This presentation goes through the necessary accessibility considerations for websites to comply with the government mandated web accessibility guidelines for Australian government websites. This was developed specifically for Southern Cross University.

1. Accessibility Presentation
Owen Jones
September 2014

2. WCAG 2.0 and Government websites
• Developed by the World Wide Web Consortium
– http://www.w3.org/
• Australian Government mandate: all Government
websites to comply with WCAG 2.0 Level A 31/12/2012
and Level AA 31/12/2014
– http://webguide.gov.au/accessibility-
usability/accessibility/
• Australian Human Rights Commission - WWW Access:
Disability Discrimination Act Advisory Notes ver 4.0
(2010)
– http://www.humanrights.gov.au/world-wide-web-access-
disability-discrimination-act-advisory-notes-ver-40-2010

3. Disabilities
• Visual
• Hearing
• Physical
• Cognitive

4. Tools
• Web Accessibility Toolbar – a free
download from Vision Australia that
runs inside Internet Explorer

5. Tools
• Colour Contrast Analyser – another
free tool that runs within the Web

6. Tools
• Complex Table Toolbar

7. Assistive technologies
• Screen readers - vision impaired, reading
difficulties such as dyslexia (JAWS 10+)

8. Assistive technologies
• Screen magnifiers - used when
increasing text not sufficient. Custom
colour schemes, contrast.

9. Assistive technologies
• Keyboard users - blind, vision impaired,
temporary and long term mobility
impairments.

10. Web Best Practice
• Usability/Search Engine
Optimisation/Writing for the
Web/HTML technologies
• Many best practice techniques overlap
between these areas and are of mutual
benefit.

11. Content, Structure and Formatting
Page Titles
• Clearly identify the content and/or purpose of the page.
• Use familiar keywords.
• Frontload keywords.
• Keep it concise (up to 60 characters including spaces and
punctuation).
• Unique titles for each page.

12. Content, Structure and Formatting
Page Titles
• Add titles to non html documents such as PDF, Word, Excel
and PowerPoint in document properties.
• Include the organisation name
– E.g. "School of Arts & Social Sciences - Studio One29"
– ideally we would have "Studio One29 - School of Arts &
Social Sciences - SCU"
• When scanning search results it is useful if the keywords are
positioned the left most information in a title. (example)
• Do not use abbreviations.

13. Content, Structure and Formatting
Headings h1-h6 etc
• Like page titles, headings should be:
– Concise
– Unique
– Front-loaded with key terms
• h1 is reserved for top of page heading as set in Websys and a
page cannot have more than one h1 heading (example).
• Do not use headings for non heading content.
• Do not skip heading levels when going to lower levels
– h2 can be followed by h2 or h3

14. Content, Structure and Formatting
Writing Content
• Reading online should be:
– Functional, focused and scannable
• Key behaviour
– Move quickly, F-shaped reading pattern, attention on left side of
screen.
• Headings - Front-load with keywords
– Front loading best practice
– "more information about text" change to "text - more information"
– Avoid upper case for complete words or sentences.

15. Content, Structure and Formatting
Writing Content
• Plain English - Tools Flesch-Kincaid Grade, Word - 9 or
lower
– Readability http://www.read-able.com/
– "show readability statistics" in Spelling and Grammar (Word)
• Contrast - Ensure copy contrasts with the background
colour at all times. Use the Vision Australia Colour
Contrast Analyser.
• Abbreviations - expand all abbreviations "Regional
Universities Network (RUN)".

16. Content, Structure and Formatting
Lists
• Choose the most appropriate HTML list element for lists:
– ol for ordered lists
– ul for unordered lists
– dl for definition lists
• Example list:
• <ul>
• <li>item one</li>
• <li>item two</li>
• <li>item three</li>
• </ul>

17. Content, Structure and Formatting
Quotations
• Use <blockquote>
Emphasis and Strong
• Use <em></em> instead of <i></i>
• Use <strong></strong> instead of <b></b>

18. Content, Structure and Formatting
Links
• The purpose of each link must be determined from the
link text alone or together with its programatically
determined link context.
• E.g must be in the same paragraph, list, table cell,
sentence.
• "Outstanding staff recognised at annual Vice
Chancellor’s Awards for Excellence… continue reading"
• Avoid "click here" and "more" links.

19. Content, Structure and Formatting
Links
• Avoid using URLs, although may be included in
addition.
• Indicate when a new window is opened "Visit the
Regional Universities Network (new window)"
• Linked text should be contained on the destination
page in:
– Title
– Main content heading H1

20. Content, Structure and Formatting
Images
• Avoid text in images, logo only acceptable exception.
• alt txt - Short, long or blank (example)
• alt must be equivalent and meaningful representation of
image message.(example)
• Images that convey the same information as nearby text
are considered decorative (example).
• Decorative - require alt="" or inclusion via CSS.

21. Content, Structure and Formatting
Images
• Images coded as a link must be given alt text
• Images coded within a text link must have alt=""
(examples)
• Image maps must have textual descriptions for hotspots.
• Complex images and diagrams need longer description,
can be provided as yet content on same page or text
linked to separate page. (example)
• Charts should be described in detail or data provided as
a data table.

22. Content, Structure and Formatting
Tables
• Screen readers browse through tables cell by cell.
• Use 'th' and 'td' to distinguish header and data cells.
• Use simple data tables where possible.
• Use 'summary' to describe a data table.
• Avoid layout tables, use <div> elements and CSS.
• Vision Australia has a Complex Table Toolbar for
help marking up complex tables

23. Content, Structure and Formatting
Video
• Audio description can be added post production in
existing audio spaces.
• Must provide closed captions for deaf visitors.
• Must provide transcript copy on the page or clearly
linked to additional transcript page. (example SHHS
video)
• http://www.visionaustralia.org/digital-access-youtube

24. Content, Structure and Formatting
Video
• Transcript must contain:
– Sounds
– The setting and background
– Actions and expressions
– Text or graphics
– Any other useful information
• HTML 5 Video not supported by all browsers (IE7/8)
• SCU preferred video delivery system uses YouTube,
contact Web Content Editor for enquiries.

25. Content, Structure and Formatting
Audio
• Must provide alternative to audio (text transcript)
for deaf visitors.
• Avoid using audio that plays automatically
• HTML 5 Audio not supported by all browsers (IE7/8)

26. Content, Structure and Formatting
Animation
• Avoid Flash based content.
• Flash can be made accessible however this is complex
and prone to keyboard traps.
• Do not use content that flashes (more than 3 times in
any 1 second period) may cause visitors with epilepsy to
fit.
• Moving content can make pages inaccessible to users
with reading disabilities or attention deficit disorders.
• Include stop, pause or hide controls.

27. Content, Structure and Formatting
iframes
• Provide descriptive titles for iframes like YouTube
video embeds or third party widgets (Check with
Staffweb).

28. Content, Structure and Formatting
Forms
• Use 'label' element to associate form fields with labels or
'title' where there is no label.
– <label for="name">Name</label> <input type="text" id="name"/>
• Position labels before text areas and drop down menus.
• Position labels after checkboxes and radio buttons.
• Place labels close to their input controls.
• Labels must:
– Be specific and descriptive.
– Indicate whether data is "required".
– Describe required format.

29. Content, Structure and Formatting
Captcha
• Avoid image CAPTCHA solutions
• use simple clear non-cultural specific logical
question/answer text and text field submit form.

30. Validating Code
• Valid HTML is very important for Accessibility. Check
your code with the W3C Markup Validation Service
• http://validator.w3.org/

31. Best Practice
• Governance
• Awareness
• Implementation
• Integration
• Monitoring

32. Reference
Tools
• Web Accessibility Toolbar – A free download from
Vision Australia that runs inside Internet Explorer
• Colour Contrast Analyser – A free tool that runs
within the Web Accessibility Toolbar once installed
• W3C Markup Validation Service - This validator
checks the markup validity of Web documents in
HTML

33. Reference
Information
• World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) http://www.w3.org/
• Australian Government mandate: all Government websites
to comply with WCAG 2.0 Level A 31/12/2012 and Level AA
31/12/2014 http://webguide.gov.au/accessibility-
usability/accessibility/
• Australian Human Rights Commission - WWW Access:
Disability Discrimination Act Advisory Notes ver 4.0
(2010) http://www.humanrights.gov.au/world-wide-web-
access-disability-discrimination-act-advisory-notes-ver-40-
2010