Seminar/Workshop Materials : Design
ConsiderationsDesign Considerations for Delivering Online Information
Leo Valdes
Vision Office
Outline
Accessibility defined
Design Considerations
- Content
- Aesthetics
- Accessibility
- Usability
- Sustainability
Accessibility Defined
Providing alternatives to accommodate users needs and preferences
Alternatives
Reasonable Accommodation
Universal Design
(Examples of poorly designed light switches)
Design Considerations
Primary: Content
Aesthetics
Accessibility
Usability
Sustainability
Content is key
Who is/are the audience(s)
- Persons with various abilities and capabilities included
What is/are the message(s)
- Defines how content is organized and presented
Content Considerations
Timely
Reliable
Appropriate
Aesthetics
Myth: An accessible web page is dull, boring plain text.
Accessible web pages can meet minimum accessibility standards. These include:
- images and image maps (with ALT text)
- Tables
- Forms
- Dynamic content
- Scripts and applets with accessible alternatives
- Different languages and character sets
Accessibility
Myth: Accessibility only benefits persons with disabilities
New Internet appliances benefit all
- WebTV, wireless devices, PDAs, Cell phones
Users of different technologies also benefit
- Users in remote areas
Accessibility - Assistive Devices
Myth: Disabled people don't use the web! Blind people can't read my web pages.
How do persons with disabilities use the web?
Assistive devices
- Screen Readers, Braille Devices, text-to-voice
- Specialized input devices, voice-to-text
Accessibility - Browsing
How do visually impaired persons see a web page?
- Text is read back to them
- Tables: Text in cells are read, left to right, row by row.
- ALT text of an image is also read
How do visually impaired persons use a web page?
- Special keyboard commands to navigate
- Tab key moves to the next link
- Enter key "clicks" on a link
Accessibility - Web pages
Use accepted principles for accessible web design
- ICRDI, HTML Writers Guild
Follow web accessibility recommendations
- W3C WAI, Section 508, Generic
Use Accessibility Validators
- Free services
- Commercial validators
Test your web site with different browser
- (e.g., Opera)
Usability
Myth: If my web pages pass the validators, they're accessible.
Even text-only pages can be inaccessible
- The dreaded "Click Here" link
Usability - allowing the user to get in and out quickly
- Finding the information he/she needs
- Organization of the web site
- Navigation
- Search capabilities
Sustainability
Myth: Accessible web authoring is expensive and time-consuming
Popular editors don't require HTML skills
- FrontPage, Dreamweaver - easy to use, can have accessibility features
Content Management empowers content producers
- Database-driven site
- Web-based WYSIWYG editor
- Allows alternative ways of delivering content (e.g., accessible, printable pages, email)
Summary
Know your audience
Consider accessibility, usability and sustainability
This presentation is at
www.worldenable.net |
