The library community needs to pay attention to Web site accessibility. If you have a Web site, or if you’re recommending sites, it’s important to ensure that the information presented, via the Web, is readable, in the broadest sense of the term. All people, including those with disabilities and those who have unsophisticated hardware or software, deserve access.
The implications for intellectual freedom and information access are far-reaching. The Internet has become so important that failure to provide universal access to Web site content could conceivably lead to legal challenges, especially under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Fortunately, legalities don't drive most library staff. Concern for providing users with the information they need when they need it, and in formats they can use, is what motivates librarians most powerfully and consistently. Internet accessibility adds another dimension and makes multimedia, multi sensory service easier than it's ever been.
The library community must locate, examine, and discuss guidelines, articles, and software that help us ensure that Web sites meet varying access needs. Let's learn to evaluate for true utility, measuring what we offer against the yardstick of real peoples' needs. We need to always ask how we can use technology to serve all library users in all of their diversity.
As a beginning, here are a few rules to follow and questions you can ask when assessing Web user friendliness. (These are based on a list from DO-IT at the University of Washington.):
- A simple consistent page layout should be maintained throughout. Ask yourself, is the site easy to understand and navigate? Does the design include a graphical button bar as a navigational aid?
- Backgrounds should be kept simple and provide good contrast between text and background. Ask yourself, do the backgrounds distract the user or detract from or obscure information?
- Standard HTML (version 2.0) should be used. Ask yourself, have non-standard tags like BLINK and frames been avoided?
- A note about commitment to accessibility should be included. Ask yourself, have users been encouraged to express concerns?
- Multiple ways of presenting the same information should be used. Ask yourself, are there text alternatives for graphical features, graphs and other visuals. Are there auditory options to go with text?
- Special features should be tested and used with care. Ask yourself, is animation necessary? Are links presented in vertical lists, not strung on one line?
- Web pages should be tested with a variety of browsers. Ask yourself, is there text, preferably embedded text, for browsers that can’t display images?
Resources for helping librarians apply these rules and test sites:
Bobby:
(from the Center for Applied Special Technology)
Bobby detects a wide variety of accessibility problems commonly found on Web pages. Enter the URL of a page you want analyzed, and Bobby will redisplay an annotated version of the original page. When there is a disability access problem Bobby places a small disability access violation symbol followed by a letter and a number (like E1 for Error 1). If the access problem does not affect those with disabilities, but is a browser compatibility problem, then Bobby will place a miniature Bobby icon on the annotated page. Clicking on either access violation symbol will display a description of the error. See the site for extensive information.
The Center for Applied Special Technology is the home of the National Universal Design Laboratory. Take a look at the rest of CAST’s site for great background and a multitude of ideas on special technology and accessibility.
Center for Information Technology Accommodation (Formerly COCA)
“Writing Accessible HTML Documents” is one of the many useful items found at this government site.
DO-IT
This URL gets you to DO-IT’s “Guidelines for Web Pages” document. Their philosophy is to concentrate “on content rather than flashy graphics and audio....we attempt to make the material, whether it is a menu item, graphic, or video clip, as accessible as possible.” Take a look at the rest of the site too.
IBM Special Needs
or http://www.ibm.com/sns
“Web Resources” is a rich list of places to look for all kinds of accessibility related information. Use the link provided to check the “Internet Publishing Accessibility Guidelines”.
Mosaic Access Page
Here’s a resource specifically about how people with disabilities can tap the Internet when using Mosaic. “Development of this page is under the Mosaic Access Project with support from the National Science Foundation. The short term goals...are to identify some of the major barriers people with disabilities encounter using NCSA Mosaic....The long term goals involve issues of access to the internet, the World Wide Web and Multimedia browsers in general. Ongoing retrofit solutions will be developed for Mosaic and barriers inherent to the Web architecture will be identified.”
Public Service Commission of Canada
This is a practical guide to help Web site designers ensure that their Internet sites are accessible to all users.
Trace Research Center
A key research point for web guidelines and, in general, for assistive and accessible technology. There’s a lot of in-depth, practical information at this site.
WebTechs HTML Validation Service
This is a form-based service where you either submit an entire HTML document by its URL or enter bits and pieces of HTML and receive immediate feedback regarding errors in coding.
[Audrey Gorman is the Director of Roads To Learning, The Public Libraries' Learning Disabilities Initiative. You can also visit the Roads to Learning Web site. ]
