Quick Tips and Tools for Designing a Web Site Which Meets Accessibility Requirements

The task of creating content that is accessible to students with disabilities is not a difficult one, but it cannot happen automatically, without thought or design. Web developers must be aware of the issues, they must know the techniques, and they must employ those techniques. In order for this to happen consistently over time, colleges must adopt both a policy and a system that supports Web accessibility. Policies are important because they define a standar. The explain such things as:

1. Who is responsible for creating accessible Web content?
2. How will the responsible individuals will receive training and technical support?
3. What "accessible" means, and how to tell when content is "acceptably accessible"?
4. When or how soon the content must be made accessible (especially if the purpose is to convert inaccessible content into accessible content)?
5. Who verifies that the content passes the minimum standard?
6. How and by whom the standards will be enforced?
7. What consequences will befall who violate the standard?

Not all of these components will be delineated in detail in the policy itself necessarily. In some cases it makes more sense to describe these in a separate document which describes the implementation system or process. Regardless of where these considerations are addressed, they should all be seriously considered. The failure to consider any one of these points can lead to the eventual failure of the policy or system.

Federal Section 508 of the Americans with Disabilities Rehabilitation Act governs web and course development accessibility requirements for community colleges in North Carolina. As part of this grant a Web Style Guide for Designing Accessible College Websites (Microsoft Word file) has been created. It details issues related to web site accessibility and provides step-by-step html coding for designing a website that meets accessibility guidelines. Microsoft Word 2003 Viewer Download

Web Resources for Making Educational Web Sites Accessible for Students with Disabilities

There are many sites on the web about web site design. These sites cover everything from web authoring, design, and development to databases and servers.

Accessible Information Technology in Education
Bobby Web Accessibility Tool
CNET Builder.com
HTML Commandments for accessible web sites
IBM Web Accessibility Checklist
Jakob Nielsen
Making Adobe PDF Files Accessible
Microsoft Accessibility Homepage
Section 508 Checklist: Web Accessibility in Mind
W3C Guidelines
Wave Web Accessibility Tool
WebMonkey
WebReview.com