Section 508 & Accessible Web Sites

Section 508 & Accessible Web Sites Randy Franklin University of Nevada, Reno

Introduction Why should we make our website accessible to users with physical disabilities? Section 508 and Accessible Websites

Introduction • General web designer’s thought process: “We thought that they would use specialized equipment but we never considered a specialized website would help.” Section 508 and Accessible Websites

Introduction • Myth of Accessibility: “So, all we need to do is to create a separate text-based site, right?” Section 508 and Accessible Websites

Accessibility vs. Usability • Accessibility is the ability to access information even with specific physical barriers. • Physical barriers being defined as visual impairment, audio impairment, movement handicap, physical handicap • Usability is the ability to use an application regardless of physical barrier or not (Can the user accomplish their intended goal?) • For example, hyperlinks on a website Section 508 and Accessible Websites

Accessibility vs. Usability (cont’d) • It’s a chicken and egg thing but one could consider that usability is a subset of accessibility • The user must first be able to access the technology and then use the technology Section 508 and Accessible Websites

Benefits to making a site accessible • Assisting and pleasing a certain percentage of your current audience (moral obligation) • Opening up your site to a new audience • This was the big push in the retail world. • Many of the techniques used to make a site accessible help in other areas (cell phone readability) • Street cred Section 508 and Accessible Websites

Section 508 • Federal government saw a need to legislate how technology they distribute is accessed by physically disabled users • In 1998 amended Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (1973) to include television, video, audio, software, web guidelines • Assistive Technology Act State Grant enforces this at the state level • If you receive DOE funding for technology then your site must be Section 508 compliant • Many organizations follow the standards out of goodwill Section 508 and Accessible Websites

Section 508 (cont’d) • Main tenets of the Section 508 standard • Text equivalents for every non-text element (i.e., alt tags) • Avoid conveying information solely in color • Able to be accessed without an associated stylesheet • Text-based navigation alternatives to imagemaps • Design page elements to avoid flicker • Row and column headers for data tables • Text-only page provided if there is no means for separating content and presentation • Section 508 is a competing standard with the Web Content Accessibility guidelines Section 508 and Accessible Websites

Other guidelines • Have an information architecture plan • Access keys can help • <a href=“somewhere.html” accesskey=“1”>Item 1</a> • Tabindex (useful for forms) • Use XHTML, CSS, web standards • Look into media stylesheets • Aural, Braille, embossed, print, screen, tty, handheld • <link rel=“stylesheet” href=“stylesheet-aural.css” type=“text/css” media=“aural” • Can size their own text? • Design may break • Searchable? Section 508 and Accessible Websites

Testing • Validators (XTHML validation, CSS validation, Section 508 validation) • Firefox web developer toolbar • http://chrispederick.com/work/webdeveloper/ • Bobby (now WebXACT) • http://webxact.watchfire.com/ • Criteria testing (do we have alt tags? do we have access keys?) • Alternative browser testing • Screen readers • Jaws • GW Micro • Lynx • Direct user testing • Color filtering: http://colorfilter.wickline.org Section 508 and Accessible Websites

UNR Initiatives - One in 11 students entering higher education has a document disability - UNR provides services to over 880 students with disabilities • Access keys • Section 508 validation • Contribute/CMS enforcement • Text sizing • XHTML/CSS standards • UNR Disability Resource Center • http://www.unr.edu/stsv/slservices/drc/ Section 508 and Accessible Websites

References and Resources • W3C Web Accessibility Initiative • http://www.w3.org/WAI/ • http://www.w3.org/TR/WAI-WEBCONTENT/ • Section 508 government resources • http://www.section508.gov/ • Building Accessible Websites by Joe Clark • UNR Disability Resource Center • http://www.unr.edu/stsv/slservices/drc/ Section 508 and Accessible Websites

Wrap-up • http://www.whitehouse.gov/accessibility.html • http://www.senate.gov/ • http://www.nv.gov/ Section 508 and Accessible Websites

Contact • Randy Franklin Web Designer University of Nevada, Reno randyf@unr.edu Section 508 and Accessible Websites

Section 508 & Accessible Web Sites