What is web accessibility:
Web accessibility refers to the ease of use to a website. Many people throughout the world are limited in their browsing experience by a disability or disadvantage of some sort. It can range from a lack of sight, to color blindness, to even something as simple as a small sized monitor.
When designing a website, one needs to be aware of all the different possibilities that could come up. In 1998, the federal government decided that inaccessible technology limited individuals’ ability to access information quickly and efficiently. There are many guidelines to consider when designing a website.
Standards used for accessibility:
This is the Section 508 standards webpage. Here you can find information about federal guidelines regarding websites.(links directly to web section of guidelines)http://www.section508.gov/index.cfm?FuseAction=Content&ID=12
Click here to open the page above in a new window.
Priority checklist for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0. These come in three levels of compliance. (Priority 1 should always be met)http://www.w3.org/TR/1999/WAI-WEBCONTENT-19990505/checkpoint-list.html
Click here to open the page above in a new window.
Or click here for a printable checklist of priorities.
Tools to check accessibility:
WAVE Website evaluation tool. This site shows you if you have any accessibility errors on your website, and what those errors might be. Just paste your link on the site.
CynthiaSays is a good validation tool to ensure your site meets Section 508 standards.
