Monica Seeber

e-Accessibility

What am I talking about?

1. Web Accessibility National Transition Strategy2. Introducing WCAG 2.03. WCAG 2.0 Level AA requirements4. Applying WCAG 2.0 to digital copy5. Resources

e-Accessibility:More than just a buzz word

Design for all

legislation

disability

methodology hardware

usability

e-accessibility

Access for all

Visual Hearing Physical Cognitive

Remember!Cognitive disability is not just mental impairment. It also includes: low English (second or primary) language literacy executive function disorders attention disorders seizure disorders

1. Web Accessibility National Transition Strategy

Agencies must update all government websites (as specified within scope under the NTS) to WCAG 2.0 conformance• Level A (Single A) by 31 December 2012• Level AA (Double A) by 31 December 2014• To claim conformance websites must meet all five WCAG 2.0 conformance

requirements.

Agencies are encouraged to seek WCAG 2.0 Level AA conformance from the outset, but must still meet the minimum requirements of the NTS (including Level A conformance by December 2012).

Australian Government Web Guide - Accessibility

Relax and let me explain…

Some very clever people wrote guidelines for

improving access to digital information.

The Federal Government decided it is

mandatory for all departments to

implement these guidelines.

All government departments –

Federal, State and Territory – must implement these guidelines by 31 December 2014.

The guidelines allow for three levels of conformity:1. Single A2. Double A3. Triple A

“Single A” is the minimum standard. “Triple A” is the gold standard. “Double A” is the happy-medium.

“Double A” is not a battery size.

2. Introducing WCAG 2.0

World Wide Web Consortium

Web architecture

Semantic Web

XML technology

Web design and applications

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines

Web of services

Web of devices

Browsers and authoring tools

WCAG 2.0 structure

4 Principles

12 Guidelines

61 Success Criteria

Principles

1. Perceivable

2. Operable

3. Understandable

4. Robust

GuidelinesPerceivable

1.1 Provide text alternatives for

non-text content

1.2 Provide alternatives for

time-based media

1.3 Create content that can be presented in different ways

1.4 Make it easier for users to see

and hear content

Operable

2.1 Make all functionality

available from a keyboard

2.2 Provide users enough time to

read and use content

2.3 Do not design content in a way that is known to cause seizures

2.4 Provide ways to help users

navigate and find content

Understandable

3.1 Make text content readable

and understandable

3.2 Make Web pages appear and

operate in predictable ways

3.3 Help users avoid and correct

mistakes

Robust

4.1 Maximize compatibility

with current and future software and hardware

Success criteria

Single A Double A Triple A

Perceivable 8 5 8

Operable 9 3 8

Understandable 5 5 7

Robust 1 - -

TOTAL 23 Single A + 13 Double A + 23

Principles of accessibility

Number of Success Criteria

Level of compliance

Double A compliance has a total of 36 Success Criteria

• 1. Perceivable: Information and user interface components must be presentable to users in ways they can perceive.Principle

• 1.1 Text Alternatives: Provide text alternatives for any non-text content so that it can be changed into other forms people need, such as large print, braille, speech, symbols or simpler language.

Guideline

• 1.1.1 Non-text Content: All non-text content that is presented to the user has a text alternative that serves the equivalent purpose, except for the situations listed below. (Level A)

Success Criteria

3. WCAG 2.0 Level AA requirements

Perceivable The first principle.

Text Alternatives

Perceivable 1.1 Text Alternatives 1.1.1

Non-text content can be:• charts• diagrams• pictures• animations• maps• interactive design

Text alternatives can be:• text description• data table• text transcript

This is related to 1.2 Time-based Media

Writing Text Alternatives

Is the content functional?

Yes Provide a text alternative

No “Hide” the content in the background

Further information:Understanding SC 1.1.1Image ALT Tag TipsComplex Images

Alternative text must be equivalent and meaningful.

Time-based Media

Perceivable1.2 Provide

alternatives for time-based media

1.2.11.2.21.2.3

1.2.4 AA1.2.5 AA

Time-based media can be:• audio-only• video-only• live audio content• synchronised media• animations

Alternatives can be:• text transcript• audio description• captions• text description

This is related to 1.1 Text Alternatives

Writing Media Alternatives

Is the content repetitive?

Yes Provide a brief ALT description and refer back to the main text

No Provide a media alternative

Further Information:Understanding SC 1.2.1Understanding SC 1.2.2Understanding SC 1.2.3Understanding SC 1.2.4Understanding SC 1.2.5Video Captions and Audio Transcripts

Media alternatives must be accurate and detailed.

Adaptable

Perceivable

1.3 Create content that can be

presented in different ways

1.3.1 ✪1.3.2 ✪1.3.3 ✪

✪ Some of these criteria can only be met through design.We can tell the graphic designer/web developer about them, but we can’t do it ourselves.

Adaptable content can be:• forms• tables• schedules• text reading order

Alternatives can be:• text directions• text description• captions programmatic cues

Writing Adaptable Alternatives

Further Information:Understanding SC 1.3.1Creating Accessible TablesForm DesignText Reading Order

Adaptable alternatives must be equivalent and detailed.

This is related to 2.4 Navigable

Distinguishable

Perceivable

1.4 Make it easier for users to see and

hear content including separating

foreground from background

1.4.1 ✪1.4.2 ✪

1.4.3 AA ✪1.4.4 AA ✪1.4.5 AA ✪

✪ These criteria can only be met through design.We can tell the graphic designer/web developer about them, but we can’t do it ourselves.

Operable

The second principle.

Keyboard Accessible

Operable

2.1 Make all functionality

available from a keyboard

2.1.1 ✪2.1.2 ✪

✪ These criteria can only be met through design.We can tell the graphic designer/web developer about them, but we can’t do it ourselves.

Enough Time

Operable2.2 Provide users

enough time to read and use content

2.2.1 ✪2.2.2 ✪

✪ These criteria can only be met through design.We can tell the graphic designer/web developer about them, but we can’t do it ourselves.

Seizures

Operable

2.3 Do not design content in a way that is known to cause seizures

2.3.1 ✪

✪ These criteria can only be met through design.We can tell the graphic designer/web developer about them, but we can’t do it ourselves.

Navigable

Operable

2.4 Provide ways to help users navigate,

find content, and determine where

they are

2.4.1 ✪2.4.2

2.4.3 ✪2.4.4 ✪

2.4.5 AA ✪2.4.6 AA ✪2.4.7 AA ✪

✪ Some of these criteria can only be met through design.We can tell the graphic designer/web developer about them, but we can’t do it ourselves.

Writing Navigation ContentNavigation content must be informative and concise.

Navigation content can be:• page titles• links• headings and labels

Examples:Understanding SC 2.4.2Understanding SC 2.4.4Understanding SC 2.4.6Page or Document TitleHeadings and SubheadingsLink TextTable Headers and Captions

Understandable

The third principle.

Readable

Understandable3.1 Make text

content readable and understandable

3.1.1 ✪3.1.2 AA ✪

✪ These criteria can only be met through design.We can tell the graphic designer/web developer about them, but we can’t do it ourselves.

Here’s a shocker:Plain English is not a success criteria.

You should use it anyway because it’s Best Practice and all-round good manners.

Predictable

Understandable

3.2 Make Web pages appear and

operate in predictable ways

3.2.1 ✪3.2.2 ✪

3.2.3 AA ✪3.2.4 AA ✪

✪ These criteria can only be met through design.We can tell the graphic designer/web developer about them, but we can’t do it ourselves.

Input Assistance

Understandable3.3 Help users avoid

and correct mistakes

3.3.1 ✪3.3.2 ✪

3.3.3 AA ✪3.3.4 AA ✪

✪ Some of these criteria can only be met through design.We can tell the graphic designer/web developer about them, but we can’t do it ourselves.

Writing Input AssistanceInput Assistance content must be specific and helpful.

Input Assistance content can be:• error identification• labels or instructions• suggestions

Examples:Understanding SC 3.3.1Understanding SC 3.3.2Understanding SC 3.3.310 Tips on Writing Hero-worthy Error MessagesUsable and Accessible Form Validation and Error Recovery

Robust

The fourth (and final!) principle.

Compatible

Robust

4.1 Maximize compatibility with current and future

user agents, including assistive

technologies.

4.1.1 ✪4.2.2 ✪

✪ These criteria can only be met through design.We can tell the graphic designer/web developer about them, but we can’t do it ourselves.

4. Applying WCAG 2.0 to digital copy

Word

Excel

PowerPoint

Forms

PDF

For all office documents

1. Provide alternative text for images2. Identify the column headers of tables3. Avoid complex tables4. Avoid text boxes5. Avoid excessive use of blank characters, lines

and cells

Word6. Use true heading styles7. Use true numbered and bulleted lists8. Use true columns9. Place images in line with text10.Include table of content for long documents

(auto is preferable)

Excel6. Give each worksheet a descriptive title7. Provide brief instructions in the first cell of

each worksheet8. Describe the contents of charts in text and

present the same data in a table9. Choose colours with a contrast ratio of at

least 4.5:1 and use additional visual cues

PowerPoint6. Give each slide a title7. Use built-in slide layouts8. Provide captions and text transcript for

multimedia content9. Avoid excessive use of slide transitions and

text animations

Forms6. Provide labels for fields via Help Text7. Identify required fields8. Describe expected format and values9. Place section breaks before and after the

form and only enforce protection on the section containing the form

PDF PDF documents are considered “web content” and must comply

with WCAG 2.0 which includes 23 techniques specific to PDFs. PDF is not considered an accessible format by the Australian

Human Rights Commission□ An alternative format optimised for accessibility is required

World Wide Web Access: Disability Discrimination Act Advisory Notes ver 4.0 (2010) – section 2.4.2

See also: PDF files

5. Resources

WCAG 2.0WCAG 2.0 Contents

michaelgaigg.com

AccessAbility

Web Accessibility In Mind

Digital copy

Vision Australia

ADOD Project

ToolsWeb Accessibility Evaluation Tool

TCC Writing for the Web training

Fangs Screen Reader Emulator

ChromeShades

WAT for IE

LegislationAustralian Human Rights Commission

Web Accessibility National Transition Strategy