The document summarizes a presentation about integrating web accessibility into training at Cascade User Conference 2014. It discusses administrator options in the content management system to enable accessibility, common accessibility myths versus realities, best practices for alternative text, headings, tables, and more. The presenter emphasizes the importance of accessibility and shares resources to help make content more inclusive.

1. Accessibility in Practice:
Integrating Web Accessibility into
Cascade Training
Cascade User Conference 2014

2. Darren Denham
Web Content Manager
University of Central Oklahoma
405-974-2606
http://technology.uco.edu
ddenham@uco.edu
twitter.com/DarrenWasHere

3. The Rundown
1. Administrator Options
2. Training Opportunities
3. Why It Matters
4. Training Demo
Based On Votes

4. Accessibility – Down the Rabbit Hole
 Section 508 U.S.
Rehabilitation Act
 Americans With Disabilities
Act (ADA)
 Web Content Accessibility
Guidelines (WCAG)
 State/Local requirements
 Oklahoma Electronic
Information Technology
Accessibility (EITA) Act
 Web Accessibility in Higher
Education Project (WAHEP)

5. Control What You Can

6. Map Guidelines To System Options
 Consider Accessibility During Template Development
 Enforce Color Contrast via CSS
WCAG 2.2 Ensure that foreground and background color
combinations provide sufficient contrast
 Form Controls in form builder WCAG 12.4 - Associate labels
explicitly with their controls.
 Skip Links & Link Lists
 Keyboard navigation
 System Settings/Options
 Disable Font Assignment for the Content Editor
 Use Format Drop-down for H1, H2, etc.
 Enable Accessibility Checker System-wide

7. Accessibility Myths vs. Reality

8. All Links Should Use Title
 REALITY: The Title attribute is generally ignored by most
screen readers (using default settings). Avoid “read more”
and “click here” and instead use descriptive text.

9. Goal: Quality Link Text
 Avoid “Click Here” & “Read More”
 Craft Descriptive Links
 Title can be blank when links describe destination

10. Open All Non-Institution Links In
A New Tab or Window
REALITY: By default, browsers
open links in the same window.
Changing this behavior, breaks
navigation.
User choice is removed and
unexpected outcomes are
introduced.
Individuals with cognitive
disabilities should be considered.

11. Open In New Window
 New Window breaks navigation
 Train to your policy/guidelines
 Begin discussions to change mindset
 Open in new window is second-nature
 New window acceptable in some cases
WCAG 2.0 G200

12. Always Open PDF in New Window
 REALITY: The jury is still out.
Compromise by including a warning:
Download the campus map (opens in a new window).

13. Since Most Images Are Decorative
Alt Text Isn’t Required
REALITY: The majority of
images on the web are
used to convey
information, present data
or enhance page content.
 Consider why the image
is present when crafting
the alternate text.
[image of something,
maybe a wall of
framed photos]

14. Images & Alternative Text
 Avoid phrases such as:
 “logo”
 “image of”
 “photo”
 Images – Informative & Decorative
 Examples
 Context helps determine description.
 Some descriptions may be more detailed based on the usage and
content of the page.
 Images that repeat information already presented may be
considered decorative.

15. Images & Alternative Text
 Images – Decorative
 Decorative – mark as decorative to leave blank
in Cascade. (displayed as “” in HTML)

16. Images & Alternative Text
 Images with Text
 If text is within the image, and not present elsewhere, utilize
alternative text.

17. Avoid Tables
REALITY: Tables, when
crafted with accessibility in
mind, can be effective.
Tables require more
planning and more effort to
implement properly.

18. Tables – Training Kryptonite
 Offer Table-specific
training.
 Utilize DIVs for layouts in
template design
 Layout tables should not
contain data.
 Layout tables are read
in linear manner.
 Data Tables use specific
attributes like
"summary,”
“caption” and “th.”
1 3 5
2 4 6

19. Not All Web Pages Need Headlines
 REALITY: The Headline, or H1
Heading, tells the assistive
technology where the content
begins.
 Imagine a newspaper without
headlines!

20. Heading 1 – Content Starts Here
 Begin each page with Heading 1 (H1)
 Create prebuilt headings
 Utilize Format dropdown during training

21. Accessibility Checklist (Section 508)
 UCO Campus Committee
& State of Oklahoma
Commitment
 Development of
accessibility checklist
handout
 Integration into Cascade
training

22. Because “Why” is as important as “How”

23. Tell A Story
 Make Connection with Accessibility
o Campus /Local Resources
 Campus Organizations
o Students for an Accessible Society
 Share Personal Experience
 Volunteer for Events
o Paralympic Games
o Special Olympics
o Local Events

24. Partnerships
 Disability Support Services
o Review training
o Validation/Testing
o Screencast examples of assistive technology in use
 Multimedia Services
o Captioning
o Descriptive Audio
 Distance Education
o Accessibility in online courses

25. Resources
 WebAIM Web Accessibility In Mind
http://webaim.org
 Section508.gov - Resources for understanding and implementing Section 508
http://www.section508.gov
 Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0
www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20
 U.S. Department of Labor
http://www.dol.gov/odep/topics/Technology.htm
 FCC Accessing Social Media webinar
http://www.fcc.gov/events/accessing-social-media
 Dev Wc3 Alt Text Decision Tree
http://dev.w3.org/html5/alt-techniques/developer.html#tree
 4 Syllables Alt Text Decision Tree
http://www.4syllables.com.au/2010/12/text-alternatives-decision-tree
 Digital.Gov - How to Use Assistive Technology to Comply with Section 508
http://youtu.be/4XJcswWmmAw http://www.digitalgov.gov

26. Darren Denham
405-974-2606
http://technology.uco.edu
ddenham@uco.edu
twitter.com/DarrenWasHere
www.DarrenWasHere.com