Accessibility Tips
In order to allow to user get best from your web site, make sure that you take the following points into consideration when creating your content:Use headers
Make sure that you use headers within your content. It allows the content to be read easily and the user can distinguish between breaks in the page.
Use horizontal rules
This (as well as headers) helps with breaking the page apart for the user.
Use links within the content
Make sure that you like within your content so that the user doesn't have to keep using the menu. If you add links as the content is flowing, it allows the user to automatically find their destination without them having the remember a certain word or phrase and then referring to the menu.
Don't worry about using images
Images help when you're trying to sell yourself or convey an idea. You must remember that images can be accessible as long as you take the necessary procedures to make them accessible. Always use the alternative tag as well as the title tag.
The ALT Tag
When using the IMG or AREA elements, authors should always use the ALT attribute to provide a textual alternative. The ALT attribute is presented to those not loading images - estimated to account for 30% of all web users. The ALT attribute is best used to provide the function of the image rather than a description of the image. For example, ALT="Welcome to the Web Design Group" is more useful to those not loading images than ALT="Web Design Group logo".In general, users of a text-only browser like Lynx should be unaware that there are any images on the page, unless the image is content that cannot be completely replaced with text. In this case, such as in a photo album or art gallery, the image's function and description are essentially the same thing, and so a description of the image would be appropriate for the ALT text.
Images that are purely decorative should use ALT=" " to indicate explicitly that the image is not content. Decorative bullets should be replaced with ALT="*" or something similar - not ALT="Round yellow bullet".
When images are alongside text or other images, some form of separation may be necessary, such as ALT=" [Photograph of me] " or ALT="Web Design Group ~".
Text Images
Images of text are quite common on the Web, but they can be difficult for those with poor vision or with high resolutions on small monitors. In HTML, text is sized according to the user's preferred font size, but when using images of text the author must choose an absolute font size in pixels for the user. Since different users have different tastes, trying to guess a suitable font size is not a good idea. Thus, authors should avoid using images of text as much as possible.Avoid colouring content
This may sound funny, but you should avoid colouring and styling your content unless it's linked with your CSS document. If you colour or style your content, you may find that the content is now no longer consistent with the rest of the site and can make the site look unprofessional as well as creating validation errors and accessibility issues.Developer's Links
Below is a list of some good resources when it comes to making a web site accessible:- FireStarter's Introduction to Accessibility, Accessibility Tips, Introduction to Web Design Laws and eGov Framework.
- W3C's Web Accessibility Initiative.
- The Cynthia Says Portal accessibility validation service.
- Bobby, another web based accessibility validation service.
- WebThing Site Valet, another web based accessibility validation service.
- The Vischeck service can test web pages for possible accessibility problems caused by colour blindness.
To talk to me about your requirements, discuss a quote or ask for further advice and information, please contact Firestarter Media Group via the online form or email Firestarter Media Group on hello@firestartermedia.com.
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