Accessibility
beyond the desktop
Henny Swan
Web Evangelist, Opera
hennys@opera.com
@iheni

Accessibility beyond the desktop
Reality or myth?

We’re at a cross roads
Mobile web 1999 = desktop 1998

Use web standards: Use W3C guidelines:
HTML, CSS, MWBP 1.0, WCAG 2.0
JavaScript, XML (there is a cross over)

Innovate with emerging technologies
WAI-ARIA, CSS3 Media Queries, HTML5, Geolocation

Let’s not make the same mistakes of
the desktop 1998
• Progressive enhancement - media types to media
queries
• Set a baseline - accessibility supported technologies
(both desktop and mobile)
• Test - Opera Dragonfly (tests desktop and mobile)
• One web - avoid .mobi or iphone only sites
hennys@opera.com @iheni www.iheni.com

Credits
Images
• Questioned proposal http://www.flickr.com/photos/eleaf/2536358399/
• Walled gardens - http://vanelsas.wordpress.com/2008/05/05/would-you-be-willing-to-pay-for-
a-web-20-service-that-provides-value/
• Speedometer: http://www.flickr.com/photos/adc/391594014/
• Opera Mobile Settings http://www.techhail.com/mobiles/download-opera-mobile-9-7-beta-for-
windows-mobiles/437
• Shodo brushes: http://www.flickr.com/photos/petitshoo/8058238/
• Access denied http://www.flickr.com/photos/urbanphotographer/1302908143/
• Super Timor: http://www.ickr.com/photos/felixjacksonjr/2280660104/
Resources and links
• Mobile Web 2009 = Desktop Web 1998 http://www.useit.com/alertbox/mobile-2009.html
• Geolocation example from Shwetank Dixit http://experimenting.in/other/
demo_geo_twitter_mashup.htm
• Mobile Web Best Practices 1.0 http://www.w3.org/TR/mobile-bp/
• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG/
• Relationship between Mobile Web Best Practices (MWBP) and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
(WCAG) http://www.w3.org/TR/mwbp-wcag/
• Opera Developer Network http://www.opera.com/developer
• Opera Developer Network Blog http://my.opera.com/ODIN/blog/
• Opera Dragonfly http://www.opera.com/dragonfly/
• Opera Web Standards Curriculum http://www.opera.com/company/education/curriculum/
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