilityrequirements.

WHATS IN THIS BOOK?

This book introduces the accessibility initiative andchallenges. It provides a complete reference onaccessibility remediation. Detail on each section follows:

Chapter One: Ge ing Acquainted with the Accessibilityproblem and i s challengesIn this section you will learn about the principalorganizations that develop accessibility standards and thegoverning US laws, and you will also learn the about thetypes of disabilities addressed by the requirements.

Chapter one also directs you to different resources, whichcan provide help to your organization and provides you withthe justification on why you should build your Web site in anaccessible format.

Chapter Two: The checkpoints and their meaningIn this section you will learn what each accessibilitycheckpoint is, what the goal of the checkpoint is andinformation about how to successfully comply with the

checkpoint.

Chapter Three: Int oduction o accessibility testingIn this section you will be introduced to the task ofaccessibility testing of Web pages and entire Web sites. Inaddition you will be introduced to testing, repair, andmonitoring tools. We will briefly discuss contentmanagement systems and existing testing architectures.


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Chapter Four Developing a st ategy fo Accessibili tycomplianceIn this section you will learn how to define trainingrequirements as part of an initial site accessibilityassessment.

Chapter Five: Accessibility & Dynamic Con tentIn this section you will introduced to the relationshipbetween dynamic content and the task of making itaccessible. This section will include two cases studies todemonstrate accessibility issues with dynamic content.

Chapter Six: The unseen meaningThis chapter covers three distinct methods to deliver amore usable site for those who have limited technology or a

disability that prevents them from viewing the visualcomponent of your web site.

Metadata for access bility

In this section you will learn how to use metadata asa means to increase your Web site accessibility.

Wri ng text equivalents

In this section you will learn the best and worst

practices for creating alternative text for non-textobjects on your Web page.

Accessibility and imag es

In this section you will learn how to properly assignalternative text to images and why. Additionally, wewill point out some common but flawed practices forassigning alternative text to images.


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Chapter Seven: Tutor a l: Co ect ing Accessib ility Er o sThis section is a comprehensive guide and tutorial. Thischapters comprehensive examples and complete set ofdemonstration files will be invaluable in helping youunderstand accessibility markup.

Chapter Eight: Use accessible solutionsIn this section you will learn about the accessibilityrequirements for software under the US Accessibility rules.You will also be introduced to the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template, (VPAT).

Chapter Nine: Accessibility resources and fu her readingThis section provides you with additional information andresources.

MORE ABOUT THIS BOOK AND ACCESSIBILITYThis book was originally published by HiSoftware tocomplement a suite of accessibility software solutionsincluding AccMonitor, AccRepair, and AccVerify. TheseHiSoftware solutions feature verification and repairtechnology that helps users identify and correct Webelements for compliance with accessibility standards.Whether your organization is required to comply with thefederal standards for accessibility and technology or not,

achieving accessibility benefits everyone.

As you embark on a mission to achieve accessibility, besure to reference the legal document in which the 508Standards have been published, Electronic InformationTechnology Accessibility Standards; Final Rule . Thisdocument should be read and interpretedfor it is the basisfor ongoing review of accessibility standards. Also, considerimplementing the recommendations of the W3C . Although


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the law may not mandate compliance with theserecommendations, implementation of these standards willincrease the global reach of your Web content as well asincrease the usability of that content for everyone.


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1. Getting acquainted with

the Accessibility problem and

its challenges

In this chapter

Introduction to what is meant by accessibility andaccess to information on the Internet for people withdisabilities

US Federal Regulations for accessibility How to begin the task of creating accessible Internet

based content Being an advocate for accessible content

Since the Internet was founded, it has become an easy wayto publish and locate information. According to the American Heritage Dictionary, something is accessible

when it can be easily obtained.1

When information on theWeb is accessible, everyone can find and use it.

Accessibility today has two meanings for Web content:

1 Pickett, Joseph P., et al. (Ed.). (2000). The American Heritage Dictionary of

the English Language. (4th ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. [Internet].

Bartleby. Available: http://www.bartleby.com/61/. (Accessed 2001, May 16).

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Information is accessible when it meets U.S. federalregulations for Web content. As of June 25, 2001, federallymaintained Web sites and networks are required to complywith these accessibility standards.

Information is also accessible when it achieves the highest

level of usability. In addition to federal regulations, there aremany more suggestions that help everyone to find and useWeb-based information. For additional information, contactthe W3C or visit http://www.w3.org/WAI.

In this book, the accessibility problem is introduced andcomprehensive information is provided to assist yourorganization in producing and maintaining accessiblecontent.

People with disabilities and access to Web-basedinformation According to the US Census Bureau, December 1997 U.S.Census brief, one in five Americans have some kind oflegal disability . (Source: December 1997 US Census Brief,Disabilities Affect One-Fifth of all Americans, available athttp://www.census.gov/prod/3/97/pubs/cenbr975.pdf .) Thepeople impacted by these disabilities may require assistivetechnologies to access Web-based information. Mostpeople use a browser like Microsoft Internet Explorer orNetscape Navigator to view Web-based information. Butsince popular browsers do not accommodate the needs ofall people, some people use assistive technologies inconjunction with their Web browser. Assistive technologies,working in conjunction with the browsers, allow disabledusers to access the Web-based information.
http://www.census.gov/prod/3/97/pubs/cenbr975.pdfhttp://www.census.gov/prod/3/97/pubs/cenbr975.pdf


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For example, if you are blind, you might use an automatedscreen reader. The screen reader, a software program, notonly reads aloud the body text on a page, but alsodescribes Web elements such as images. However, inorder for a screen reader to describe images and otherWeb elements to the user, the HTML or other markup

language used to code the page must make thisinformation available to the screen reader.

When a screen reader encounters an image in a Webdocument it cannot describe the image to the user, unlessthe author of the Web document has provided alternativetext. The alternative text, sometimes created in HTML byusing the alt attribute, provides a description of the imageto the screen reader. If an image in a Web document is ared and white circle and the alternative text description is

bulls eye, the screen reader can tell the user that there isa bulls eye in the Web document. When no alternative textis present for non-text information, the screen readercannot provide helpful information to the user.

Some Web authors use animations and sounds to conveyinformation. These Web elements and techniques posesimilar access problems for disabled users. Someone witha visual impairment or hearing difficulty cannot get helpful

information from an audio-based presentation without a textdescription. A text description for an animation can help auser with a visual impairment, in the same way that a textdescription for sound can help a user with hearing difficulty.Text descriptions for sound are similar to captioning fortelevision.

In addition to accessibility standards for images andmultimedia elements, there are standards that allow users


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to view and easily use pages even when their browsers andassistive technologies do not support display features.

Prior to accessibility laws, many Web sites were notcompatible with assistive technologies. This shortfall left alarge population of users unable to access information on

the Web. Accessibility laws ensure that everyone can findand use the same information.

Disabilities addressed by the AccessibilityStandardsIf you were to ask someone in your organization what anaccessible Web site is they would probably reply that anaccessible Web site is one that is usable by a blind person.In fact, an accessible Web site does aid in making the

information on the site accessible to a blind person whilealso enabling people with a variety of other disabilities to doso.

Some common disabilities:

Blind Users Color Blind Users Users with weak vision that cannot read small text Deaf users Hard of hearing users Users that cannot use a mouse Users with disabilities like arthritis or other motor-

control issues Photosensitive epilepsy Not as common but it is

addressed by the standard.


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If you look at the list of possible disabilities addressed bythe accessibility standards you can gain a greaterawareness as to the scope of the standards and theirimportance. The following is a list of disabilities, thecommon issues they present and/or solutions that canaddress access issues:

BLINDSoftware that reads content out loud or solutions thattranslate the content to brail

COLOR BLINDSite must be developed to not rely on color

LOW VISIONUsers with low or weak vision will use browser

software or magnifying software to adjust fordisability

DEAF OR HARD OF HEARINGRely on captioning or text transcripts of audiocontent

MOTOR-CHALLENGED, UNABLE TO USE KEYBOARDAND/OR MOUSE

People who do not use a mouse rely on keyboardshortcuts or pointing devices held in the mouth Additionally speech interfaces provide a potentialsolution

PHOTOSENSITIVE EPILEPSYPeople with this disability could have a seizuretriggered if the computer screen has movement,


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flickering or animation, which is not in compliancewith the rule.

Improving the Web for everyone

Since the beginning of the Information Age, technologyhas been developing rapidly. Television shows fromdecades past, like Star Trek , portrayed people walkingaround with hand-held communicators, and speaking totheir computers to use them. Today this is a reality cellularphones and beepers allow us to remain in constantcommunication, and handheld computing is commonplace.People are using small devices to download e-mail, getstock quotes, find driving directions, and communicate withfriends and relatives. Scenarios like this are becoming

more common, and technology providers no longerpresume that most people use a desktop computer with akeyboard and a pointing device to surf the Web. Accessibility laws are making Web-based information user-friendly for all users.

Compliance with these standards, not only assists users ofassistive technologies, but also can improve access to theWeb for these hand-held, wireless devices. These laws arebased on best practices for Web authoring and informationtechnology. While many of the laws directly benefit userswith disabilities, who might rely on assistive technologies toview information, the laws also benefit everyone else.

Industry and the future of accessible technologyThe future of Web accessibility is optimistic. Since federalaccessibility laws have been adopted, technology


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corporations have publicly declared their commitment tothese standards, even though they are not required to doso by law. Moreover, technology executives arecollaborating on their visionary ideas for accessibility thatextend far beyond legal requirements. Industry leadershave realized that the true power of the Internet lies in its

ability to deliver information to all people.

No one knows for certain how accessibility will be madepossible in the future. Perhaps it will take the form of adynamic browser, so that users will no longer needassistive technologies. Or maybe Web authoring softwareof the future will compensate for the current shortfalls ofWeb-based information. But until mainstream technologyallows all users to access the same information, Webauthors must make provisions in the source code of their

Web documents so that Web information can be processedby assistive technologies. This book can help you do this.

Federal regulations for accessible Web contentFederal regulations governing accessible Web contentresulted from The Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998 ,which included The Workforce Investment Act of 1998 andstemmed from The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 .

Section 508 contains regulations for informationtechnology. These regulations have been issued inpublication S-40, Electronic Information Technology Accessibility Standards; Final Rule . This document statesthat when Federal agencies develop, procure, maintain, oruse electronic and information technology, they shallensure that the electronic and information technologyallows Federal employees with disabilities to have access


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to, and use of information and data, by Federal employeeswho are not individuals with disabilities, unless an undueburden 2 would be imposed on the agency. 3

Section 508 addresses accessibility for electronic andinformation technology. Under Section 508, there are

several subparts:

Subpart A contains general information about thepurpose, application, and implementation of 508standards.

Subpart B contains technical standards, includingWeb-based intranet and Internet information andapplications. Other components of Subpart B includestandards for software products, operating systems,

telecommunications products, video and multimediaproducts, self-contained products, and desktop andportable computers.

Subpart C contains functional performance criteria.

2 According to the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board,

This is consistent with language used in the Americans with Disabilities Act

(ADA) and other civil rights legislation, where the term undue burden has been

defined as significant difficulty or expense. However, the agency must explain

why meeting the standards would pose an undue burden for a given

procurement action, and must still provide people with disabilities access to the

information or data that is affected.3 Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board. (2000).

Electronic Information Technology Accessibility Standards; Final Rule . Federal

Register.


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Subpart D contains standards for information,documentation, and support.

Overview of Subpart B

Subpart B contains 1194.22, the section that addresses

standards for Web-based intranet and Internet informationand applications.

Subpart B - Technical Standards in its entirety contains thefollowing subsections:

1194.21 Software Applications and OperatingSystems 4

1194.22 Web-based Intranet and InternetInformation and Applications

1194.23 Telecommunications Products1194.24 Video and Multimedia Products1194.25 Self Contained, Closed Products1194.26 Desktop and Portable Computers

Requesting a copy of Section 508

To get a copy of publication S-40 Electronic InformationTechnology Accessibility Standards; Final Rule , contact the Access Boards automated publications order line. Dial(202) 272-5435, press 2 on the telephone keypad, and thenpress 1. Request publication S-40, Electronic InformationTechnology Accessibility Standards; Final Rule .

4 See Appendix B for a summary of the 508 standards pertaining to software

applications and operating systems.


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If you use a TTY, call (202) 272-5449. Record the name,address, and telephone number of the person requestingpublication S-40, Electronic Information Technology Accessibility Standards; Final Rule .

Copies are available in alternative formats including

cassette tape, Braille, large print, or computer disk.

The publication is also available on the Internet at:http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/508standards.htm

W3C guidelines for accessible W eb content

The W3C s Web accessibility initiative group (WAI)pursues accessibility of the Web through five primary areasof work:

Technology Guidelines Tools Education and outreach Research and development.

For more information on the W3C visit their Web site at:http://www.w3.org/WAI/

From here you can find accessibility news and allassociated Web accessibility information, standards, andefforts available from the W3Cs Accessibility group.

When accessibility laws take effect

Section 508 requires that federally maintained Web sitesand intranets be in compliance with the standards afterJune 25, 2001. If you are uncertain as to whether or not
http://www.w3.org/WAI/http://www.w3.org/WAI/


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your organization is required by law to comply withaccessibility standards, contact the Access Board or visithttp://www.access-board.gov.

Where to start

Know the accessibility laws.Obtain a copy of publication S-40, Electronicn o mation Technology Accessibility Standards;

Final Rule , and become familiar with it. This guidealso helps to explain laws pertaining to Web contenton the Internet and intranets.

Another document from the Access Board providesspecific techniques on how you can comply with

accessibility standards. Visit http://www.access-board.gov/ sec508/guide/1194.22.htm for moreinformation.

Find trusted resources.

There are many resources available to help youdevelop accessible Web content. The Access Board,the organization administering federal accessibilitylaws, offers technical support and additionalinformation on accessibility.

Also consider W3C , Trace Research &Development Center, National Center for AccessibleMedia, and National Arts and Disability Center.Contact these agencies directly, or visit their Websites for more information.


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Stay informed.

It is important to stay informed for several reasons: As technology develops, accessibility

standards are certain to change. New techniques for creating accessible Web

content are being published frequently.

As developers enhance the capabilities ofbrowsers and markup language for Webdocuments, achieving accessibility willbecome easier.

Consider automated software.

There are many software solutions on the market tohelp you verify and achieve compliance withaccessibility laws. HiSoftware has a range ofsolutions to suit your specific needs. HiSoftwaresolutions comply with accessibility laws for softwareapplications 5. Visit http://www.hisoftware.com, or call+1-(603) 229-3055 for more information.

5 See Appendix B for a summary of the 508 standards pertaining to software

applications and operating systems.


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Who can help

The Access Board provides technical assistance with theimplementation of Section 508 standards.

The Access Board provides online documentation to help

you get started. Visit http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/guide/1194.22.htm for more information.Or contact the Access Board for support.

The Access BoardOffice of Technical and Information Services1331 F Street, NW, Suite 1000Washington, DC 20004-1111Voice: (800) 872-2253 or (800) 993-2822 (TTY),

weekdays 10-5:30 EST (Wed. 10AM2PM)Fax: (202) 272-5447Web: http://www.access-board.govE-mail: [email protected]
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


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r r

I f r

Creating Accessible Web Content Accessibility laws have been issued in publication S-40,Elect onic Info mation Technology Accessibility Standards; Final Rule .

The standards that appear in this book have beeninterpreted from their original form. To read the standards inoriginal form, request a copy of publication S-40, Electronicn o mation Technology Accessibility Standards; Final Rule.

Section 508, Subpart B, 1194.22 explains the accessibilitystandards for Web-based intranet and Internet informationand applications.

Differences between Section 508 and W 3C

The Section 508 Standards, which were introduced as arule for federal Web site development, are an extensionand/or modification of the W3C standards. In the appendixof this book there is a mapping of W3C standards to 508Standards. The overall differences between these twostandards are minimal.

In the near term, it is safe to say that if your intentions areto develop a site with the goal of its being accessible thenyou can follow W3C Priority One standards or Section 508Standards. Supporting both standards is also simple onceyou have made the decision to create an accessible Website.

Why you should build accessibleDevelopers often ask, Why should our site beaccessible? Aside from any legal or statutory


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requirements, the answer to this question is simple -offering equal access to disabled users is compelling, andfor many reasons:

Build your Web site audience. Take a position of leadership in your particular

business sector. Grow a loyal customer base. If you are doing business with the government, it is

the law. It is apparent for non-government Web sites that it

will become the law. The cost of retrofitting is much higher then building

an accessible site from scratch. It simply makes good business sense to increase the

number of your potential customers. It is the right thing to do at a minimal cost.

It is hard to imagine why one would not want to build anaccessible Web site. The information and ideas expressedin this book will illustrate that it is not difficult to achieve andmaintain an accessible Web site. The remainder of thischapter deals with how to make your content accessible.Full examples are provided as part of the descriptions.

Be an advocate

There are many good reasons for supporting the creation ofaccessible Web content. It is important to recognize thatthese changes will not happen over night. Simply put, anadvocate is someone that pleads on anothers behalf. Themost successful advocates in history have been those whohave sought to bring people to their position while


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constructively demonstrating the deficits of currentcircumstances.

Advocates within organizations should start out by trying toeducate as many people as possible about the accessibilityissue. We have discussed many compelling reasons why

an organization should develop Web sites to be accessible.It should be very easy to communicate them to people inyour organization. Once it is clear that developingaccessible is achievable, affordable, and can provide acompetitive edge, it will become common rather than theexception.

The following types of activities are recommended foraccessibility advocates:

Educate your team members Educate individuals outside of your team Whenever you create documentation or any type of

information that will be viewed by others, make itaccessible, even if it is not a requirement or policy

Participate in local or national organizations relatedto the accessibility issue

The following types of activities should be AVOIDED:

Do not tell people that they will lose site visitors iftheir site is not accessible, instead explain about theincreased user base they would have if their site wasaccessible.

Do not attack a managers character if they turn youdown for resources to perform an accessibilityproject, instead educate them by justifying the


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project in a way that disproves their reasoning forinitially rejecting your project.

Remember, if people fully understand the accessibilityissue and the positive impact they can make on the issueby building accessible, then they are likely to do so.

One set of ContentIt is very important to educate your Web team on Webcontent accessibility. One frequent misconception aboutaccessibility compliance, relates to the use of a second setof content that is developed as a text-only version of a site.Some developers have been told that a second set ofcontent, provided as a text-only site, will be an acceptablereplacement to making a site accessible.

This simply may not be true and defeats the spirit and theyears of work and research behind making electronicinformation accessible to all in equal form and content. Thefull text page cannot portray the true meaning of contentunless the content is, by default, full text for the followingreasons:

If an image had no meaning it would not have beenused in the first place.

If a navigation element had no meaning it would nothave been used in the first place.

Ask yourself a simple question:

If I create a full text page that actually contains the samecontent as the main page, does it satisfy accessibility


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requirements for all of the people with potential disabilitiesthat may be viewing the site?

Blind Color Blind Weak vision

Deaf or hard of hearing Inability to use mouse Motor-Control Challenges

Answer: Even if you were able to address all of theseissues in your text-only version of the Web site, from amanagement perspective, you will now be faced withsynchronizing, updating, and maintaining two versions ofthe same site. When dealing with the accessibility problem

it is more cost effective to make one set of content that isaccessible by all!

Wh y full text is not man ageable

From another perspective full text can be a managementnightmare. The goal is to deliver content with exactmeaning to all users all of the time. Full text pages arecreated in several ways:

AUTOMATEDThis is probably the best method however there is a highprobability that some data will not translate which meansthat the content will not be the same. The automatedtranslation of a Web site into a text-only Web site, will meetthe same limitations that assistive technologies face - it canonly work with information that already has the textequivalents behind non-text elements.


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MANUALThis method can be time consuming not only duringcreation, but also from an upkeep perspective. In order tomake a simple change in a page means you must nowremember to update the text page. There is a high

probability that the pages will be out of sync after severalupdates.

CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEMSContent Management systems will encounter the samechallenges described with the automated translationexample above. Because a simple translation is not likely,the best way to handle this is to create accessibletemplates and code from the beginning versus attemptingto come up with full text alternative content with equivalent

meaning.

Now if full text is the only way you can go then you arepermitted to do this - just remember the challenges:

High cost to implement effective system. Content Synchronization. Difficult to translate meaning of graphics via

automation.


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2. The Checkpoints and their

meaning

In this chapter

Introduction to Section 508 and W3C guidelines Detail on disabilities addressed by each checkpoint Summary of how to validate each checkpoint

The Section 508 and W3C Priority One standards are verysimilar to each other with a few subtle differences. For thischapter we will cover section 508 checkpoints and theirmeanings.

See Appendix A for a complete summary of Section1194.22 vs. W3C Priority One. This map will allowdevelopers to use the following information

regardless of the standards with which they aredeveloping their site to comply.

This chapter provides a conceptual overview ofaccessibility requirements, detailing both why they areimportant and providing a general overview of how tocorrect accessibility issues. For a complete reference onHTML Markup for Accessible design please see Chapter 7for the Tutorial and HTML Examples.

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Understanding Paragraph (a) / W3C P1 (1.1)(a) A text equivalent for every non-text element shall beprovided

A text equivalent conveys the same information to the useras the original non-text element. The section 508 guideline

points out the following items as examples of elements thatrequire text equivalents.

Buttons Check Boxes Pictures/Images Embedded or Streaming audio or video.

Special W3C vs. 508 The mapped W3C guideline, 1.1, includes other items, notspecified in Section 508 (a), however included under thefederal guidelines.

Input Elements Object Elements Applet Elements Frameset Elements IFrames Anchors

Area Elements

These are covered later in 508 in other sections like (n) aswell as being required but not implicitly mentioned inparagraph (a).

DISABILITIES ADDRESSED BY THIS PARAGRAPHThe following disabilities are addressed by this paragraph:


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Blind Weak vision Deaf or hard of hearing

DEALING WITH NON-TEXT ELEMENTS

Chapter 6 of this book goes into detail on how to write textequivalents. The most important points to remember are:

The Alternative text should fully represent the imagemeaning and its purpose to the person viewing theweb page.

If a long description is required for the image thelongdesc attribute can be utilized to post anotherURL, which will contain additional information.

TESTING YOUR PAGE FOR COMPLIANCE TOPARAGRAPH (A)It is easy to test your page for compliance to paragraph (a). Automated testing tool such as HiSoftwares AccVerify canquickly test a page or an entire Web site.


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Understanding Paragraph (b) / W3C P1 (1.4)(b) Equivalent alternatives for any multimedia presentation shall be synchronized with the presentation.

DISABILITIES ADDRESSED BY THIS PARAGRAPHThe following disabilities are addressed by this paragraph: Blind Weak vision Deaf or hard of hearing

DEALING WITH ALTERNATIVES FOR MULTIMEDIACONTENT A video presentation with an audio component requirescaptioning. The captioning must be completely

synchronized with the audio presentation to allow for theviewer to follow the meaning of the content.

If there is only an audio component there is no need forcaptioning, however, a text equivalent (Full Transcript)must be made available.

If there is a slide show like a PowerPoint slide showavailable but it is visual only, the graphics need to havealternative text representations.

EXAMPLE AND TIP FOR POWERPOINTPRESENTATIONSFor those providing silent Microsoft PowerPointpresentations via the Internet remember to providealternative text for your images. In PowerPoint 2000 andabove you can do this by following the steps below:


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1. Select on the Image that that needs alternative text2. Select Format | Format Picture from the Main Menu3. Select the Web Tab4. Type in the Alternative Text5. Click on OK

TESTING YOUR PAGE FOR COMPLIANCE TOPARAGRAPH (B)This is a visual checkpoint. When content developers aredelivering multimedia content they must make sure it is incompliance with paragraph (b)


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Understanding Paragraph (c) / W3C P1 (2.1)(c) Web pages shall be designed so that all informationconveyed with color is also available without color.


Blind Weak vision Color Blind

DEALING WITH COLORThe use of color does not prevent a page from meeting theaccessibility requirements. A junior designer may believe

this is the case; it is important that designers understandthat they can use color and be in compliance withaccessibility standards. This paragraph (checkpoint) dealswith the use of color alone in indicating action or meaning.

Notes on colorDo not display emphasis of a word by color alone.For example do not create a form that requires usersto fill out all form field values that are marked inred. Use HTML Markup like or . Donot use color alone in an image to indicate an action.

Example: Do not say, Press the red button to cancelyour order or the green button to complete yourorder. Color can definitely be used to augment thedesign of form but use alternative text and /or text onthe image to signify cancel and finish.


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TESTING YOUR PAGE FOR COMPLIANCE TOPARAGRAPH (C)It is easy to test your page for compliance to paragraph (c).This check is clearly a visual check and can be completedby testing the output devices that provide a black and whiteoutput.

PrinterPrint your Web page on a black and white printer.View the output to assure that all text and imagesare still visible, and that the emphasis required is stillvisible.

ScreenView your page on a black and white monitor or setyou monitor to the aforementioned view and view the

screen to assure that color was not the only way thatinformation has been presented.


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l

Understanding Paragraph (d) / W3C P1 (6.1)(d) Documents shal be organized so they are readablewithout requiring an associated style sheet.

DISABILITIES ADDRESSED BY THIS PARAGRAPH

The following disabilities are addressed by this paragraph:

Blind Color Blind Weak vision

DEALING WITH STYLE SHEETSStyle Sheets are intended to separate presentation fromcontent. They provide an easy and efficient way to formatHTML documents. Style Sheets enhance the effectiveness

of HTML as well as simplify the process of maintaining aWeb site. Additionally, the use of Style Sheets enablesusers to set viewing preferences to accommodate theirdisability.

With this in mind it is important that a Web site developerdoes not design a page that will interfere with user definedstyle sheets.

TESTING YOUR PAGE FOR COMPLIANCE TOPARAGRAPH (D)It is easy to test your page for compliance to paragraph (d).Simply turn off support for style sheets, all information andits meaning should be present without style sheets. Additionally, you can test with a user defined style sheet tomake sure that it does not interfere with the ability tounderstand and navigate the site.


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l

Understanding Paragraph (e) & (f) / W3C P1 (1.2)& (9.1)(e) Redundant text links shall be provided for each activeregion of a server-side image map.

(f) Client-side image maps shal be provided instead ofserver-side image maps except where the regions cannotbe defined with an available geometric shape.


Blind Color Blind Weak vision Inability to use mouse Motor-Control Challenges

DEALING WITH IMAGE MAPS An image map is a single image that is used to offermultiple links to content in a Web site. Image maps arerarely actual maps! When a user selects a link on an imagemap it takes them to the link connected with the referencedpart of the image.

There are two types of Image Maps, client and server side.The main difference between the two is where the actualprocessing of a visitors action taken on the map istranslated.

The rule for paragraph (e) is necessary because the actuallink is processed on the server so it is not available to usersof assistive technology because of their inability to see the


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map. By presenting the user with a list of links, the map ismade accessible.

The rule for paragraph (f) is necessary because it allowsthe user of assistive technology to easily activate regions ofthe image map. Related Rule: Paragraph (a)

TESTING YOUR PAGE FOR COMPLIANCE TOPARAGRAPH (E) & (F)It is easy to test your page for compliance to paragraphs (e)& (f). AccVerify can quickly test an entire site or page.


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l

developer should make sure that the table used forlayout makes sense when l inearized .)

2. For Data Tables first enter a table summary:The summary attribute allows the developer to provide asummary of the tables information.

Screen readers can take advantage of this non-visual(does not appear on the page when viewed in abrowser) attribute.

The summary should provide the page viewer with:

Overview of the table Overview of table contents Overview of the Structure Overview of the Tables purpose

Optional y the developer can use the Caption tag.The caption appears as part of the document text ona page with a table. The Caption tag is visible on theWeb Page.

3. There are cells in the tables that serve as headers,or labels for the information in the respective row or

column. Headers must be identified as header cells.In this step of making the table accessible, you needto locate header cells in the table, and then changethe TD tag to a TH tag.

4. Identify Row and Column Headers

Simple tables - consider identifying row and columnheaders with the scope attribute.


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f l

Complex tables - consider identifying row andcolumn headers with the headers attribute. If thetable has more than one row or more than onecolumn of header cells, consider using the axisattribute to group them together.

5. Group multiple header rows or header columns.When header cells are clearly identi ied thesignificance of the data cel s is easily identified.

TESTING YOUR PAGE FOR COMPLIANCE TOPARAGRAPH (G) & (H)It is easy to test your page for compliance to paragraphs (g)& (h). AccVerify can quickly test your Web page or your

entire Web site. Remember a tool, which can filter outlayout tables, will offer a streamlined approach to testingtables for accessibility.


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Understanding Paragraph (i) / W3C P1 (12.1)(i) Frames shall be titled with text that facilitates frameidentification and navigation.



Blind Weak vision

DEALING WITH FRAMESA Framed Site uses combinations of HTML documents,displayed together in the browser to visually divide thecomputer screen into separate and distinct areas that canbe separately redrawn depending on user action. Frames

present difficulties for users with disabilities when thoseframes are not identifiable to assistive technology. Usersof assistive technology will find it difficult to navigate framesif the differences between the frames in the frameset arenot clearly defined.

To facilitate easy navigation with frames use the titleattribute available to the frame element.

TESTING YOUR PAGE FOR COMPLIANCE TOPARAGRAPH (I)It is easy to test your page for compliance to paragraph (I). AccVerify can quickly test an entire site or page.


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Understanding Paragraph (j) / W3C P1 (7.1)(j) Pages shall be designed to avoid causing the screen toflicker with a frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55Hz.


Photosensitive epilepsy DEALING WITH PARAGRAPH (J)The developer should prevent the screen from:

Flashing Flickering Blinking Or Having Staggered Movement from a control like

the marquee or a News BotIf the screen behaves in one of the manners listed above, itcould trigger a seizure in an individual with theaforementioned disability.

TESTING YOUR PAGE FOR COMPLIANCE TOPARAGRAPH (J)Flashing or flickering elements should be avoided andshould be identified by your testing tool. This is a visual aswell as an automated test.


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Understanding Paragraph (k) / W3C P1 (11.4)(k) A text-only page, with equivalent information orfunctionality, shall be provided to make a Web site complywith the provisions of these standards, when compliancecannot be accomplished in any other way. The content of

the text-only page shall be updated whenever the primarypage changes. DISABILITIES ADDRESSED BY THIS PARAGRAPHThe following disabilities are addressed by this paragraph:

Potentially all disabilities referred to in the standards

DEALING WITH TEXT-ONLY PAGESParagraph (k) provides a failsafe measure for pages or

content that cannot be made accessible. It requires thatthere be an accessible alternative. This is commonlyreferred to as a Full Text version of a Web site or page.This alternative should truly be avoided. The cost ofmaintaining this solution and the likelihood of incompletecontent is too high. Additionally the task to make a Web siteor Web site content accessible is generally not out of thereach of any organization.

See Chapter one for more information on full text versionsof content.

TESTING YOUR PAGE FOR COMPLIANCE TOPARAGRAPH (K)This practice is costly to maintain and to test. Therequirement is clear that the content on a non-full text pagebe identical to a full text page. Every page of content mustbe reviewed in order to assure that it is in compliance.


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Because of the detailed testing this method requires, it isstrongly recommended that this alternative be used onlywhen there is absolutely no way to make the pageaccessible.


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Understanding Paragraph (l) / W3C P1 ( partial 6.3)(l) When pages utilize scripting languages to displaycontent, or to create interface elements, the informationprovided by the script shall be identified with functional textthat can be read by assistive technology.



DEALING WITH SCRIPTS All JavaScript URLS should have meaningful text so as tobe useful for people with disabilities to follow. Developersshould avoid event handlers as the only method for

navigating or completing a page.

Problematic Handlers:

OnClick OnDblClick OnMouseDown OnMouseUp OnMouseOver OnMouseOut onChange

Event Handlers that require no user interaction and aredevice independent are not problematic:

OnLoad OnUnload OnBlur


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OnFocus

Remember that all script function should include aNOSCRIPT tag for those browsers or assistivetechnologies that do not have script support.

TESTING YOUR PAGE FOR COMPLIANCE TOPARAGRAPH (L)It is easy to test your page for compliance to paragraph (l). AccVerify can quickly test an entire site or page forcompliance. The identification of every JavaScript eventhandler is a good place to start on a comprehensive site tobegin the assessment process.


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Understanding Paragraph (m)(m) When a Web page requires that an applet, plug-in orother application be present on the client system tointerpret page content, the page must provide a link to aplug-in or applet that complies with 1194.21(a) through (l).



DEALING WITH APPLET OR PLUG-INSThis is one of the more complex checkpoints or paragraphswith which a Web content developer or site manager needsto deal. The reason it is so complex is because it becomes

both a Web content and potentially software accessibilityverification issue.

The simple part of this paragraph is if a plug-in, object,applet or viewer is required then the developer mustprovide a link on the page so the user can get easy accessto the required component.

NOTE: If you have a link to 30 pdfs on your pagethere is no need to put 30 links to the PDF viewer!This is a common an unnecessary practice.

The problem with complying with this paragraph is thatdevelopers must assure that the plug-in required isaccessible. Chapter Eight of this book provides moreinformation on software accessibility.


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TESTING YOUR PAGE FOR COMPLIANCE TOPARAGRAPH (M)One must test either Web or software standards for anyapplet, object or plug-in used separately. Check with theprovider of the plug-in or applet/object for the status of theproducts accessibility.


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Understanding Paragraph (n)(n) When electronic forms are designed to be completedon-line, the form shall allow people using assistivetechnology to access the information, field elements, andfunctionality required for completion and submission of the

form, including all directions and cues.



DEALING WITH ELECTRONIC FORMSThe most important thing to remember when providingelectronic forms is that you SHOULD develop the forms to

be accessible for both simple and sophisticated screenreaders and assistive technologies. This means that thefollowing can be used to make the form accessible:

Predefined values in text area Alternative text on inputs Labels for easy navigation

Stay away from solutions that do not work with all screenreaders.

TESTING YOUR PAGE FOR COMPLIANCE TOPARAGRAPH (N)It is easy to test your page for compliance to paragraph (n). AccVerify can quickly test an entire site or page forcompliance.


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Understanding Paragraph (o)(o) A method shall be provided that permits users to skiprepetitive navigation links.




DEALING WITH NAVIGATION LINKSMost sites are developed with structure. By having structureyou most likely have sections of your Web site designedspecifically for navigation of the entire site. One of theeasiest ways to deal with this paragraph is to put abookmark on the page for where the content starts and a

link on the page navigation section. This allows the user toselect the link to skip directly to the content bookmark thatyou placed on the page.

TESTING YOUR PAGE FOR COMPLIANCE TOPARAGRAPH (O)This test is a visual checkpoint. When validating that theskip navigation links works you should visually verify that:

The bookmark that you send the user to does notskip ANY Non-Text content that is not related tonavigation

The bookmark that you send the user to does notskip ANY Text content that is not related tonavigation


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Understanding Paragraph (p)(p) When a timed response is required, the user shall bealerted and given sufficient time to indicate more time isrequired.



DEALING WITH TIMED RESPONSES A Timed response is best described as a page that requiressome sort of user input, based on script or coding, that onlygives a user a specified amount of time to perform someaction before:

The page expires Clearing Form Input Redirecting the user to another page

The completion of the action required in the time allottedmay be difficult for a user with a disability covered by thisparagraph and general Section 508 rule.

Any content that requires a timed response must alert theuser that they are running out of time and allow them via aprompt to request more time.

TESTING YOUR PAGE FOR COMPLIANCE TOPARAGRAPH (P)This test should be performed on all pages with a timedresponse, it could be both a visual and / or automated test.


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3. Introduction to Accessibility

Testing

In this chapter

Introduction to common accessibility errors Introduction to quality assurance Introduction to accessibility testing with software

tools Using Verification, Repair, and Monitoring tools with

explanations of what they can and cannot do Accessibility testing and content management /

current test architectures

Applying accessibility testing to your current Web sitequality assurance practices is the easiest way to ensure an

accessible site. This chapter will introduce you to commonerrors and the quality assurance process.

Common Accessibility ErrorsThe accessibility guidelines and standards provide anexcellent guide for making your Web site accessible.Whether you are following W3C Priority One Guidelines or508 Standards it is important to understand the most

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common errors that Web developers make whendeveloping a Web site. This is important from a testingperspective because if you understand the most frequenterrors you can develop a proper testing methodology andplan. Common errors are divided into two groups for thepurpose of this book, Design errors and Guideline /

Standards errors.

Note: Guideline refers to the W3C/WCAGguidelines. The guidelines are a proposal and not astandard that Web site developers must follow if theywant to achieve accessibility. Standards refer to theSection 508 Electronic Information Technology Accessibility Standards; Final Rule .(Actual USFederal Standards that government sites arerequired to meet.)

The most common design errors that impact accessibility ofa Web site are:

Use of Frames Overuse of java based menu systems that might

look impressive but tend to be overwhelming Assumption that placing forms and field descriptions

in tables makes the form more usable

The most common accessibility errors that prevent a sitefrom being utilized effectively by peoples with disabilitiesare:

Use of Frames that are not easily navigated Not using alternative text for non-text based

elementso Forms


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o Imageso Objectso And other non-text elements

Using priority two or three recommendations to try tosatisfy 508 or W3C priority one rules

Not providing a site map or contents

Non-accessible Image maps

Sites that can address the items listed above will findthemselves close to compliance or in compliance. This willhave a profound impact on the overall accessibility ofInternet content.

An Introduction to Quality AssuranceQuality Assurance for Web sites is an essential activity for

businesses or organizations that develop content or Website applications to be used by others. It is safe to assumethat any organization that has a Web site for public orinternal use has in place some sort of Web site qualityassurance practices. This internal QA group serves as theconsumers in-house representitive. When performing theirtasks the QA group looks at the Web site from theperspective of the Web site visitor.

Like Software testing Web site testing starts with thestandards and requirements of the product or Web site andits functionality. This means that if a Web site is initiallydesigned to perform a set function or to provide informationin a specific format then it must complete that task asspecified.

The Objectives of Web Site Testing:


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The testing of a Web site combines both contentediting and functionality testing with the intent offinding errors.

The tester should strive to develop test cases that

have the highest likelyhood of producing errors.Remember a successful test is one that uncoverserrors. (e.g. Because an object has been developedto function its best under Internet Explorer, a goodtest case would be to test it on all other browsers toassure the same results are obtained.)

In the case of accessibility there would be a test plan inplace designed to ensure effective accessibility errordetection. The task of error detection does not end with the

initial Basic test. We must look further then the basicrequirements.

Types of tests that could apply to Web site AccessibilityTesting:

Condition Testing - This test type is best defined asa true/false test. For Example, it may be a test of aspecific operating system (OS), for which the

Condition being tested. Another example might betesting performance through different Web browsers.Condition testing is generally relevant for the testingof dynamic data and not static web sites.

Data Flow Testing - Based on the flow of inputs to aWeb site application, different screens and generalcontent will be presented. This output to the user


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needs to be verified and validated for compliance tothe accessibility standards. Data Flow testing isagain best suited for dynamic web sites. This is morethen likely to be used in a Web based application,(I.e. an online reservation system.)

Boundry - Boundry testing can be defined as testingthe limits of specific inputs. As with the previous testtype, a boundry test is most frequently designed fordynamic sites where specific user inputs, OS, orUser Agents could have a direct impact on thecontent delivered.

Verification Verification is the process ofdetermining that you have met your organizationsrequirements and or standards for the Web site as

defined. (In the case of Accessibility this may beSection 508 or W3C Priority one). Note: This testtype is designed to assure that requirements aremet- not if they were right in the first place.

Validation This test process is a check for the initialrequirements. It looks at the requirements and thenthe final Web site to determine that while the desiredresponses have been produced, in response to the

test, the requirements have also met their objectives.For example, an organization may have the Web sitereviewed by an inside or outside group to determineusability of the site even though it complies to theaccessibility rules. This assures not only compliancebut usability of the end product.


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Change Testing Change testing for Web sites aswith software quality assurance is very important.Whether a site is dynamic or static the content willbe changed or content will be added. Upon changesa page or site need to be retested. Because of thenature of authoring and Content Management tools

it is possible that one change can create countlessaccessibility errors. For example, in an authoringtool, adding a link to an image map may clear allother alt text for the entire image map. In a contentmanagement system, changing one template couldmake the whole site inaccessible. Alternatively, themodification or removal of an image asset couldmake one or many pages innaccessible.

Beta TestingOne of the most important steps you could perform is tobeta test your Web site. This means to test you page or sitebefore going live into production. Whether you are a largeorganization or a small company you should make the timeto do this. Once you have completed the development ofthe page or site, and once you have completed accessibilitytesting you should have the product beta tested.

This process has an outside individual look at the page tosee if it performs like it was designed to. This user is notpart of the products or sites qa or development team, anddoes not necessarily need to be a tester. Once the product /Web site is beta tested it should then be released toproduction.


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Introduction to Accessibility TestingDevelopers or auditors of Web sites, at key checkpoints inan overall process, will determine whether objectives andor requirements are being met by testing. Accessibilitytesting (commonly referred to as verification) has two maincomponents - automated and visual. In order to complete a

successful audit or test of content you must understandhow you can implement a successful test plan.

Automated testing is accomplished with either aWeb site crawler (Agent) or a file scanner. The agentwill imitate a user agent, obtain the content for theWeb pages, and then perform an evaluation of thecontent to see if it complies with the guidelines.

Visual testing is used for verifying guidelinecheckpoints that do not have the structure orpredictability available to allow for automated passor fail detection.

A preferred solution would combine the automated testingand the visual testing, thereby only requiring a visualverification of pages where elements that require visualverification were found. Small organization withpredominantly static content will find the task of creating an

accessible Web site to be relatively simple. Mid to largesized organization will find the task to be a little morechallenging.

Page versus S ite

When testing site content there are two instances thecompany should address. The first instance is contentcreation. The Second is existing site content. As with any


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development effort, Web content or software, it is alwaysless costly to find and correct errors before they make it tothe production environment (actually become published).This means that a company needs to perform testing atboth page and site level.

PageThe author who develops the actual page should testit for compliance before publishing the content. Thisshould become a final part of any process that dealswith the publishing of electronic content.

SiteFrom a site wide perspective companies shouldimplement unattended services, either hosted orplaced on their internal servers that will constantly

monitor Web sites or portions of the Web sites andalert responsible parties if there is a problem thatbrings them out of compliance.

Advanced Content Delivery

It is becoming more common for Web content to bedynamically generated delivered via content managementor publishing servers. In this case you have to consider adifferent type of testing, template testing. Dynamic sites usetemplates to deliver content. It is important in this case totest all templates before they are placed into production.

For more information on Accessibility and Dynamic Contentplease see chapter Five. Chapter five goes into detail onDynamic Content and also shows how an error in templatescan create catastrophic Accessibility errors on your Website.


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Using ToolsIt is becoming more common for Web site Authors/managers to implement the use of accessibilityverification, remediation and repair tools to assure siteaccessibility. These solutions can assist in decreasing IToverhead and human resources for development projects.

This section will deal with the types of tools available andhow they should be applied to your testing process.

Verification tools

An accessibility verification tool is a software solution or ahosted service solution that allows you to test a page thatyou are working on or a group of pages of a (Logical orPhysical) Web site for compliance with the accessibilitystandards. This technology can be instrumental indeveloping accessible content quickly and at a greatlydecreased cost. The solutions are available in manydifferent forms:

Desktop Software Runs on a client desktop andruns with or without user interaction. Desktopsoftware is generally suited for testing of smallerworkgroup sites Web based and local pages. It isgenerally not used to disseminate information to a

team. An example of a desktop software productwould be HiSoftwares AccVerify Software

Server Software Server based solutions generallyrun without requiring any user intervention except forinitial configuration. Additionally, once configured orfor initial configuration there is general a Web-Based interface so that after installation there is norequirement for access to the console of the server.


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Hosted Services A Hosted service is similar to theServer software; the main difference is that there isno hardware requirement since the server softwareis installed and maintained and the service

providers facilities.

As pat of your evaluation, look for solutions that provideexample files demonstrating all potential accessibilityissues that can be tested. This will aid in ensuring that thechecks implemented comply with the standards.

Verification software should also support the followingtypes of verification:

FTP Anonymous File Transfer Protocol

FTP Authentication - File Transfer Protocol thatrequires a user be authenticated with ausername/password pair.

HTTP A User agent capable of issuing requestsand receiving responses from an anonymous webserver.

HTTPS - A User agent capable of issuing requestsand receiving responses from a web server thatsupports the Secure Socket Layer.

HTTP(s) Authentication - A User agent capable ofissuing requests and receiving responses from anweb server that supports http authentication andoptionally the Secure Socket Layer.


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Local File Scanning The ability to scan a local filesystem and identify and verify all documents thatmatch the configured web based documentextensions.

Local File Selection The ability to select local filesfrom a users computer or server.

Browser Emulation (Essential for Dynamic Sites) Web content may differ based on the siteprogrammers requirements coded for each agent.Therefore, the software should have the ability tointeract with a Web server or test a Web server, andin doing so identify the user agent as an agent otherthan it in order to test how the server would react for

each agent Firewall support The ability to send requests and

receive responses via a corporate firewall.

For training reasons there should be support forhistorical viewing of your accessibility status

If you want a quick and free trial of an accessibility tool that

runs around the clock visit:

http://www.accessibilitywatch.com/

This site allows a free verification of five pagesimmediately. E-mail will be sent with links to reports of theaccessibility status of your site!
http://www.accessibilitywatch.com/http://www.accessibilitywatch.com/


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Remediation (Repair) tools

Remediation tools are always controversial to HTMLdevelopers. The reason is the author fears that the tools willinvalidate their HTML by performing bad modifications.However, repair tools can be valuable in the managementof Web site accessibility.

The remediation solution you choose should be ableto work with files that are developed or stored onWindows, Unix (Linux), or Apple based systems.

The remediation system should include full supportfor spell checking any alternative textrepresentations entered to comply with accessibility.

The remediation system should allow Web teams tocollaborate on repairs for single or multiple pages.

The remediation tool should learn the meanings ofinput elements, objects, and any element requiringalternative text or element content.

The remediation tool should allow values to beedited in a library environment outside of the repairprocess.

The remediation tool should allow for automatedrepairs where possible.

If a repair (remediation) tool is implemented properly it canprove to be essential in the process of making a siteaccessible. Additionally, a good repair tool decreases thetraining requirement for your Web team as well asdecreasing the likelihood of errors.


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Mon itoring tools

Remember that because Web site content is dynamic - it isby nature always changing. That means that an importantpiece of any accessibility strategy is a solution that will let

you ensure that your sites remain in compliance on anongoing basis. From a site wide perspective companiesshould implement unattended services either hosted orplaced on their internal servers that will, once configured,constantly monitor Web sites or portions of the Web sitesand alert responsible parties if there is a problem thatbrings them out of compliance.

What automated tools cannot do

An automated testing tool can be used to test your site orgroups of documents in an unattended manner once theyare configured. It is very important to remember that NOtool alone can validate the absolute accessibility of yourweb site.

However a good tool can identify a majority of what needsto be verified visually. Additionally a good tool will let youknow what pages do not need to be verified visually, basedon the absence of elements that require visual verification.Remember: You will still need to assure that all visualcheckpoints identified by the solution are accessible.

Evaluating Acce ssibility Testing and Re pair Tools

As with any testing requirement for Web-based content