Title
- Design Accessible Web Sites
Author
– Frank Mitch, GCPCUG Product Reviews Editor
Category
- Book
Subject
- Keys to creating content for all audiences and platforms
Date
- September 2008
Ten Principles for Web Accessibility
are so important that they are the first thing in the book right inside the
front cover. The two most important of these are:
- “Your user’s technologies are
capable of sending and receiving text. That’s about all you will ever be able
to assume.”
- “ Provide good text alternatives
for any non-text content.”
The book is very organized into 5
Parts with 18 total chapters. Each chapter covers various topics including the
36 keys which are called “Tips” in the book. “Why be Accessible” in
chapter two explains that it is the right thing to do as a civil rights issue,
it is good business to serve the needs of the many disabled people, accessible
sites are more useable for everyone, and building with accessibility can make
you more capable. In addition it is the law in regard to US Section 508 rules.
Types of disabilities are explained: Visual, Auditory, Mobility, Cognitive, and
Multiple disabilities. Screen readers for the blind are discussed; also
captioning for the deaf, alternate keyboards, and pointing devices.
First of the 36 tips (keys) are
covered in Environment for Access : a team effort, separating content and
presentation, multiple access paths, and brief descriptions of the official
guidelines.
A chapter on Accessibility
Testing covers testing from day one, building a testing toolbox, and
testing by hand using disabled users. The Structured Life chapter explains the
importance of saying it with meaning, keeping it simple, meaning conveyed by
coding tags, linking it all together, using style sheets, and a bit about the
future.
Use of tables is covered in tips 15, 16 and 17 saying tables can be used
carefully for data but never for layout. Avoiding table based layout makes code
easier to understand and maintain.
The Accessible Interface
chapter explains that simplifying interfaces is best for all users. Here 4 tips
inform that it’s their Web, we’re just building in it. How to handle forms,
conventions for access keys, and evaluating possible interfaces are separate
tips. Advice is not to be a control freak.
How to best use images and
graphics is covered in 5 tips. Color blind disabilities are explained. Red-
green color blindness is with 7 to 10 percent of the population, mostly men.
Testing images for color problems is covered. Color keying methods are given,
including adding texture differences. Thinking in terms of black and white and
how to write alternate text to describe images is explained in some detail. Get
a different kind of validation system rather than the common “CAPTCHA” method
of distorted text images.
Problems with videos are covered in 4 tips. Stroboscopic lights, repetitive
patterns, and flickering video can harm some folks with photosensitive
epilepsy. Avoid flashing elements or give a warning before it starts. Captions
should be provided for all relevant video. Auditory descriptions are needed for
the vision impaired.
Problems with “Office” documents and
PDF files are discussed. Conversion of Office
documents to HTML is preferred. Some users may not be able to use PDF’s. If
HTML is a viable option, that may be easier; but PDF solutions are explained.
JavaScript and Ajax coding needs using with care or perhaps not at all. Flash
is difficult for accessibility. Also Flex is discussed with several ways to
turn on accessibility. The author recommends letting someone else help with the
heavy lifting. APIs (Application Programming Interface) are showing up as
ready-made solutions for some of the higher order scripting and Java
accessibility problems. These items are in the final of the 36 tips (keys).
Three later chapters cover
accessibility guidelines and rules. The author says that they are valuable
tools but should not dominate our thinking on the topic. The 14 guidelines of
WCAG 1.0 from the W3C organization are printed for reference purposes. The US
Section 508 rules in chapter 15 apply to work web developers may be doing under
federal funding. WCAG 2.0 in chapter 16 is a work in progress and has yet to be
finalized. Chapter 17 takes a brief look at the state of web accessibility in
the rest of the world.
The final chapter recommends to keep
trying and to stay informed by using some recommended sites with current
accessibility issues. He lists 8 available sites on the web. He concludes with
this very appropriate quote from St. Francis of Assisi:
“Start by doing what is necessary;
then do what is possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.”
Design Accessible Web Sites
May 2007, 318 pages, US $34.95
ISBN 10: 1-934356-02-6
ISBN 13: 978-1-934356-02-9
Author: Jeremy J. Sydik
Pragmatic Bookshelf, O’Reilly
Discount of 35% for User Group membershttp://www.oreilly.com