The WWSWd staff has made a commitment to make this website accessible and a model for other Scouting sites to review. Web accessibility does not have solid standards but rather a continuously developing set of guidelines. While we make every attempt to have this site available to all, we know that it is almost an impossibility. We are unable to assure that right now, every user, using every web browser, will have complete access to all information, on every web page. Accessibility of the World Wide Web is continually evolving.

Listed below are some of the guidelines and design strategies we have used as well as features that you will encounter on the site.

We would greatly appreciate any suggestions or comments that would help us make this site efficient and easy to use for everyone. Please send your suggestions to the Webmaster Hopefully you can assist us in making WWSWd accessible to all!

1. Maintains a standard page layout throughout our site, enabling all users to navigate more easily;
2. Designed for device-independence;
3. Does not use frames;
4. Ensures that documents are clear and simple;
5. Organizes content logically and clearly;
6. When applicable, includes textual links within web pages (e.g. next page, previous page);
7. Uses a standard set of navigational text;
8. Provides a text-only version of all pages;
9. Provides alternate text (ALT-Text) and/or image tags for all images, pictures, and graphical bullets. These tags are visible if the browser supports the alt-text function;
10. Provides for alternate versions of forms;
11. Provides text equivalents for all non-text elements (i.e., images, animations, audio, video);
12. Provides summaries of graphs and charts;
13. Doesn't rely on color alone and ensures that all information conveyed with color is also available without color;
14. Provides alternative content for features (e.g., applets or plug-ins) that may not be supported;
15. Hypertext links are descriptive;
16. Forms are accessible by downloaded then mailed or e-mailed;
17. Avoids default text entry, and clarifying where text entry fields occur and which information is being requested;
18. Avoids background patterns;
19. Background color contrasts well with the lettering to maintain readability;
20. Outlines are included at the beginning of documents. Outlines identify the relevant features of a document, such as a general description of its structure, function, or content;
21. Avoids the use of non-standard HTML formats;
22. Avoids special tags;
23. Provides for a description for all abbreviations and acronyms.

What Does Your HTML Look Like Without Graphics?

Many people who are blind use voice synthesizers with nongraphical browsers such as "Lynx," as do many sighted people who have older computers or who want more speed. This page from Salt Lake Community College is designed to help HTML programmers get an idea of how such browsers would see their page. Just type in your URL and click.

 

Web Page Accessibility Self-Evaluation Test (Public Service Commission of Canada)

A very good series of questions to help web designers evaluate their pages accessibility.

 

Government of Canada - Internet Guide

Depending on how you rated on the self-evaluation, you may want to visit one of the better, easy to read, easy to understand Internet Guides on the Web. Well worth the time to review.

 

Web Style Guide: Basic Design Principles for Creating Web Sites

From Yale University, authored by Patrick J. Lynch and Sarah Horton. This book grew out of the widely used and highly praised Web site on site design created by the Center for Advanced Instructional Media at Yale University. At this site, readers will continue to find updated color illustrations and examples to complement and demonstrate points made in the book, as well as useful and current online references.

W3C Web Accessibility Initiative

The W3C's commitment to lead the Web to its full potential includes promoting a high degree of usability for people with disabilities. The Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI), in coordination with organizations around the world, is pursuing accessibility of the Web through five primary areas of work: technology, guidelines, tools, education & outreach, and research & development.

 

W3C Web Content Guidelines Working Group

The goal of this group is to produce the Web Accessibility Initiative markup guidelines.

While there are literally hundreds of sites on accessibility, we have found the following to be very useful. Many of them have links to even additional sites if you are interested.

 

Adobe Acrobat

Adobe Acrobat (PDF) files were not accessible to people who use voice output until Adobe created PDF to e-mail and HTML workarounds. Visit this site to access Adobe PDF documents.

 

Apple Disability Resources:

Apple is deeply committed to helping persons with special needs attain an unparalleled level of independence through a personal computer. This site has a list of freeware and shareware that can be downloaded for use by those with disAbilities.

 

IBM Special Needs Systems:

IBM has a long history of helping improve the employability, education, and quality of life for people who have disabilities.

 

Microsoft Accessibility Home Page:

Microsoft's Accessibility and Disabilities site provides information and tools that can help you remove barriers and make the world more accessible.

 

Microsoft and Disabilities: Accessibility for Developers and Authors

This site explains the need for accessible design, with separate pages geared for application designers, developers, and testers; user education; web site designers and HTML authors; hardware designers; and accessibility aid designers.

 

Sun Microsystems' Enabling Technologies Program:

Driven by the belief that designing to meet the needs of users with disabilities can improve the productivity of ALL users.

 

Aware Center - HTML Writers Guild

Homepage of the HTML Writers Guild's AWARE Center. AWARE stands for Accessible Web Authoring Resources and Education, and it's mission is to serve as a central resource for web authors for learning about web accessibility. The AWARE Center was launched in April 1999 as part of the HTML Writers Guild's annual Web Accessibility Month, a special focus on the importance of designing for universal accessibility. The Center is supported by the Guild's staff and volunteers, and is designed as a resource for all web authors.

 

Bobby

Bobby is a web-based public service offered by the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) that analyzes web pages for their accessibility to people with disabilities as well as their compatibility with various browsers. The analysis of accessibility is based on the working draft of the W3C's WAI Page Author guidelines with the Page Authoring Working Group's latest revisions."

 

General Services Administration Center for Information Technology Accommodation

Established in 1984, the Center for Information Technology Accommodation (CITA) is a nationally recognized model demonstration facility influencing accessible information environments, services, and management practices. To achieve this goal, CITA works with an expanding network of public and private sector partners.This server is a clearinghouse of information on making Information Systems accessible to all users.

 

Internets World Fair - disAbility pavilion:

This pavilion is assembled by a consortium of people and organizations, including (in alphabetical order): CPB/WGBH National Center on Accessible Media; Trace R&D Center - University of Wisconsin, Madison; WebAble; and Corporate Sponsors: Teradyne and AT & T.
This pavilion is designed to provide visitors with:

 

• a glimpse of what having a disability is like.
• an overview of some of the tools and techniques that people with disabilities use in daily life.
• how the world can be designed so that it's easier for people experiencing disabilities to use it.
• how these designs benefit all of us, whether we are currently experiencing a disability or not.
• what you can do to contribute.
• where to find more information.

 

National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) Mosaic Access Page

Describes some of the major barriers people with disabilities encounter using the Internet and how they can be addressed. This page is not being update right now, but the information contained is extremely informative.

 

National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research

InfoUse Project. An ongoing project about disability information use by collecting information site links, research papers, studies, and more.

 

Starling Access Services

This web site offers a detailed look at disability-related Web design issues. It also provides a good definition of accessible web design.

 

The Adaptive Technology Resource Centre at the University of Toronto

 

Trace R and D Center, University of Wisconsin - Madison

Unified Web Site Accessibility Guidelines. Also available at the Trace site are:
    Computer Access Program
    Software Toolkits
    Designing a More Usable World
    Publications & Media Catalog
    Designing Universal/Accessible Web Sites

 

UCLA - Specific Barriers to Web Access

A great summary on how specific types of disabilities and their technical accommodations can raise barriers to web accessibility. Suggestions are made on how to respond to the barriers presented.

 

UCLA - Web Style Guidelines

This site addresses the UCLA style guidelines.

 

United States Post Office - WINGS Project

The United States Postal Service WINGS project and the TRACE Research and Development Center are working toward creating information sources on the World Wide Web that are more easily accessible by everyone. This includes people with text-based browsers, people with slow (modem) connections, people without Audio/Visual capabilities, people with helper applications missing, and people with disabilities. From this page, you can access resource documents and guidelines, as well as examples of problems that have been encountered and solution strategies that are recommended or which are being explored.

 

University of Washington DO-IT program.

Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking, and Technology (DO-IT) is:
    - People with disabilities successfully pursuing academics and careers.
    - Programs to promote the use of technology to maximize the independence, productivity and participation of people with disabilities.
    - Recipient of the National Information Infrastructure Award; Education and the President's Award of Excellence in Mentoring and showcased at The President's summit on Volunteerism.
    - People helping people achieve success.
    - Resources for you!

 

West Virginia Training & Research Center

A national center conducting research and training to assist persons with disabilities into employment, the community, and independence through information technology.

 

Could Helen Keller Read Your Page?

This page from "All Things Webs" describes a wide variety of useful tricks that web designers can use to make their pages accessible to everyone.

 

Is Your Site ADA-Compliant ... or a Lawsuit-in-Waiting?

This article from The Internet Lawyer discusses the legal implications of inaccessible web sites under the Americans with Disabilities Act.