Web Accessibility

Design Tips | Questions & Answers | Resources

Resources

• Assessment: Accessibility of computer-based assessment
• Assistive technology for students with learning disabilities
• Audio and video on the web
• Benefits of Accessible Web
• Cognitive Disabilities and Web Accessibility
• Evaluating Web Accessibility
• Evaluating Web Accessibility with Web Browser Tools
• Flash
• Leading Computer Hardware and Software Manufacturers: How They Address the Needs of People with Disabilities in Their Products
• Online Communication and Collaboration Learning Tools
• Online Learning Resources
• Online Learning Resources - Accessibility Guidelines
• People with Disabilities: How They Use the Web
• PowerPoint for the Web
• University Web Accessibility Policies
• US Laws and Web Accessibility
• Using a Style Sheet to Format a Web Page for Printing
• Web Accessibility Guidelines and Checklists
• Web Design Guidelines
• Web Forms
• Word Accessibility
• Writing for the Web

Assessment: Accessibility of computer-based assessment

The electronic format of assessment benefits students with disabilities. However, it can create accessibility barriers as well. For example, a student who uses a screen reader spends a considerably larger amount of time accessing and navigating an online quiz as compared to his/her peers. If an online quiz is not compatible with the assistive device the student is using, the student may be blocked from completing the quiz at all.

Here are some suggestions:

• Allow students to familiarize themselves with the assessment tool in advance.
• Make sure the assessment tool is compatible with the assistive devices that your students use.
• Provide additional time or support to students who may be disadvantaged due to their disability.
• Consider creating equivalent alternative forms of assessment.

Here are suggested resources for further reading.

• Abell, M., Bauder, D., & Simmons, T. (2004). Universally Designed Online Assessment: Implications for the Future.
• Allan, J., Bulla, N., & Goodman, S. (2003). TEST ACCESS: Guidelines for Computer Administered Testing. Louisville, KY: American Printing House for the Blind.
• Freewood, M. (2005). Accessible Assessments - Staff Guide to Inclusive Practice.
• TechDis. (n.d.). Inclusive Learning and Teaching: ILT for Disabled Learners. 2.4 Technology-Based Assessments (pdf) .
• Thompson, S.J., Johnstone, C.J., Anderson, M. E., & Miller, N. A. (2005). Considerations for the development and review of universally designed assessments (Technical Report 42). Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota, National Center on Educational Outcomes.

Assistive technology for students with learning disabilities

Students with learning disabilities make the biggest group among college students with disabilities. Accessibility efforts in online instruction have not been focused on this target group until recently. Knowing what assistive technology students with learning disabilities use in class will contribute to understanding the needs of these students in education-based information technology. Here are a few examples of assistive technology compensating for a specific learning difficulty.

• Writing: spell checker, online dictionary and thesaurus, word prediction in typing, voice input device, outlining and concept mapping software.
• Reading: e-books, screen reader (eReader, JAWS, Easy Access, Sound Proof), large-screen monitor, talking word processor, talking dictionary (defines and pronounces a word), self-voicing browser (WebSpeak, IBM Home Page Reader), and abbreviation expanders.
• Math: talking calculator (use speech synthesis to speak numbers) and electronic worksheet.
• Organization and Memory: personal data manager and organizer, notes manager, and online calendar and planner.

Find more reading below.

• Cook, R., & Gladhart, M. (2002). A survey of online instructional issues and strategies for postsecondary students with learning disabilities. Wichita State University.
• Day, S. L., & Edwards, B.J. (1996). Assistive technology for postsecondary students with learning disabilities. LDOnline.org.
• DO-IT. (n.d.). Learning Disabilities. University of Washington.
• DO-IT. (n.d.). What are specific computer applications that can assist students with learning disabilities? University of Washington.
• Stahn, S. (2005). Learning disabilities and the power of assistive technology. Universal Learning Center at the Center for Applied Special Technology.
• Wimberly, L., Reed, N., & Morris, M. (2004). Postsecondary students with learning disabilities: Barriers to accessing education-based information technology. Information Technology and Disabilities, 10, 1-2.

Audio and video on the web

To be compliant with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, audio and video must include text equivalents for all non-text content. This is done by providing captions, transcripts, and text descriptions. Below is the list of resources where you can find more information on the topic.

• Burgstahler, S. (n.d.). Creating video and multimedia products that are accessible to people with sensory impairments.
• Horton, S. (2006). Usability tips you can use: Designing accessible audio. Pearson Education, Informit.
• National Center for Accessible Media. (n.d.). Tutorials on creating accessible rich media.
• Skills for Access. (2005). Provide audio descriptions for video or animated content.
• Smith, J. (2003). Captions. WebAIM.
• Thatcher, J. (2005). Audio and multimedia.
• WebAIM. Creating captions using MAGpie.

Benefits of Accessible Web

• W3C. (2002). Auxiliary Benefits of Accessible Web Design.
• Bohman, P. (2003). Introduction to Web Accessibility.
• UsableNet. (2004). Why accessibility is important?
• Moss, T. (2004). How to Sell Accessibility.
• IBM Accessibility Center. (n.d.). Identifying reasons for producing accessible content and products.
• Vanderheiden, G.C. (1990). Thirty-Something (Million): Should They Be Exceptions?

Cognitive Disabilities and Web Accessibility

• Allam, C. (n.d.). Designing a dyslexia-friendly multimedia drawing package for architecture students.
• Bohman, P. (2005). Cognitive disabilities Part 1: We still know too little, and we do even less.
• Bohman, P., & Anderson, S. (2005). A conceptual framework for accessibility tools to benefit users with cognitive disabilities.
• Bradford, J. (2005). Designing web pages for dyslexic readers.
• Brown, D. J., & Lawton, J. (2001). Design guidelines and issues for web site production for use by people with a learning disability (pdf).
• Hudson, R., Weakley, R. & Firminger, P. (2005). Developing sites for users with Cognitive disabilities and learning difficulties.
• Hudson, R., Weakley, R. & Firminger, P. (2005). An Accessibility Frontier: Cognitive disabilities and learning difficulties.
• Jiwnani, K. (2001). Designing for users with cognitive disabilities.
• Kolatch, E. (2000). Designing for users with cognitive disabilities. Department of Computer Science University of Maryland.
• LDWeb. (n.d.). How to design web content for people with learning disabilities.
• Marshall, A. (n.d.). Web design for dyslexic users.
• Rainger, P. (2003). A dyslexic perspective on e-content accessibility. TechDis.
• Vassallo, S. (2003). Enabling the Internet for People with Dyslexia.
• WebAIM. (n.d.). Distractability simulation (for certain types of cognitive disabilities).
• W3C. (2004). How people with disabilities use the Web.

Evaluating Web Accessibility

• Special Needs Opportunity Windows (SNOW). Evaluation and Repair Tools.
• Thatcher, J. Evaluation and Repair: Testing for Section 508 Web Accessibility .
• University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign. Functional Testing for Accessibility.
• WebAIM. Toward User-Centered, Scenario-Based Planning and Evaluation Tools.
• WebAIM. List of Evaluation and Other Tools.
• WebAIM's Tutorial: Evaluating Web Site Accessibility.
• W3C. List of Evaluation Tools.

Evaluating Web Accessibility with Web Browser Tools

The following browser tools help web developers manually assess the accessibility of a web page.

• AIS Web Accessibility Toolbar for Windows IE. Read Steven Faulkner's article Using the AIS Web Accessibility Toolbar.
• Opera 8 web browser. Read Paul Bohman's article Using Opera to Check for Accessibility.
• Web Developer Toolbar for Firefox and Mozilla. Read Patrick H. Lauke's article Evaluating Web Sites for Accessibility with the Firefox Web Developer Toolbar.
• Wave 3.0 Accessibility Toolbar for IE, Netscape, and Mozilla.
• Other Evaluation, Repair, and Transformation Tools for Web Content Accessibility can be found on W3C website.

Flash

Educators quickly realized the power of Flash. Interactive tutorials, assessments, games, simulations are just few examples of educational products created with Macromedia Flash. However, special efforts are needed to make the Flash content universally accessible.

To ensure the accessibility of Flash products:
1) Create accessible Flash content for students who use assistive technologies that support Flash (latest versions of JAWS and Window-Eyes screen readers).
2) Provide an accessible alternative content for students who cannot use Flash.

Below are a few articles devoted to Flash accessibility.

• Kirkpatrick, A. (2002). Flash MX: Moving Toward Accessible Rich Media. A List Apart.
• Kirkpatrick, A. (2005, August). In search of... a perfect plugin technique.
• May, M. (2005, August). Validity, Accessibility, Flash: Choose two. Accessify.
• Regan, Bob. (2005, August). Best practices for accessible Flash design. Macromedia White Paper.
• Smith, J. (2004). Creating Accessible Macromedia Flash Content. WebAIM.

How Leading Computer Hardware and Software Manufacturers Address the Needs of People with Disabilities in Their Products.

• Adobe,
• Apple,
• Corel (pdf),
• Hewlett Packard,
• IBM,
• Macromedia,
• Microsoft,
• Sony,
• Sun Microsystems.

Online Communication and Collaboration Learning Tools

Online learning tools including discussion boards, chats, file sharing, whiteboards, and webcasts to name a few, became essential in higher education. But do students with disabilities have an easy and equal access to these tools? Are there any barriers that prevent them from full participation in the learning process? Read below about the research and successful practices in this area.

• ACollab, an open source web-based collaborative work environment.
• Amtmann, D., Cook, D., & Johnson, K. (2003). Online learning management
  systems: Accessibility of tools for synchronous communication. California State University. Technology and Persons with Disabilities Conference 2003.
• Barstow, C. & Rothberg, M. (2002). Guidelines for developing accessible synchronous communication and collaboration tools. IMS Global Learning Consortium.
• Blackboard. (n.d.). Section 508 implementation.
• Durham University. (n.d.). Disabled students and asynchronous communication tools in a VLE. (PDF)
• Durham University. (n.d.). Disabled students and synchronous communication tools in a VLE. (PDF)
• Koivunen, M.R. (2004). Accessibility of web collaboration technologies. California State University. Technology and Persons with Disabilities Conference 2004.
• Smith, J. (2001). Accessibility of online chat programs. WebAIM.

Online Learning Resources

• Accessibility in Distance Education, the University of Maryland's resource website.
• Accessibility of the Internet in Postsecondary Education: Meeting the Challenge by WebAIM.
• Information Technology and Disabilities E-Journal by EASI.
• Introduction to Accessible Information Technology in Education, University of Washington.
• Left Out Online by Scott Carlson.
• The Potential of Multimedia to Enhance Learning for Students with Dyslexia by Nigel Beacham.
• National Center on Disability and Access to Education. (2005). Accessible Distance Education Technologies and Techniques. Webcast. Utah State University.
• Practical Ways to Make Workplace Distance Learning Accessible by Christina Houck
• Real Connections: Making Distance Learning Accessible to Everyone, a video from Do-IT.

Online Learning Resources - Accessibility Guidelines

• Barstow , C., & Rothberg, M. (2002). Guidelines for Developing Accessible Learning Applications. The National Center for Accessible Media.
• California Community Colleges. (1999). Distance Education: Access Guidelines for Students with Disabilities.
• IMS Global Learning Consortium, Inc. (2001). IMS guidelines for developing accessible learning applications.
• National Center on Accessible Information Technology in Education, the University of Washington. What Considerations Should Be Made in Order to Develop Accessible Web-Based Distance Learning Courses?
• Pearson, E., & Koppi, T. (2001). Guidelines for Accessible Online Courses. The University of New South Wales.

People with Disabilities: How They Use the Web

• http://www.w3.org/WAI/EO/Drafts/PWD-Use-Web/
• http://www.webaim.org/techniques/
• http://www.techdis.ac.uk/seven/disability_and_the_web.html
• http://diveintoaccessibility.org/by_disability.html
• http://www.alistapart.com/articles/wiwa/
• http://ncam.wgbh.org/cdrom/guideline/disabilities.html
• http://www.drc-gb.org/open4all/newsroom/website1.asp Simulation of problems people with different impairments may have on the web.
• http://www.vischeck.com/vischeck/ Colorblind vision simulator.

PowerPoint for the Web

Accessibility in Distance Education. Microsoft PowerPoint.

Banks, R., Coombs, E., & Coombs, N. (2005). Accessible PowerPoint on the Web: Tools that can help. Technology and Persons with Disabilities Conference Proceedings.

Cummins, J.C. (2004). Designing accessible PowerPoint presentations and PDF files for the Web. The University of Tennessee.

IBM Accessibility Center. (2005). Creating accessible Microsoft PowerPoint documents.

National Center on Disability and Access to Education. (2005). NCDAE Tips and Tools: Microsoft PowerPoint. Utah State University.

Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired. (2005). How to Make an Accessible Web-based PowerPoint Presentation.

University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign. Illinois Accessible Web Publishing Wizard: Accessibility Wizard Manual.

WebAIM. (n.d). PowerPoint accessibility techniques.

University Web Accessibility Policies

• Accessible Design Statements and Standards in Higher Education, the University of Washington.
• Introduction: Overview of a Model of Reform, an article by WebAIM.
• College and University Guidelines, Policies, Processes, and Resources on Web Accessibility, Johns Hopkins University.
• Supporting Web Accessibility Policies: Creating a Campus E-Culture of Inclusion at UW-Madison by Alice Anderson.
• University Web Accessibility Policies: A Bridge Not Quite Far Enough, an article by WebAIM.
• Web Accessibility Policies (and Pseudo Policies) in Postsecondary Institutions by WebAIM.

US Laws and Web Accessibility

• Web Accessibility Initiative's: Policies Relating to Web Accessibility.
• Web Accessibility and the Law: Recent Legal Developments and Advocacy Strategies.
• US Laws, WebAIM tutorial on US laws affecting web accessibility.
• Tennessee Web Accessibility Policy and Standards.
• Web Accessibility in Post-Secondary Education: Legal and Policy Considerations.

Using a Style Sheet to Format a Web Page for Printing

• Gustafson, A. (2005). Improving link display for print.
• Kalbach, J. (2003). Printing the Web.
• Kyrnin, J. (n.d.). CSS media types create print-friendly pages.
• Meyer, E. (2002). CSS design: Going to print.
• Meyer, E. (2005). ALA's new print styles.
• Wilkinson, J. (2003). Print Stylesheets.
  

Web Accessibility Guidelines and Checklists

• W3C. Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0
• W3C. Checklist for W3C's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0
• Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act Standards, § 1194.22
• WebAIM. Checklist for Section 508 Standards
• Access Board. Guidelines for Section 508 Compliance
• Tennessee Web Accessibility Standards Checklist (based on Section 508)

Web Design Guidelines

• IBM. (n.d.). Web Design Guidelines. Design.
• Lynch, P. J., & Horton, S. (2005). Web style guide.
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Research-based web design and usability guidelines.

Web Forms Forms

• Accessible forms by Jim Thatcher.
• Build Accessible Online Forms by Yan Lloyd.
• Creating Accessible Forms by WebAIM.
• Forms and Interaction by Joe Clark.

Word Accessibility

Microsoft Word documents are generally compatible with assistive technology. However, an incorrectly formatted or structured Word document can create difficulties for students with disabilities. For example, a blind student who uses a screen reader has difficulty scanning a Word document if its headings are not formatted with true Word styles. A color-blind student may fail to differentiate the text highlighted with the low-contrast color. In addition, incorrectly formatted documents hamper the accessibility of the Word files exported to PDF and HTML.

The online resources below explain further the accessibility techniques for Word.

• Adobe. (n.d.). Authoring for accessibility and reflow in Microsoft Word And Acrobat.
• Georgia Tech Research on Accessible Distance Education. (2003).
  Guidelines: Accessible Word Documents.
• Human Ability and Accessibility Center. (2003). Creating accessible Microsoft Word documents. IBM Corporation.
• National Center on Disability and Access to Education. (2006). NCDAE Tips and Tools: Microsoft Word. Utah State University.
• WebAIM. (n.d.). Microsoft Word Accessibility Techniques.

Writing for the Web

• Burne, J. (2004). Accessible web typography [electronic version].
• Lynch, P., & Horton, S. (2002). Editorial Style.
• Moss, T. (2005). Website content and usability.
• Morkes, J., & and Nielsen, J. (1997). Concise, SCANNABLE, and objective: How to write for the Web.
• Nielsen, J., Schemenaur, P.J., & Fox, J. (n.d.). Writing for the Web.
• Skills for Access. (n.d.). Maximize text readability - general advice.
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2003). Research-based web guidelines: Writing web content (pdf).