Adrian Roselli's talk at the Booster Conference 2016 emphasizes the importance of web accessibility (a11y) and techniques to enhance it. The presentation outlines various disabilities, challenges faced in accessibility, and best practices such as using alt text for images, proper HTML tagging, and ensuring proper visibility and navigability through web content. Key recommendations include not disabling zoom, avoiding infinite scroll, and using appropriate typography for dyslexia.

1. Fringe Accessibility Techniques
(That Probably Shouldn’t Be)
Presented by Adrian Roselli for Booster Conference 2016
#booster2016
Slides from this talk will be available at rosel.li/Booster

2. What We’ll Cover
• Intro
• The (not really) Fringe
• Key Takeaways
Work with me, people.

3. Intro
1 of 3 sections.

4. About Adrian Roselli
• Co-written four books.
• Technical editor
for two books.
• Written over fifty
articles, most recently
for .net Magazine and
Web Standards Sherpa.
• You might know me from the
food lines downstairs.
Great bedtime reading!

5. About Adrian Roselli
• Member of W3C HTML Working Group*, W3C
Accessibility Task Force, five W3C Community
Groups.
• Building for the web since 1994.
• Business owner / founder, ~20 years.
• Now independent / unemployed.
• Learn more at AdrianRoselli.com.
• Avoid on Twitter @aardrian.
I warned you.

6. What is a11y?
• A numeronym for “accessibility”:
• The first and last letter,
• The number of characters omitted.
• Prominent on Twitter (character restrictions):
• #a11y
• Examples:
• l10n → localization
• i18n → internationalization
Ain’t language funsies?

7. Accessibility Gets No Respect
In fairness, Sherwin Williams needs to come up with a lot of color names...
“Cyberspace” (gray)
“Online” (blue)
“Lime Rickey” (green)

8. Accessibility Gets No Respect
…however I think the team could have done better than this.

9. Any Disability
• In the United States:
• 10.4% aged 21-64 years old,
• 25% aged 65-74 years old,
• 50% aged 75+.
• Includes:
• Visual
• Hearing
• Mobility
• Cognitive
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs282/en/
http://www.disabilitystatistics.org/reports/2012/English/HTML/report2012.cfm?fips=2000000&html_year=2012

10. Vision Impairments
• 285 million worldwide:
• 39 million are blind,
• 246 million have low vision,
• 82% of people living with blindness are aged 50
and above.
• 1.8% of Americans aged 21-64.
• 4.0% of Americans aged 65-74.
• 9.8% of Americans aged 75+.
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs282/en/
http://www.disabilitystatistics.org/reports/2012/English/HTML/report2012.cfm?fips=2000000&html_year=2012

11. Hearing Impairments
• 360 million people worldwide have disabling
hearing loss.
• 17% (36 million) of American adults report
some degree of hearing loss:
• 18% aged 45-64 years old,
• 30% aged 65-74 years old,
• 47% aged 75+ years old.
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs300/en/
https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/statistics/Pages/quick.aspx

12. Mobility Impairments
• In the United States:
• 5.5% aged 21-64 years old.
• 15.6% aged 65-74 years old.
• 32.9% aged 75+.
http://www.disabilitystatistics.org/reports/2012/English/HTML/report2012.cfm?fips=2000000&html_year=2012

13. Cognitive Impairments
• Dyslexia,
• Dyscalculia,
• Memory issues,
• Distractions (ADD, ADHD),
• In the United States:
• 4.3% aged 21-64 years old.
• 5.4% aged 65-74 years old.
• 14.4% aged 75+.
http://www.disabilitystatistics.org/reports/2012/English/HTML/report2012.cfm?fips=2000000&html_year=2012&subButton=Get+HTML

14. The (not really) Fringe
2 of 3 sections.

15. Use @alt Text on Images

16. Use @alt Text on Images

17. Use @alt Text on Images
• Can you still make sense of the page?
• Is content missing?
• Can you still use the site?
• Is your alt text useful?
http://www.karlgroves.com/2013/09/05/the-6-simplest-web-accessibility-tests-anyone-can-do/

18. Use @alt Text on Images
http://www.4syllables.com.au/2010/12/text-alternatives-decision-tree/
http://dev.w3.org/html5/alt-techniques/#tree
1. What role
does image
play?
2. Does it
present
new info?
3. What
type of
info?
Informative Yes
alt=""
or
<a href="foo"><img alt="">Link</a>
alt=""
or
Use CSS
alt="descriptive identification"
or
alt="short label" + caption
PurelyDecorative
Sensory
No
alt="label for link"
alt=“short alternative"
or
alt="short label" + caption
alt="short label + location of long alternative"
or
long text alternative on same or linked page
Long/Complex
Short/Simple

19. Use On-Page Descriptions
http://adrianroselli.com/2014/04/we-need-to-raise-stink-about-net.html

20. Use On-Page Descriptions
• Not just for longdesc or aria-describedat,
but any long description technique,
• Use an in-page anchor,
• Don’t link to another page without reason:
• Consider burden of loading a new page,
• Consider burden of re-loading original page.
• Based on results of latest WebAIM screen
reader survey results.
http://adrianroselli.com/2015/09/use-on-page-image-descriptions.html

21. Hyperlinks!
http://www.sitepoint.com/15-rules-making-accessible-links/

22. Hyperlinks!
• Is there any “click here,” “more,” “link to…”?
http://www.sitepoint.com/15-rules-making-accessible-links/

23. Hyperlinks!
• Is there any “click here,” “more,” “link to…”?
• Are you using all-caps, URLs, emoticons?
http://www.sitepoint.com/15-rules-making-accessible-links/

24. Hyperlinks!
• Is there any “click here,” “more,” “link to…”?
• Are you using all-caps, URLs, emoticons?
• Do you warn before opening new windows?
http://www.sitepoint.com/15-rules-making-accessible-links/

25. Hyperlinks!
• Is there any “click here,” “more,” “link to…”?
• Are you using all-caps, URLs, emoticons?
• Do you warn before opening new windows?
• Do links to downloads provide helpful info?
http://www.sitepoint.com/15-rules-making-accessible-links/

26. Hyperlinks!
• Is there any “click here,” “more,” “link to…”?
• Are you using all-caps, URLs, emoticons?
• Do you warn before opening new windows?
• Do links to downloads provide helpful info?
• Are you using pagination links?
http://www.sitepoint.com/15-rules-making-accessible-links/

27. Hyperlinks!
• Is there any “click here,” “more,” “link to…”?
• Are you using all-caps, URLs, emoticons?
• Do you warn before opening new windows?
• Do links to downloads provide helpful info?
• Are you using pagination links?
• Are your links underlined (or otherwise obvious)?
http://www.sitepoint.com/15-rules-making-accessible-links/

28. Hyperlinks!
• Is there any “click here,” “more,” “link to…”?
• Are you using all-caps, URLs, emoticons?
• Do you warn before opening new windows?
• Do links to downloads provide helpful info?
• Are you using pagination links?
• Are your links underlined (or otherwise obvious)?
• Is there alt text for image links?
http://www.sitepoint.com/15-rules-making-accessible-links/

29. Hyperlinks!
• Is there any “click here,” “more,” “link to…”?
• Are you using all-caps, URLs, emoticons?
• Do you warn before opening new windows?
• Do links to downloads provide helpful info?
• Are you using pagination links?
• Are your links underlined (or otherwise obvious)?
• Is there alt text for image links?
• Is the link text consistent?
http://www.sitepoint.com/15-rules-making-accessible-links/

30. Use Link Underlines
http://www.theverge.com/2014/3/13/5503894/google-removes-underlined-links-site-redesign

31. Use Link Underlines
• You are not Google:
• Users know Google’s layout,
• Users probably don’t visit your site daily.
• Relying on color alone will not suffice (WCAG
1.4.1 [A], 1.4.3 [AA]),
• Necessary contrast values:
• 4.5:1 between text and its background for copy,
• 3:1 between text and its background for larger text,
• 3:1 between surrounding text and a hyperlink, plus an
additional visual cue (G183).
http://adrianroselli.com/2014/03/i-dont-care-what-google-did-just-keep.html

32. Use :focus Styles
https://www.virginamerica.com/

33. Use :focus Styles
• Particularly if you removed link underlines,
• Everywhere you have :hover, add :focus,
• Look for :focus{outline:none;} in libraries:
• If you find it, remove it.
• Easy to test with the tab key.
http://adrianroselli.com/2014/06/keep-focus-outline.html

34. Tritanopia
Color Contrast

35. Protanopia
Color Contrast

36. Deuteranopia
Color Contrast

37. Color Contrast
• Is there enough contrast?
• Are hyperlinks, menus, etc. still visible?
• WCAG 2.0:
• 4.5:1 for normal text
• 3:1 for large text (14+pt & bold, or 18+pt)
• Tools:
• Chrome Color Contrast Analyzer
• Lea Verou’s Contrast Ratio
• WebAIM Color Contrast Checker
• CheckMyColours.com
http://www.inpixelitrust.fr/blog/en/tips-create-accessible-color-palette/
http://alistapart.com/blog/post/easy-color-contrast-testing

38. Use <label> (properly)

39. Use <label> (properly)
• Match the for attribute to the field’s id
attribute.
• When you click label text next to a text box,
does the cursor appear in the field?
• When you click label text next to a radio /
checkbox, does it get toggled?
• When you click label text next to a select
menu, does it get focus?
http://www.karlgroves.com/2013/09/05/the-6-simplest-web-accessibility-tests-anyone-can-do/

40. Use HTML5

41. Use HTML5
<header role="banner">
<nav role="navigation">
<aside role="complementary">
<form role="search">
<footer role="contentinfo">
<main role="main">

42. Use HTML5
“Mobile” often means narrow screen
in RWD, as well as this context.

43. Use HTML5
<header role="banner">
<nav role="navigation">
<aside role="complementary">
<form role="search">
<footer role="contentinfo">
<main role="main">
“Mobile” often means narrow screen
in RWD, as well as this context.

44. Use HTML5
• Sectioning elements already have accessibility
built in. Use them.
• <header>
• <nav>
• <main> (one per page)
• <aside>
• <footer>
• <form> (a search form)
This stuff is baked in!

45. Use Only One <main> per Page
Modified version of Hixie’s image at https://github.com/whatwg/html/issues/100#issuecomment-138620240

46. Use Only One <main> per Page
• <main> maps directly to role="main",
• AT users expect one main content block, may
miss subsequent <main>s,
• AT doesn’t expose that are multiples,
• Can erode trust in landmark navigation.
http://adrianroselli.com/2015/09/use-only-one-main-on-a-page.html

47. Use <h#> Wisely

48. Use <h#> Wisely
• Use only one <h1> per page,
• Don’t skip heading levels,
• Use appropriate nesting,
• There is no Document Outline Algorithm:
• Don’t use <h1> within every new <section> nor
<article>,
• This will not affect your SEO.
http://adrianroselli.com/2013/12/the-truth-about-truth-about-multiple-h1.html

49. <button>, <input>, or <a>
http://adrianroselli.com/2016/01/links-buttons-submits-and-divs-oh-hell.html

50. <button>, <input>, or <a>
http://adrianroselli.com/2016/01/links-buttons-submits-and-divs-oh-hell.html

51. <button>, <input>, or <a>
• Don’t use a <div> nor <span>.
• Does the control take me to another page?
• Use an <a href> .
• Note: does not fire on space-bar.
• Does the control change something on the
current page?
• Use a <button>.
• Does the control submit form fields?
• Use a <input type="submit"> or <button
type="submit">.
http://adrianroselli.com/2016/01/links-buttons-submits-and-divs-oh-hell.html

52. Don’t Use tabindex > 0
https://www.digitalgov.gov/2014/11/17/user-experience-impossible-the-line-between-accessibility-and-usability/

53. Don’t Use tabindex > 0
• tabindex="-1"
• Use to set focus with script,
• Does not put it in tab order of page.
• tabindex="0"
• Allows user to set focus (eg: via keyboard),
• Puts in tab order of page (based on DOM).
• tabindex="1" (or greater)
• Do not do this,
• Messes with natural tab order.
http://adrianroselli.com/2014/11/dont-use-tabindex-greater-than-0.html

54. Maybe Use tabindex = 0
http://adrianroselli.com/2016/02/keyboard-and-overflow.html

55. Maybe Use tabindex = 0
• Do you have scrolling content boxes?
• Keyboard users cannot access it.
• Do you have content that displays on hover?
• Keyboard users probably cannot access it.
• A technique:
• <div role="region" aria-label="[if
appropriate]" tabindex="0">
http://adrianroselli.com/2016/02/keyboard-and-overflow.html

56. Set lang attribute on <html>
http://codepen.io/aardrian/pen/rOGYNL

57. Set lang attribute on <html>
http://codepen.io/aardrian/pen/rOGYNL

58. Set lang attribute on <html>
• VoiceOver uses to auto-switch voices,
• VoiceOver uses appropriate accenting,
• JAWS loads correct phonetic engine /
phonologic dictionary,
• NVDA matches VoiceOver and JAWS,
• Use the correct lang value:
• Sub-tags are ok,
• Avoid private-use: en-GB-x-hixie
http://adrianroselli.com/2015/01/on-use-of-lang-attribute.html

59. Source Order Matters
http://codepen.io/aardrian/full/MavVeb/
Firefox
Chrome

60. Source Order Matters
• CSS techniques allow visual order to break
from DOM order:
• Floats,
• Absolute positioning,
• Flexbox (see 5.4.1 of ED for a11y note),
• Grid (read Rachel Andrew on subgrid).
• WCAG 1.3.2 and 2.4.3 describe meaningful
sequence and tab order matching visual flow,
• Different behavior among different browsers.
http://adrianroselli.com/2015/09/source-order-matters.html
http://200ok.nl/a11y-flexbox/

61. Don’t Disable Zoom
http://codepen.io/aardrian/full/dYNJOV
http://codepen.io/aardrian/full/ojBpjw

62. Don’t Disable Zoom
• Allow users on mobile to zoom in,
• Look in <meta name="viewport"> for this:
• minimum-scale=1.0
• maximum-scale=1.0
• user-scalable=no
• Look in @-ms-viewport {} for this:
• zoom:1.0
• Enhance!
• (Google AMP HTML is getting fixed)
http://adrianroselli.com/2015/10/dont-disable-zoom.html

63. Avoid Infinite Scroll
http://www.pewresearch.org/category/publications/

64. Avoid Infinite Scroll
• Makes it impossible to access some content:
• Footer,
• Sidebar links.
• Destroys the back button,
• Makes it impossible to share a URL to specific
“page” of results,
• Makes it impossible to jump ahead several
“pages” of results,
• Can overwhelm AT users, less powerful devices.
http://adrianroselli.com/2014/05/so-you-think-you-built-good-infinite.html
http://adrianroselli.com/2015/05/for-infinite-scroll-bounce-rate-is.html

65. Reconsider Typefaces for Dyslexia
http://opendyslexic.org/try-it/

66. Reconsider Typefaces for Dyslexia
• Use good typography rules:
• Avoid justified text,
• Use generous line spacing / leading,
• Use generous letter spacing,
• Avoid italics,
• Generally use sans serif faces,
• Use larger text,
• Use good contrast,
• Use clear, concise writing.
http://adrianroselli.com/2015/03/typefaces-for-dyslexia.html

67. Test in Windows High Contrast Mode

68. Test in Windows High Contrast Mode
• It removes CSS background images,
• Colors defined in your CSS are overridden,
• To activate:
• Left ALT + left SHIFT + PRINT SCREEN
• Media queries:
• -ms-high-contrast: active
• -ms-high-contrast: black-on-white
• -ms-high-contrast: white-on-black
http://adrianroselli.com/2012/08/css-background-images-high-contrast-mode.html

69. Use Captions/Subtitles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V592VMJeXc8

70. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCqN_cCLnnk
Use Captions/Subtitles

71. Use Captions/Subtitles
• Everybody uses them:
• Working in public, in bed, at home,
• Surfing in public, in bed, at work.
• Should include audio descriptions,
• Should include speaker identification,
• Review auto-captions (“craptions”):
• NoMoreCraptions.com
http://adrianroselli.com/2013/11/captions-in-everyday-use.html

72. Use Captions/Subtitles
• Do video/audio clips have text alternatives?
• Are links to closed-captions or transcripts built
into the player or separate text links?
• Is there an audio description available?
• Tools:
• Media Access Australia YouTube captioning tutorial,
Vimeo captioning tutorial,
• Tiffany Brown’s WebVTT tutorial,
• DIY Resources for Closed Captioning and Transcription
from 3 Play Media.
http://webaim.org/techniques/captions/

73. Don’t Tweet Pictures of Text
https://twitter.com/jmspool/status/546303256990076929
https://twitter.com/lukew/status/541986091960528896
https://twitter.com/altonbrown/status/653030164985708544

74. Don’t Tweet Pictures of Text
• Twitter has no provision for alt text,
• Make your own:
• Reply to own tweet with alt text,
• Link to a tweet and provide alt text,
• Link to long-form alternative text.
• @alt_text_bot as interesting experiment:
• By Cameron Cundiff for NYU ABILITY hackathon,
• Uses CloudSight API.
http://adrianroselli.com/2014/12/dont-tweet-pictures-of-text.html
http://adrianroselli.com/2015/04/twitter-accidentally-takes-step-toward.html
http://adrianroselli.com/2015/04/alt-text-bot-image-descriptions-ftw.html

75. Share a11y Experiences
http://blog.podio.com/2015/07/08/hard-truths-helped-us-start-improving-podio-experience-visually-impaired/
https://medium.com/medium-eng/five-goofy-things-medium-did-that-break-accessibility-3bc804ae818d

76. Share a11y Experiences
• We’re all trying to do what we can,
• Don’t attack someone who doesn’t know what
they don’t know,
• Someone may find something you never
considered,
• You may get feedback on something you never
considered,
• a11ywins.tumblr.com FTW:
• Thanks to Marcy Sutton.
http://adrianroselli.com/2015/07/lets-share-more-accessibility-experiences.html

77. Tweak User Stories & Personas
• Components:
• User,
• Outcome,
• Value.
• Writing:
• As user, I want outcome.
• As user, I want outcome so that value.
• In order to get value as user, I want outcome.
How to Write User Stories for Web Accessibility

78. Tweak User Stories & Personas
• As a user on a sun-lit patio, I want to be able
to read the content and see the controls.
Add beer and as a user I may have trouble focusing.

79. Tweak User Stories & Personas
• As a user in bed with a sleeping spouse, I want
to watch a training video in silence so that I
can get caught up at work.
As a user who doesn’t want to get punched for having slacked off at work.

80. Tweak User Stories & Personas
• In order to click links as a user with no elbow
room in coach class with a tiny trackpad, I
want click areas to be large enough and
adequately spaced.
As a user in coach class who also paid too much for the drink he’s spilling on his keyboard.

81. Tweak User Stories & Personas
• As a user distracted by the TV, I want clear
headings and labels so that I don’t lose my
place.
As a user who really should be finishing his work in the office.

82. Tweak User Stories & Personas
Adrian
• Works when he should be relaxing, relaxes
when he should be working.
• Lives between motorcycles.
• Works late at night with the TV on.
• Uses sub-titles in Netflix.
• Keeps all screens as dark as possible.
That photo is from official ID.

83. Key Takeaways
3 of 3 sections.

84. Stairamp
Dean Bouchard on Flickrhttp://incl.ca/the-problems-with-ramps-blended-into-stairs/

85. ≠ Checklist
• Accessibility is not a checklist.
No matter how pretty that checklist looks nor how many items you get to check.

86. Snowtreeramp
Nicolas Steenhouthttps://twitter.com/vavroom/status/571092086365261824
“Wheelchair ramp at
pharmacy not only
hasn’t been cleared of
snow but has 2 potted
trees to ensure nobody
can pass.”

87. = Process
• Accessibility is not a checklist.
• Accessibility is an ongoing process.
You know, kinda like all software.

88. Presented by Adrian Roselli for Booster Conference 2016
My thanks and apologies.
Slides from this talk will be available at rosel.li/Booster
Fringe Accessibility Techniques
(That Probably Shouldn’t Be)