This document summarizes Howard Kramer's presentation on using WordPress and PHP to create accessible websites. Kramer discussed some of the common accessibility issues with WordPress themes and plugins, including that many themes do not pass WCAG 2.0 and plugins have little quality control. He provided resources for finding more accessible themes and plugins, like the WP Accessible project. Kramer also reviewed new accessibility features in WordPress 3.5 and resources for learning more about developing with WordPress.

1. ACC-14:
Using Wordpress & php to
Create Accessible Sites
Howard Kramer
hkramer@colorado.edu
January 31, 2013
2:35 – 3:35 p.m.
Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts
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2. My Background with Wordpress / Web Design
• First began using Wordpress.com as meeting space
• Chose Wordpress CMS to present dynamic content for
Accessing Higher Ground site
• Teach an online course on Universal Design for Digital Media
• Coordinate a conference on accessible media and access to the
curriculum - AHG
Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts
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3. Today’s Agenda
• What is Wordpress?
• Wordpress.com vs. Wordpress.org
• Obstacles to accessibility
• Tools and strategies for addressing these issues
• What’s new and upcoming on Wordpress accessibility?
• Where to go from here: resources
Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts
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4. Full Disclosure
• I stole this presentation – (not really)
• Borrowing much from Joe Dolson (with his permission)
• Combined with my own material
Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts
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5. What is Wordpress
• Wordpress is a free, open-source CMS
• Largest user-base & WP developers
• PHP
• HTML / CSS
• Javascript
• Plugin extendability
Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts
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6. Wordpress Model
Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts
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7. Themes determine the user interface
Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts
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8. First Area of Accessibility Problem
• Many themes are not accessible
• Most themes would not pass WCAG 2.0 AA
• Theme demonstration
• WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org
Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts
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9. First Accessibility Problem Area - Themes
• Many themes are not accessible
• Most themes would not pass WCAG 2.0 AA
• Theme demonstration
• WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org
• “Digg Column 3” – best theme on WordPress.com?
Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts
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10. WordPress.com vs. WordPress.org
• WordPress.com – good place to start
• Allows limited customization
• No plugins (extensions)
• WordPress.org
• Fully customizable
• Access to over 20,000 plugins
Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts
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11. WordPress.org – hosted on server or Webhost
• Fully customizable
• Styles
• Theme creation of modification
• Complete customization of user interface
• With the database backend you can use php to create dynamic content
Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts
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12. WordPress – other accessibility issues
User Interface (Public side)
• Empty Searches
• Default values for “more” links not semantic
• Lots of redundant “title” attributes
Administration
• Keyboard navigation
• Problems for screenreader use
• Dynamic editing
Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts
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13. Improvements in 3.5 Release
• Menu management not just drag & drop (3.4 had accessible
option but hard to find)
• 3.4 – could not log out with a screenreader
• Administration interface – much more accessible
Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts
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14. 3rd Problem Area - Plugins
• Over 20,000 plugins – vast options to expand functionality
• Many plugins are not accessible
• Little or no quality control
• No way to know if a plugin is accessible except to evaluate them
one by one
• Hard to find plugins specifically designed for accessibility
Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts
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15. 3rd Problem Area - Plugins
• Over 20,000 plugins – vast options to expand functionality
• Many plugins are not accessible
• Little or no quality control
• No way to know if a plugin is accessible except to evaluate them
one by one
• Hard to find plugins specifically designed for accessibility
(search function problem)
Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts
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16. Accessibility Initiatives
• WP Accessible – wp-accessible.org
• Project to locate & encourage development of accessible themes
• WordPress has developed protocol for adding a tag for
“accessibility ready” in their theme repository
• “Make WordPress Accessible” blog
• http://make.wordpress.org/accessibility/
• Joe Dolson’s Accessibility plugin
• Wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wp-accessibility
• No way at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts
Handouts are available
to know if a plugin is accessible except to evaluate them
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17. WP- Accessibility Plugin
• Remove redundant title attributes
• Enable skip links (for Webkit browsers)
• Add skip links with user-defined targets
• Add language and text direction attributes
• Remove target attribute from links
• Force a search page error on an empty search
• Removes tab-index
• Add post titles to “read more” links
Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts
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18. WordPress Resources
• Friedman, Jesse. Web Designer’s Guide to WordPress, New
Riders (2013)
• Williams, Brad; et al. Professional WordPress Plugin
Development, Wiley Publishing (2011)
• Wordpress.org
Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts
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19. Projects/Resources at CU, AHEAD, &
ATHEN
• 3-credit class: Universal Design for Digital Media
• http://accessinghigherground.org/wp/udclass/
• (Proposed) 3-credit class: Universal Design for CMS – focus on
Drupal & WordPress
• ATHEN – Access Tech. Higher Ed. Network
• Athenpro.org
• UD Grant - Integrating UD in Curriculum
• Professional Certificate
• Expand courses in UD for media design
• Conference track on UD in curriculum
• Repository of resources
• See us at Booth 204

20. Accessing Higher Ground Conference
Accessible Media, Web & Technology
• November 4 – 8, 2013
• Hands-on sessions on Web Access, Assistive Technology
• Upcoming teleconferences
• Can purchase audio dvd of proceedings & access materials &
handouts online
• Westin Hotel - between Boulder & Denver
• http://accessinghigherground.org

21. Thank you for attending this session
• CEUs – Session Code: ACC-14
• More info at: www.atia.org/CEU
• For ACVREP, AOTA and ASHA CEUs, hand in completed Attendance
Forms to REGISTRATION DESK at the end of the conference. Please
note there is a $15 fee for AOTA CEUs.
• For general CEUs, apply online with The AAC Institute:
www.aacinstitute.org
• Session Evaluation
• Please help us improve the quality of our conference by completing your
session evaluation form.
• Completed evaluation forms should be submitted as you exit or to staff at
the registration desk.
• Handouts
• Handouts are available at: www.atia.org/orlandohandouts
Handouts are Handout www.atia.org/orlandohandouts3 months after the conference ends.
• available at: link remains live for 21