Accessible Web Design Principles

Resources for Accessible Web Design

Access from Adobe.
http://access.adobe.com/
Include text alternatives for pdf files and a link to this utility for translating pdf files to html.
The Adaptive Computer Technology Centre (ACT).
http://www.utoronto.ca/atrc/
This site provides information on adaptive technology and accessible Web Design.
Best Viewed With Any Browser
http://www.anybrowser.org/campaign/
This is a nice site with all kinds of links to resources discussing different browsers' levels of support for various versions of HTML.
Bobby at the Center for Applied Special Technology.
http://www.cast.org/bobby
Bobby is an HTML validator program that will find compatibility problems that prevent pages from displaying correctly with various Web browser programs.
Designing Web Sites for Multiple Browsers Without Being Bland.
http://www1.shore.net/~straub/wprmultb.htm
DO-IT (Disabilities, Opportunities, Internetworking and Technology).
http://www.washington.edu/doit/
DO-IT has great print and video resources on accessible Web design, adaptive technology, and working with students with disabilities!
EASI (Equal Access to Software and Information.
http://www.rit.edu/~easi/
EASI's site is a great starting point to learn about many issues related to serving patrons with disabilities, including accessible Web design resources.
W3C HTML Validation Service.
http://validator.w3.org/
Lynx-Me.
http://ugweb.cs.ualberta.ca/%7Egerald/lynx-me.cgi
Lynx-Me will show you what your Web page looks like in Lynx, one of the more popular text Web browsers.
Managing Information Resources for Accessibility.
http://www.itpolicy.gsa.gov/cita/front.htm
This manual, prepared by the Center on Information Technology Accommodation at the General Services Administration for the U.S. Government, covers policy issues and practical concerns for information accessibility to accommodate users with disabilities.
The National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM).
http://ncam.wgbh.org/
Sponsored by WGBH in Boston, NCAM promotes the use of a Web Access symbol and provides model examples of accessible pages. Of special interest are their projects on captioning and audio description on the Web.
Starling Access Services.
http://www.starlingweb.com/acc/actoc.htm
Starling has a good accessible Web page design manual.
Trace Research and Development Center.
http://www.trace.wisc.edu/
Trace is a must resource for Systems Librarians working with the design of OPACS and network and database interfaces.
Trace's HTML Accessible Design Guidelines.
http://www.trace.wisc.edu/text/guidelns/htmlgide/htmlgide.html
Trace's Java Accessibility and Usability Work.
http://trace.wisc.edu/world/java/java.htm
What You See Is Not What Others Get on the Web.
http://www1.shore.net/~straub/wysinwog.htm
Web4Lib Electronic Discussion.
http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/Web4Lib/archive.html
As well as providing excellent discussion of a wide range of web issues, the content is maintained in a searchable archive.
The World Wide Web Consortium's (W3C) Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI).
http://www.w3.org/WAI/
The W3C was founded in 1994 to develop common standards for the evolution of the World Wide Web. Their statement on accessibility reads in part: "All the protocols and languages we issue as Recommendations should meet or exceed established accessibility goals. In addition, we will actively encourage the development of Web software and content that is accessible to people with most disabilities."
W3C's References on Web Accessibility.
http://www.w3.org/WAI/References/

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