Abstract
Web site design that does not conform to emerging accessibility standards and legislation will be increasingly under attack. In order to facilitate Web-based computer mediated communication to the disabled, extensive guidelines and laws are now in place to guide designers of content, development tools and devices and software used by those with disabilities. This chapter discusses accessibility guidelines in general and then outlines the two major efforts to ensure the accessibility of information through the Web: the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and Section 508 of the American Rehabilitation Act. Then, it will show the means by which content is evaluated for its accessibility. Finally, it will give an overview design practice that produces accessible content for consumption on the Web.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Accessible Design: The planning and creation of resources that can be fully used by people with disabilities
Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI): An initiative by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) to set standards for access to Web-based resources for the disabled
Markup Languages: Text embedded within content used to describe that content
Web Site Accessibility: The extent to which Web-based resources can be used by people with disabilities
Web Site Design: Planning and architecting Web-based resources
Section 508: The part of the American Rehabilitation Act that sets accessibility guidelines and legal specifications for the procurement and use of electronic devices and information
Accessibility Validation: The use of tools to measure the extent to which, according to specified standards, Web-based resources may be used by people with disabilities
Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI): An initiative by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) to set standards for access to Web-based resources for the disabled
Markup Languages: Text embedded within content used to describe that content
Web Site Accessibility: The extent to which Web-based resources can be used by people with disabilities
Section 508: The part of the American Rehabilitation Act that sets accessibility guidelines and legal specifications for the procurement and use of electronic devices and information
Accessible Design: The planning and creation of resources that can be fully used by people with disabilities
Web Site Design: Planning and architecting Web-based resources
Accessibility Validation: The use of tools to measure the extent to which, according to specified standards, Web-based resources may be used by people with disabilities