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Susan Brunner
3 September, 2003
How to Make Draft Webpages W3C-Compliant
Thanks to staff at the Centre for Applied Learning Systems (CALS), http://www.cals.tafe.sa.edu.au , Adelaide Institute of TAFE for their scrutiny of this checklist. Their patience and their experience made the jargon accessible! Target Audience
This checklist is for persons who draft Webpage content. Their work should be entrusted to online developers who also aim to achieve W3C-compliance (World Wide Web Consortium). Accessible Websites
“Accessible web pages have been constructed to be useable by anyone, even if they are using assistive technology to access the web page. Examples of assistive technology are screen readers, screen magnifiers, voice recognition software, alternative keyboards, and braille displays”
(U. of Arizona 2003a).
Rationale
Here’s just a few reasons for building accessible Webpages:
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“Commonwealth departments and agencies are required by the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 to ensure that online information and services are accessible by people with disabilities” (DFA 2003) – see esp. Sections 15, 22, 24, & 29
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The South Australian government requires that all its instrumentalities “provide as many services online as reasonably possible in an accessible and non-discriminatory manner” (Govt of SA 2002)
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The Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission notes that since 20% (approx.) of Australians have a disability, “the full and independent participation by people with disabilities in web-based communication and information delivery makes good business and marketing sense, as well as being consistent with our society’s obligations to remove discrimination and promote human rights” (AUS HREOC 2002)
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Complementing graphics, shockwave, video, sound files, etc. with text increases Webpage visibility to search engines (Osborne 2003).
Checkpoints - basis
This Checklist responds to all of the “Priority 1” and some of the “Priority 2 & 3” points from the W3C-compliance list. According to that list,
“Priority 1: A Web content developer must satisfy this checkpoint. Otherwise, one or more groups will find it impossible to access information in the document. Satisfying this checkpoint is a basic requirement for some groups to be able to use Web documents”
“Priority 2: A Web content developer should satisfy this checkpoint. Otherwise, one or more groups will find it difficult to access information in the document. Satisfying this checkpoint will remove significant barriers to accessing Web documents”
“Priority 3: A Web content developer may address this checkpoint. Otherwise, one or more groups will find it somewhat difficult to access information in the document. Satisfying this checkpoint will improve access to Web documents” ” (MIT 1999).
Adhering to this Checklist for Content Writers will expedite the work of the online developer. The developer will also appreciate drafts using “plain” fonts, bullet points, etc. and standard formatting (Heading 1, Heading 2, etc.). Such drafts may be done in Word (check with your developer).
The author of this Checklist is indebted to the University of Arizona’s “Web Resources”. Those resources included an “Accessibility Check List”, from which some items were adapted (U. of Arizona 2003b).
CHECKLIST FOR CONTENT WRITERS - making draft webpages W3C compliant
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Checklist Item |
Priority 1, 2, or 3: W3C-Compliance |
(Y) yes or n/a
(N) no
(?) not sure |
1. Pages are laid-out so that site navigation is consistent throughout:
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Priority 3
9.4 Create a logical tab order through links, form controls, and objects |
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2. Explicit notes have been written for the online developer, regarding the sequence in which hyperlinks are to be accessed by the user:
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Priority 3
9.4 Create a logical tab order through links, form controls, and objects. |
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| 3. All hyperlink targets are meaningful (example: no “Click Here”) |
Priority 2
13.1 Clearly identify the target of each link. |
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| 4. The clearest, simplest language is used throughout, keeping in mind the site’s target audience and the site’s content |
Priority 1
14.1 Use the clearest and simplest language appropriate for a site's content |
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| 5. Any changes in languages (example: from English to Spanish) are identified with a “language change starts here” and “language change ends here” messages |
Priority 1
4.1 Clearly identify changes in the natural language of a document's text and any text equivalents (e.g., captions) |
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| 6. Information has been presented to the user in small chunks |
Priority 2
12.3 Divide large blocks of information into more manageable groups where natural and appropriate |
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| 7. Headings used on every page are consistent throughout, in terms of font and style |
Priority 1
6.1 Organize documents so they may be read without style sheets. For example, when an HTML document is rendered without associated style sheets, it must still be possible to read the document |
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| 8. A meaningful ALT tag has been written for all images |
Priority 1
1.1 Provide a text equivalent for every non-text element (e.g., via "alt", "longdesc", or in element content). This includes: images, graphical representations of text (including symbols), image map regions, animations (e.g., animated GIFs), applets and programmatic objects, ascii art, frames, scripts, images used as list bullets, spacers, graphical buttons, sounds (played with or without user interaction), stand-alone audio files, audio tracks of video, and video |
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| 9. A meaningful ALT tag and/or an alternative text link, giving equivalent information, has been written for each hotspot within every image map |
Priority 1
1.1 Provide a text equivalent for every non-text element (e.g., via "alt", "longdesc", or in element content). This includes: images, graphical representations of text (including symbols), image map regions, animations (e.g., animated GIFs), applets and programmatic objects, ascii art, frames, scripts, images used as list bullets, spacers, graphical buttons, sounds (played with or without user interaction), stand-alone audio files, audio tracks of video, and video.1.2 Provide redundant text links for each active region of a server-side image map |
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| 10. Links within every image map are reproduced along the bottom of that map as a set of conventional hyperlinks |
Priority 1
9.1 Provide client-side image maps instead of server-side image maps except where the regions cannot be defined with an available geometric shape |
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| 11. An equivalent audio description has been written for all flash! and video content |
Priority 1
1.3 Until user agents can automatically read aloud the text equivalent of a visual track, provide an auditory description of the important information of the visual track of a multimedia presentation |
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| 12. A text equivalent has been written for all flash! and Java content:Yes / Not ApplicableNoNot Sure |
Priority 1
6.3 Ensure that pages are usable when scripts, applets, or other programmatic objects are turned off or not supported. If this is not possible, provide equivalent information on an alternative accessible page. |
|
| 13. An equivalent and meaningful subtitle, caption, or audio description has been written for every multimedia presentation |
Priority 1
1.4 For any time-based multimedia presentation (e.g., a movie or animation), synchronize equivalent alternatives (e.g., captions or auditory descriptions of the visual track) with the presentation |
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| 14. A continuous line format alternative has been provided for every text table |
Priority 3
10.3 Until user agents (including assistive technologies) render side-by-side text correctly, provide a linear text alternative (on the current page or some other) for all tables that lay out text in parallel, word-wrapped columns |
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| 15. Every data table has row and column headers plus a summary of its contents |
Priority 1
5.1 For data tables, identify row and column headers
Priority 3
5.5 Provide summaries for tables
5.6 Provide abbreviations for header labels |
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| 16. Explicit notes for every data table have been written for the online developer, regarding whether the user should read cells horizontally or vertically |
Priority 1
5.2 For data tables that have two or more logical levels of row or column headers, use markup to associate data cells and header cells |
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| 17. Frames have been avoided OR have been accompanied by explicit notes for the online developer regarding the sequence in which sections are to be accessed by the user |
Priority 1
12.1 Title each frame to facilitate frame identification and navigation.
Priority 2
12.2 Describe the purpose of frames and how frames relate to each other if it is not obvious by frame titles alone |
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| 18. A descriptive label has been written for and obviously matched to each element of every fill-in form |
Priority 2
10.2 Until user agents support explicit associations between labels and form controls, for all form controls with implicitly associated labels, ensure that the label is properly positioned |
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| 19. All material meant to be read as a list is presented in list structure |
Priority 3
13.8 Place distinguishing information at the beginning of headings, paragraphs, lists, etc |
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| 20. None of the animated .gifs cause the screen to flicker constantly |
Priority 1
7.1 Until user agents allow users to control flickering, avoid causing the screen to flicker |
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| 21. Colour coding has been avoided in regard to conveying information or instructions (example: no “Click the red button”) |
Priority 1
2.1 Ensure that all information conveyed with color is also available without color, for example from context or markup |
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| 22. On every page, the contrast between foreground and background colours is distinctive, for the sake of clarity |
Priority 2
2.2 Ensure that foreground and background color combinations provide sufficient contrast when viewed by someone having color deficits or when viewed on a black and white screen. [Priority 2 for images, Priority 3 for text] |
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| 23. Every downloadable .pdf and Word document has been created in an accessible fashion |
Priority 1
1.1 Provide a text equivalent for every non-text element (e.g., via "alt", "longdesc", or in element content). This includes: images, graphical representations of text (including symbols), image map regions, animations (e.g., animated GIFs), applets and programmatic objects, ascii art, frames, scripts, images used as list bullets, spacers, graphical buttons, sounds (played with or without user interaction), stand-alone audio files, audio tracks of video, and video. |
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| 24. Processes are in-place to update all content |
Priority 1
6.2 Ensure that equivalents for dynamic content are updated when the dynamic content changes |
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| 25. For every page that cannot be made W3C-compliant, a link has been provided to an alternative page that is compliant and that contains equivalent information |
Priority 1
11.4 If, after best efforts, you cannot create an accessible page, provide a link to an alternative page that uses W3C technologies, is accessible, has equivalent information (or functionality), and is updated as often as the inaccessible (original) page |
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USEFUL RESOURCES:
Complete, International Guidelines and Checklist
W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (2003). ‘Homepage’ [online].
Available : http://www.w3.org/WAI/ [Accessed 11 July, 2003].
Glossary
W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (2003). ‘Web services glossary’ [online].
Available : http://www.w3.org/TR/2003/WD-ws-gloss-20030514/ [Accessed 3 September, 2003].
Hands-on for Content Writers
Bohman, Paul (2000). ‘Creating Web sites from the outside in … from the user’s perspective’ [online].
Available : http://www.webaim.org/materials/starterkit/outsidein [Accessed 1 September, 2003].
Geography Exchange (2001). ‘Producing accessible documents’ [online].
Available : http://www.geography-site.co.uk/pages/virtual-school/docs/reading.html
[Accessed 14 December, 2006].
National Cancer Institute (n.d.) ‘Research-based web design & usability guidelines’ [online].
Available : http://www.usability.gov/guidelines/ [Accessed 26 June, 2003].
Royal National Institute of the Blind (2003). ‘Advice on designing accessible websites’ [online].
Available : http://www.rnib.org.uk/xpedio/groups/public/documents/PublicWebsite/public_webdesign.hcsp [Accessed 1 September, 2003].
Sutton, Jennifer (2002). ‘A guide to making documents accessible to people who are blind or visually impaired’ [online].
Available : http://www.acb.org/accessible-formats.html [Accessed 2 July, 2003].
Hands-on for Website Developers
Adobe Systems, Inc. (2003). ‘Acrobat accessibility’ [online].
Available : http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/access_info.html [Accessed 3 September, 2003].
Australian Flexible Learning Framework (2003). ‘Accessequity – everyone online’ [online].
Available : http://www.flexiblelearning.net.au/accessequity/everyone_online/index.php [Accessed 11 July, 2003].
Australian Flexible Learning Framework (2002). ‘Strategy 2002 – access and equity in elearning – tips for Web developers meeting the priority 1 W3C guidelines (F006)’ [online].
Available : http://www.flexiblelearning.net.au/accessequity/guidelines/guidelines.htm [Accessed 11 July, 2003].
Testing Websites for Accessibility
Watchfire Corporation (2003). ‘Welcome to the bobby online free portal’ [online].
Available : http://bobby.watchfire.com/bobby/html/en/index.jsp [Accessed 3 September, 2003].
W3C Validator Team (2003). ‘Markup validation service’ [online].
Available : http://validator.w3.org/ [Accessed 26 August, 2003].
References:
Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (2002). ‘Disability rights – World Wide Web access – Disability Discrimination Act advisory notes’ [online].
Available : http://www.hreoc.gov.au/disability_rights/standards/www_3/www_3.html [Accessed 1 September, 2003].
Government of Australia (2002). ‘Disability Discrimination Act 1992 – an Act relating to discrimination on the ground of disability (as amended 2002)’ [online].
Available : http://scaleplus.law.gov.au/html/pasteact/0/311/top.htm [Accessed 2 September, 2003].
Government of Australia – Department of Finance and Administration (2003). ‘Access for people with a disability’ [online].
Available : http://www.finance.gov.au/accessibility.html [Accessed 1 September, 2003].
Government of South Australia (2002). ‘Government website protocols : May 2002’ [online].
Available : http://www.webworks.sa.gov.au/down_links/prot1.pdf [Accessed 3 September, 2003].
Hutchinson Dictionary of Computing, Multimedia, and the Internet (1997). Helicon, Oxford, England.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, European Research Consortium for Informatics and Mathematics, & Keio University (1999). ‘Checklist of checkpoints for Web content accessibility guidelines 1.0’ [online].
Available : http://www.w3.org/TR/1999/WAI-WEBCONTENT-19990505/full-checklist [Accessed 19 August, 2003].
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, European Research Consortium for Informatics and Mathematics, & Keio University (2000). ‘Glossary’ [online].
Available : http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG10-TECHS/#tech-front-loading [Accessed 21 August, 2003].
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, European Research Consortium for Informatics and Mathematics, & Keio University (2003). ‘W3C World Wide Web Consortium in 7 points’ [online].
Available : http://www.w3.org/Consortium/Points/ [Accessed 19 August, 2003].
Osborne, Andrew (2003). ‘You have a great Website so why can’t people find it?’ [online].
Available : http://conferences.alia.org.au/online2003/conferencepapers/osborne.htm [Accessed 28 January, 2003].
University of Arizona (2003a). ‘Making your site accessible’ [online].
Available: http://uaweb.arizona.edu/styleguide/accessible.shtml [Accessed 24 July, 2003].
University of Arizona (2003b). ‘Accessibility check list’ [online].
Available: http://uaweb.arizona.edu/ua_accessible/check1/checklist1.shtml [Accessed 24 July, 2003]. |
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