The document discusses why web accessibility is important and provides tips for testing and improving accessibility. It notes that accessibility makes sites more usable for all users, can be required by law, and helps users be happy. It recommends tools like WAVE for testing and ensuring proper contrast ratios, alt text for images, associated form labels, and logical content layout without CSS. The document encourages reaching out on Twitter for more information.

1. Accessibility
Jen Pengelly
Excella Consulting
Arlington, VA
@jenpengelly

2. Why Web Accessibility Matters
• Make our sites more functional and usable
• We want our users to be happy
• Sometimes it is the law

3. Test it!
Skip Links
Keyboard Traps
Loss of Focus

4. Tools for Testing
• WebAIM (http://wave.webaim.org/)
• WAVE Chrome Extension (http://
wave.webaim.org/extension/)
• Legal requirements may require use of a specific
testing tool or standard

5. Contrast Issues
Typical Passing Ratio is 4.5:1

6. Alt Tags
Images need an alt tag
• Keep it concise (150 characters or less)
• But make it meaningful
• Decorative images can include an empty alt tag
(alt=“”)

7. Form Attributes
Labels need a ‘for’ attribute to make the input’s id
Other form elements or inputs (i.e. select) without a label
should have a title attribute

8. Turn Off CSS
• Ensure content is laid out in a logical and easy to
understand way when stylesheets are disabled.
• Minimize use of CSS to hide and show content if it
disrupts the logical flow of content
• Use partials or front end frameworks

9. Thank you!!
If you’d like to know more or want to share
anything with me, please find me!!
@jenpengelly