- By June 21, 2001
- all federal agencies must comply with new rules for providing disabled persons with access to Web sites and other technology
- Disability Direct.gov
- Government Access Board
- HCI Bib
- IBM
- US DOJ 508
- NY Times
- Jim Thatcher tutorial
- Joe Clark
- Web Reference
- Weblog Access
- W3C Accessibility guidelines
- Web Access Initiative
Section 508 Summary
- (a) Text Tags
- A text equivalent for every non-text element shall be provided
- Graphics, use the "alt" attribute
- <img src="pic.jpg" alt="Three people eating pie">
- <img src="spacer.gif" alt="">
- <applet code="weather.class" width="200" height="40"> Current weather conditions </applet>
- Audio: make a text transcript available
- Graphics, use the "alt" attribute
- A text equivalent for every non-text element shall be provided
- (b) Multimedia Presentations
- Multimedia = Audio & Video
- Equivalent alternatives (captioning) for any multimedia presentation shall be synchronized with the presentation.
- (c) Color
- Web pages shall be designed so that all information conveyed with color is also available without color
- Try to make the meaning clear, from the context and/or markup
- For a quick test, try printing your page without color (using just black ink)
- Web pages shall be designed so that all information conveyed with color is also available without color
- (d) Readability (style sheets)
- Documents shall be organized so they are readable without requiring an associated style sheet.
- In general, the "safest" and most useful form of style sheets are "external" style sheets; e.g.
- <link rel=stylesheet type="text/css" href="section508.css">
- (e) Server-Side Image Maps
- See (f) below
- Redundant text links shall be provided for each active region of a server-side image map.
- the redundant text link is necessary to provide access to the page for anyone not able to see or accurately click on the map.
- (f) Client-Side Image Maps
- Client-side image maps shall be provided instead of server-side image maps except where the regions cannot be defined with an available geometric shape.
- (g) & (h) Tables
- Row and column headers shall be identified for data tables.
- (Don't use <pre> to simulate tables)
- Tedious technique: use ID and Headers attributes
- Simplest technique: use TH and SCOPE, for example:
|
- (i) Frames
- Frames shall be titled with text that facilitates frame identification and navigation.
- Hint: don't use frames
- (j) Flicker Rate
- Pages shall be designed to avoid causing the screen to flicker with a frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz.
- This will help avoid causing epileptic seizures
- Likely causes: animated GIFs and Java applets, some plug-ins (Flash)
- (k) Text-Only Alternative
- If it's too difficult following these guidelines, make a text-only (2nd version) of your pages/site.
- (l) Scripts
- When pages utilize scripting languages to display content, or to create interface elements, the information provided by the script shall be identified with functional text that can be read by assistive technology.
- Mouse-overs, unless they're just eye-candy, are probably going to cause problems
- When pages utilize scripting languages to display content, or to create interface elements, the information provided by the script shall be identified with functional text that can be read by assistive technology.
- (m) Applets and Plug-Ins
- When a web page requires that an applet, plug-in or other application be present on the client system to interpret page content, the page must provide a link to a plug-in or applet that complies with §1194.21(a) through (l).
- e.g.: if you have a scrolling stock ticker; make the ticker info available in table/text format, possibly on another page
- Check your pages for <applet> and <object>, and see if they pass the Section 508 rules
- When a web page requires that an applet, plug-in or other application be present on the client system to interpret page content, the page must provide a link to a plug-in or applet that complies with §1194.21(a) through (l).
- (n) Electronic Forms
- When electronic forms are designed to be completed on-line, the form shall allow people using assistive technology to access the information, field elements, and functionality required for completion and submission of the form, including all directions and cues.
- Perhaps the simplest technique, use explicit (not implicit) labels:
- <LABEL FOR="first">FIRST NAME:</LABEL> <INPUT TYPE="TEXT" NAME="FIRSTNAME" ID="first">
- Perhaps the simplest technique, use explicit (not implicit) labels:
- When electronic forms are designed to be completed on-line, the form shall allow people using assistive technology to access the information, field elements, and functionality required for completion and submission of the form, including all directions and cues.
- (o) Navigation Links
- A method shall be provided that permits users to skip repetitive navigation links.
- Put a text or alt-labeled graphic at the top of your page, that skips to the beginning of the content
- (p) Time Delays
- When a timed response is required, the user shall be alerted and given sufficient time to indicate more time is required.