| Overview | | | | to encourage them to leave your site quickly. |
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| There is a lot of talk these days with regard | | | | Aside from looking tacky, flashing effects |
| to proper development practices and | | | | are to be avoided to ensure those sensitive |
| accessible web design. If you don't think any | | | | to seizures are not at risk. Content is both |
| of this applies to you or your website, you | | | | more effective and better understood by those |
| probably don't understand exactly what this | | | | with developmental and learning disabilities |
| is all about. Web Accessibility refers to | | | | when it is written in plain text. |
| the practice of creating websites that will | | | | |
| be useable for people of any ability or | | | | The Web Accessibility Initiative |
| disability. Many things come into play when | | | | |
| accounting for a person's eye sight, | | | | The WAI started in 1999 by the World Wide Web |
| mobility, auditory and logic skills. | | | | Consortium and is viewed as the standard set |
| | | | of guidelines for creating accessible |
| Too many web development companies overlook | | | | websites. Although there has been some |
| the importance of coding a website in | | | | criticism of their guidelines they have been |
| meaningful HTML. Utilities for blind users, | | | | working since 2003 to release the second |
| such as text-to-speech software, make use of | | | | edition of accessibility standards which will |
| alternate text for images and properly named | | | | be much more technology-neutral. This will |
| links. Another downside to overlooking proper | | | | leave more room for interpretation and |
| HTML lies with the robots search engines send | | | | adaptability. |
| out to read your website. These computers | | | | |
| that browse the internet by themselves can | | | | The guide goes into great depth on how to |
| learn a lot more about your website, and get | | | | create accessible web content and includes a |
| a lot deeper into your site when they aren't | | | | checkpoint summary by topic and priority. |
| confused by poor coding practices. | | | | They discuss important issues and provide |
| | | | design solutions for a number of scenarios |
| Many people have difficulty controlling a | | | | that cause conflicts. |
| mouse with precision, and can become | | | | |
| frustrated while attempting to select a small | | | | The Future of Accessibility |
| link. Web designers need to allow for | | | | |
| enlargeable text sizes and create larger | | | | We are at a point now where there is no doubt |
| clickable areas whenever possible. Links | | | | accessibility is important, in fact it is |
| should always be styled and colored different | | | | already a legal requirement in certain |
| than body text so that even color blind users | | | | countries. Try searching Google for anything |
| can quickly locate the links on any web page. | | | | along the lines of 'web accessibility' and |
| Pages can even be coded in a fashion that | | | | you'll see the vast amounts of information |
| allows them to be navigated without a mouse | | | | available. There's still a lot of work to be |
| or keyboard should your audience be likely to | | | | done, but we've come a long way over the last |
| require this. | | | | few years. |
| | | | |
| No website should ever rely solely on a video | | | | With more and more websites being populated |
| or audio component to convey information. | | | | with user generated content, a simple set of |
| Problems here extend farther than those who | | | | guidelines for web designers is becoming less |
| are hard of hearing or have poor eyesight. | | | | useful. It is impossible to monitor this |
| You are relying on certain hardware and or | | | | content for accessibility as it is being |
| software to be installed on the visitor's | | | | created at such a rapid rate. We are also |
| computer. If a user has no speakers, or if | | | | seeing new assistive technologies that |
| they are turned off, they could miss your | | | | support elements like JavaScript, PDF's and |
| important message or even be annoyed if they | | | | Flash which will create many new options for |
| were listening to something else. Visitors | | | | websites that remain fully accessible. |
| are valuable and you should never do anything | | | | |