The document discusses web accessibility and how to evaluate websites for accessibility. It provides an overview of common disabilities like vision, hearing, and mobility impairments and how they impact the user experience. It also outlines key elements of accessibility like structure, styling, images and media. The document recommends standards and tools to use for evaluation, such as WCAG 2.0, Section 508, WAVE toolbar, and screen readers. It emphasizes that both automated and manual checks are needed and that usability testing with people with disabilities is important to ensure functional accessibility.

1. The Disability Resource Center
Web Accessibility Assessment for
Everyone

2. The Disability Resource Center
I believe in bicycles
I believe in riding my bike to the store,
riding to work, riding for fun, fitness and adventure -
Road bikes, mountain bikes, single-speeds, you name it.
As long as it has two wheels and a human motor, I'm on it.
And I truly believe, deep down in my easily misdirected soul,
that the world would be a better place if
more people rode bicycles.
- Don Cuerdon

3. The Disability Resource Center
Web accessibility
issues are often invisible

4. The Disability Resource Center
Categories of disabilities
Learning disabilities
Deaf and hard of hearing
Vision impaired and blind
Mobility impaired

5. The Disability Resource Center
Impacts of disabilities
Learning disabilities – reading challenges
Hearing impaired and Deaf – no speakers
Vision impaired and blindness – no monitor and mouse
Mobility impaired – no mouse

6. The Disability Resource Center
Elements of accessibility
• Structure
• Styling (font, color, spacing)
• Images
• Media
• Keyboard navigation

7. The Disability Resource Center
Web accessibility standards
• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 AA
• Section 508

8. The Disability Resource Center
Web accessibility evaluation
• WebAIM’s WCAG 2.0 checklist
• A11yproject.com checklist
• IBM web accessibility checklist

9. The Disability Resource Center
Web accessibility evaluation process
• Perform both manual and automated checks
• Structure and keyboard navigation
• Images and links
• Color contrast
• Media
• Forms

10. The Disability Resource Center
Web accessibility checking software
Comprehensive checkers
• WAVE Firefox toolbar and WAVE online service
• AInspector Sidebar Firefox extension
• W15y Quick Check

11. The Disability Resource Center
Web accessibility checking software
Automated tools
• Functional Accessibility Evaluator
• SiteImprove – from SiteImprove

12. The Disability Resource Center
Web accessibility checking software
ARIA roles and color contrast
• Juicy Studio color contrast checker
• WCAG contrast checker
• AInspector Sidebar Firefox extension

13. The Disability Resource Center
Web accessibility checking software
Screen readers
• ChromeVox Screen Reader
• NVDA – free screenreader
• JAWS – screen reader
• VoiceOver – Mac built in screen reader

14. The Disability Resource Center
Web accessibility checking
Additional checks
• Use only the tab key, space bar and the Enter key on
your keyboard.
• Use screen magnification
• Use browser based text magnification
• Use Speech to Text software (Dragon Naturally
Speaking)

15. The Disability Resource Center
Web accessibility checking
Usability testing
• An accessible web page or application may not be
functionally accessible.
• Use people with disabilities to test your website.

16. The Disability Resource Center
Example of using WAVE Toolbar
z.umn.edu/scansample
• Issues
• Requires manual checking
• Image alt tags
• Outline
• ARIA roles

17. The Disability Resource Center
Example of using AInspector
z.umn.edu/scansample
• Issues
• Requires manual checking
• Image alt tags
• Outline
• ARIA roles

18. The Disability Resource Center
Example of using W15yQC
z.umn.edu/scansample
• Issues
• Requires manual checking
• Image alt tags
• Outline
• ARIA roles

19. The Disability Resource Center
WCAG Good / Bad example
z.umn.edu/goodbad

20. The Disability Resource Center
In conclusion
• Web accessibility issues are often invisible.
• Identification of web accessibility issues is done using
a combination of manual and automated checks.
• Making Web page elements accessible does not
insure functional accessibility.

21. The Disability Resource Center
Contact info
Tonu Mikk
tmikk@umn.edu
612 625-3307
http://accessibility.umn.edu
http://cap.umn.edu
http://diversity.umn.edu/disability