Web accessibility refers to implementing user-friendly website features. This website enhancement occurs indiscriminately, thereby making it usable by people of all abilities. Users have equal access to all information and functionality, especially when correctly designed, developed, and edited according to the website owner's discretion. In other words, visually impaired users can effectively surf a particular website if it has enabled text-to-speech or text-to-Braille software recognition. Enlargeable text also applies to this scenario; therefore, allowing the user to click on links with precision. Keyboard navigated websites allow users to peruse its homepage without using a standard mouse. A single switch access device may eliminate the necessity for a standard keyboard altogether. Closed-captioned videos aid the hearing impaired to fully understand the content outlined on the website. Other examples include instructional diagrams and detailed animations that aid dyslexic individuals to better understanding the content. Web accessibility combines all of the aforementioned features to cater toward a broader audience. Accessibility Statements
- Writing an Access Statement for Your Business (PDF): A document detailing the importance of web accessibility by answering the who, what, why, and where questions about the concept.
- Web Accessibility Principles: An extensive list of the web accessibility principles that every web operator should implement into their design.
- Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Standards - Section 508 Final Rule: The expected lawful standards outlined in Section 508.
- Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0: An overview of the basic guidelines used in creating web accessible content.
- Web Accessibility Checker: An online tool used to check whether the web accessibility statement measures up to the current standards.
- Free Assistive Technology Software (Yes, Free!): A comprehensive list of online assistive technology catered towards the disabled.
- Scenarios of People with Disabilities Using the Web: Real life examples given to website administrators that demonstrate why web accessibility helps both the website owner and the disable audience that views each web page.
- Introduction to the Screen Reader Video Series: A comprehensive video series that teaches how to use a screen reader for the visually impaired.
- Hearing Assistive Technology Online Guide (PDF): An extensive guide to implementing hearing assistive technology online for the hearing impaired.
- Assistive Technology for Children with Learning Disabilities (PDF): The Schwab Foundation of Learning teaches families and school faculty about web accessibility for children with learning disabilities.
- The Benefit of Accessible Design for Able-Bodied Users of the World Wide Web: This abstract paper stresses the benefits of accessible design for those without disabilities.
- Benefits of Web Accessibility: A series of video tutorials that introduces the benefits of web accessibility. Users must have the QuickTime plug-in to view this video series.
- Who Benefits from an Accessible Web Design?: The University of Maine answers a series of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about accessible web design, including who exactly benefits from the integrated features.
- The Hidden Benefits of Accessible Web Pages: A short summary of the hidden benefits contained within accessible web pages.
- How does Accessible Web Design Benefit All Web Users? A brief bulleted list of accessible web benefits, including text alternatives, color contrast to convey information, relative rather than absolute units, natural language clarification, and a clear, simple design.
- Designing for Users with Cognitive Disabilities: An introduction to web accessibility for individuals with cognitive disabilities using illustrations to convey meanings.
- Web Accessibility for Cognitive Disabilities: A basic outline of web accessibility for cognitively disabled people. It includes what defines the psyche of the cognitively disabled.
- Disabilities & Medical Conditions That Can Affect Web Accessibility: A general overview of using web accessibility to help disabled and medically impaired individuals navigate the World Wide Web.
- How can Web Pages be Made Accessible to Individuals who have Cognitive Disabilities?: A fact sheet presenting information about making web pages accessible to people with cognitive disabilities.
- Multimodal Summarization for People with Cognitive Disabilities (PDF): A short summary of individuals with cognitive disabilities that prevent them from fully comprehending what they read.
- Lists and Definitions: A comprehensive list of items and web resources that should have HTML markup that allows all users access to web pages.
- Accessibility and Disability Defined: A brief rundown of what web accessibility defines and who these features help the most in the long run.
- Top Ten Tips for Making Your Website Accessible: Great insight on making your website accessible and includes examples.
- Web Accessibility Theory and Practice: An Introduction for University (PDF): An extensive document introducing web accessibility in theory and applying it to practical applications in the digital world.
- Web Accessibility and Why It Matters (PDF): This important document provides an in-depth analysis of why web accessibility matters to the general public, including the able-bodied and less fortunate.
- Americans with Disabilites Act of 1990: The American with Disabilities Act defends disabled persons from being actively discriminated against in the workplace and public venues. It established laws that enforced establishments to offer accessibility to the less fortunate, including the hearing, visually, cognitively, and physically impaired.
- Section 508 Homepage: Electronic and Information Technology: An extensive list of procured federal regulations of electronic and information technology, including the necessity of providing web accessibility to disabled individuals.
- Section 504, Rehabilitation Act of 1973: A law that forbids the exclusion of disabled individuals from any program or activity within the United States.
- 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design: A condensed version of the American Disabilities Act that focuses on the federally imposed standards of web accessibility for disabled individuals.
- Web Accessibility: Legal Questions: A series of frequently asked questions (FAQ) addressing the legality of web accessibility for disabled viewers.
- Are There Laws that Govern Web Accessibility? Yes, Read On!: An outline of the federal regulations that enforce a non-discriminatory policy against the disabled.
- Accessibility: Multimedia Elements for Web-Based Material: A brief tutorial to introducing multimedia elements for the sole purpose of enhancing web accessibility features.
- Guideline 1.2: Time-based Media: An in-depth guideline for building web pages equipped with time-based media devices.
- Accessible Digital Media Guidelines: An extensive list of guidelines for implementing digital media for disabled individuals.
- Audio and Multimedia: An introduction to making audio readily accessible for the visually impaired.
- Web Accessibility Guidelines for Digital Learning Products: A set of forty two guidelines addressing methods of designing digital learning products for those with learning disabilities.
- Universal Subtitles: This online transcribing web page translates all video from the native language into accurate subtitles.
- Accessible PDF: An introduction to making Adobe Reader compliant with web accessibility standards.
- Accessible PowerPoint on the Web: Tools that Can Help: A comprehensive list of tools to make PowerPoint presentations meet web accessibility standards.
- Office 2010: Accessibility Investments & Document Accessibility: Microsoft Office presents methods to converting standard files into web accessible documents.
- Facts and Opinions About PDF Accessibility: An extensive list of facts and opinions about making PDF files accessible to disabled individuals using screen reading software.
- Accessibility @ Adobe: Video Library: Adobe presents a comprehensive video series on converting files into web accessible documents.
- Creating accessible PDFs from Word 2007: Microsoft provides a tutorial to creating Word files into web accessible documents.
- Accessibility Testing: A comprehensive overview on testing web accessibility to ensure that these features meet federal regulations.
- Accessibility Testing and Reporting with TAW3: A web page that provides a comprehensive tutorial of the free TAW 3 tool to aid in testing the accessibility of web pages.
- Evaluating Web Site Accessibility with WAVE: A slide show offering a tutorial that formally presents how to test for Section 508 compliance using a web accessibility evaluation tool.
- Training for Testing Software for 508 Compliance: The Department of Veterans Affairs offers training for using specially designed software that tests a web page for Section 508 compliance.
- Testing for Accessibility: Microsoft offers web accessibility testing tutorials for Windows
- Mini-FAQ About the Alternate Text of Images: A set of frequently asked questions (FAQ) about tagging alternate text onto images for disabled persons.
- Testing Image Links with ALT Tags and Titles: A testing method that involves validating the functionality of alternate tags and titles on digital images.
- Why Add Alternative Text to Descriptions?: This brief article explains why alternative text serves as an aid for the disabled.
- Building an Appropriate ALT Tag: This web page provides adequate instructions to creating appropriate alternate tags for digital images.
- Alternative Text Descriptions (Alt Text): A brief rundown of alternate text descriptions and their role in aiding disabled individuals.