A Guide to Building Accessible Web Sites

Will cyberspace be a place of broad global exchange, or a gated virtual community? Publicity about the "digital divide" has brought the issue of technology haves and have-nots to our attention, but what happens when have-nots become haves? Once online, will they find information that is relevant to their lives on sites they can access? What will encourage authentic participation by all netizens? While placing computers in public libraries or laying cable in rural areas might be the responsibility of governments and corporations, addressing these questions is a responsibility for all of us, whether we are putting up a Web site for our nonprofit organization or simply sending an e-mail to a listserv.

Let's look at two aspects of this large area of concern, and some practical steps we can take.

Able Access: Could Helen Keller Read Your Page?

"The curb cut to the twenty-first century is technology and every American should have equal access to this tool," FCC Chairman Kennard observed. People with disabilities have much to gain from online access, including social interaction, job opportunities, even shopping without the bother of carrying packages. But while the ADA would prevent us from opening our offices in a building without a wheelchair ramp, no regulations, labor or civil rights laws stop us from creating Web sites that will be impossible for some people to enter. Only Federal agencies are required to provide information in accessible formats.

How many times have you received an email newsletter with decorative punctuation marks used to create a design? A text reader reads every one of them, so that cute line of asterisks sounds like this: "asterisk....asterisk...asterisk." Many unlabeled graphs, tables and images on Web sites do not work with the tools used by visually impaired netizens. Those with physical impairments, such as multiple sclerosis, palsy, or various forms of arthritis find the task of manipulating a mouse, typing, dual-key keyboard commands, and mouse/key combinations difficult.

What can you do? Take your Web site through the "Bobby test."This free software will generate an analysis of your site's accessibility and browser compatibility, and suggestions for fixing it. Once your site meets the standards, you are entitled to display a Bobby Approved icon (shown at the end of this paragraph) on your site. Readings cited below point to additional design steps you can take to make sure there a curb cut in front of your cyber door and all visitors feel welcome.

Develop Meaningful Content

The U.S. Department of Education's National Literacy Survey suggests that nearly 25% of all adults in America are functionally illiterate, which means they may have basic literacy skills but they can't apply them effectively in their day-to-day lives. As a text-based medium, the internet will be of little use to people with limited literacy. Or is it?

According to a recent study by the Children's Partnership, individuals with low-literacy skills have very specific suggestions about the content they would like to find when they go online. They include: materials to help them prepare for securing a high school equivalency degree, simple tutorials for different software programs; tutorials that show people the benefits of the Internet and how it can assist in day-to-day living. Low-literacy and non-native English speakers also asked for tools to develop linguistic and other skills, such as interactive Web sites that contain grammar practice, vocabulary development, and reading assistance.

While programmers and high-tech consultants can find copious job listings online, local entry-level positions are not typically posted online. And while a home-buyer can peruse house listings on the Web, finding rentals and affordable housing listings online is also difficult.

The Children's Partnership research showed consensus in the request for practical information focusing on the local community, including listings for free neighborhood events, places to go for family outings, and information about local school schedules and programs. As simple as that sounds, increasingly local information is being presented by non-local corporate entities such as AOL Digital Cities or CitySearch who can easily miss community details. Indeed, little basic life and life-skills information is available online.

What Can You Do?

Make sure that information on your Web site is available in simple easy-to-read, easy-to-print formats. Depending on your clientele, a bilingual site might be appropriate. Don't assume that everyone knows how to navigate Web sites, or save files; provide how-to information. Encourage members, clients or participants to contribute information about events they attend, and post it on your site. Work with others in your community to make sure that relevant local information, particularly housing and job information, is collected in one place and easily accessible online. Let community technology centers, community networks and libraries know about your site and others you think might be of value to low-literacy netizens.

In the 1920s John Dewey observed, "It is in the first instance an intellectual problem: the search for conditions under which the great society becomes the great community. When these conditions are brought into being, they will create their own forms." The Web has the potential to become the form by which we create inclusive communities and vibrant civic life both on- and off-line.

Quick Tips To Make Accessible Web Sites

• Organize content logically and clearly: Use headings, lists, and consistent structure. Use CSS for layout and style where possible.
• Imagesand animations: Use the alt attribute to describe the function of each visual. Provide text equivalents for all non-text elements. Ensure that all information conveyed with color is also available without color.
• Image maps: Use client-side MAP and text for hotspots. Provide summaries of graphs and charts
• Multimedia: Provide captioning and transcripts of audio, and descriptions of video.
• Hypertext links: Use text that makes sense when read out of context. For example, avoid "click here."
• Graphsand charts: Summarize or use the longdesc attribute.
• Scripts, applets,and plug-ins: Provide alternative content in case active features are inaccessible or unsupported.
• Frames: Use NO FRAMES and provide meaningful titles.
• Tables: Make line by line reading sensible. Summarize.
• Check your work: Validate. Use tools, checklist, and guidelines at WAI Guidelines and Techniques. Run it through the Bobby Web site accessibility tool.

For complete guidelinesand an accessbility checklist, read WAI Guidelines and Techniques(c) W3C ( MIT, INRIA, Keio) 2000/02