Plone and Web Accessibility

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Web accessibility means that people with disabilities can use the web. More specifically, web accessibility means that people with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with the web, and that they can contribute to the Web. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is an international organization that develops web standards. They’ve recently released the second version of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines: WCAG 2.0 Web accessibility also allows search bots to access and properly index websites, benefits mobile device users, and benefits individuals with technology limitations (e.g. slow Internet connection, no speakers, etc.).

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 will require all Ontario businesses to make their websites accessible to WCAG 2.0 level A when the Information and Communications Standard becomes a regulation (timing TBD). Learn more at www.accesson.ca The Government of Ontario and the U.S. Federal government have strict requirements for web accessibility that vendors and contractors must follow. Organizations with accessible websites reduce their legal risk, demonstrate corporate social responsibility, and increase customer loyalty.

Plone 3 is compliant with WCAG 1.0 level AA and Section 508 (U.S. Federal Government) accessibility standards. The CMFPlone templates are accessible. If you keep your customization primarily to CSS modifications, your site will remain accessible. Input forms created using archetypes are accessible by default. Kupu helps non-technical end users create accessible and standards-compliant HTML. Learn more at plone.org/events/conferences/seattle-2006/presentations/plone-and-accessibility

Web accessibility is not time consuming, expensive or technically impossible. People with disabilities are not a small minority. 1 in 7 Canadians have a disability according to Statistics Canada. Integrate accessibility from the beginning or during a rebuild. Think outside of the box. Accessibility solutions can solve other problems (e.g. multilingual content). There is a learning curve, but once you are familiar with the WCAG guidelines, building accessible sites becomes second nature. Three steps: Make accessible templates Keep accessibility in mind when adding content (e.g. image alt text, data tables, etc.) Do the 5 minute accessibility test!

Web Accessibility Toolbar for Internet Explorer: www.paciellogroup.com/resources/wat-ie-about.html Web Developer Toolbar for Firefox: addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/60 Tab through the entire web page, can you access all functionality? Is there sufficient contrast between text and backgrounds and links and non-link text? Are proper headings used (h1, h2, h3, etc.)? Increase the page text size to largest, does it resize and reflow? Turn off JavaScript, images and CSS (to replicate a screen reader/search bot), can you access all content?

WCAG 2.0 guidelines and resources: www.w3.org/WAI Free web accessibility course: www.atutor.ca/services/courses.php WebAIM accessibility tutorials: www.webaim.org

Kate Kalcevich, owner of www.clearwebstudio.ca, has been building accessible websites since 2001. 10 page site review and report $200 Accessibility testing and remediation of HTML and CSS template $200

Have an accessibility question? Email me at kate@clearwebstudio.ca Thanks for listening!