Ten Quick Tests To Check Your Website For Accessibility

The Disability Discrimination Act says that websites must be made accessible to disabled people. So how can you check that your website is up to par? There are a number of basic tests you can make to address some of the main issues that provide a good start in increasing accessibility to your site visitors:

1. Check informational images for alternative text

Place the cursor over an informational image, for example, the organisation logo. Does a yellow box appear with a brief, accurate description of the image? For users whose browsers do not support images, this alternative text is what they will see (or hear) in place of the image.

2. Check decorative images for alternative text

Place the cursor over a decorative image that does not have any function other than to look nice. Does a yellow box appear with a description of the image? It should not. There is no reason for users whose browsers do not support images to know that this image is there, as it serves no purpose.

Be careful though as this is not a foolproof test. If a yellow box does not appear, this could mean one of two things:

- The alternative text of the image is assigned a null value, which means that it will be ignored by browsers that do not support images. This is the ideal scenario.

- The alternative text of the image is simply not set at all, which means that users whose browsers do not support images will be alerted to its existence but will be unable to find out what purpose it carries ? something which is very frustrating! This is certainly not the desired outcome.

3. 'Listen' to any video or audio content with the volume turned off

If you turn your speakers off, you are clearly unable to listen to, or follow, any audio content. This situation is faced by a deaf person on a daily basis. Ensure your website supplies written transcripts, so that deaf people can understand the message that your website is conveying.

4. Check that forms are accessible

Usually there is prompt text next to each item in a form. For example, a contact form might have the prompt text 'name', 'e-mail', and 'comments', each one next to a box where your site users will enter the information. When you click on the prompt text, does a flashing cursor appear in the box next to that text? If not, your forms are inaccessible.

5. Check that text can be resized

In Internet Explorer (used by over 90% of Internet users) go to View > Font size > Largest. Does the text on your website increase in size? If not, then your website is inaccessible to web users with poor visibility.

6. Check your website in the Lynx browser

The Lynx browser is a text-only browser and does not support many of the features that other browsers such as Internet Explorer have. You can check how your site looks in this browser with the Lynx Viewer, available at http://www.delorie.com/web/lynxview.html. If your website makes sense and can be navigated through the Lynx browser, then it will be fulfilling many of the web accessibility guidelines.

7. Check that you can access all areas of your website without the use of a mouse

Can you navigate through your website using just tab, shift-tab and return? If not, then neither can keyboard- and voice-only users.

8. Check that there is a site map

Can you find a site map? If not, then neither can people who are lost on your website.

9. Ensure link text makes sense out of context

Blind Internet users often browse websites by tabbing from one link to the next. Does all the link text on your website make sense out of context? 'Click here' and 'more' are two common examples of non-descriptive link text.

10. Check your web pages with an automated program

Two programs available for free on the Internet are Bobby ( http://bobby.watchfire.com ) and Wave ( http://www.wave.webaim.org ). They are unable to provide you with all the information that you need, as some checks must be done by humans, but they can tell you some of the areas where your site might be going wrong.

This article was written by Trenton Moss. He's crazy about web usability and accessibility - so crazy that he went and started his own web usability and accessibility consultancy ( Webcredible - http://www.webcredible.co.uk ) to help make the Internet a better place for everyone.

---

Web Sites ? Should I Learn or not?

A common dilemma most small and medium businesses face when... Read More

10 Tips For Running A Profitable Web Site

1. Address your targeted audience on your business site. Example:... Read More

Achieving Differentiation With Your Website

Internet Marketing is not a miracle marketing strategy ? competition... Read More

Thinking Of Taking Money Online? Whats Best For Merchants? PayPal, WorldPay or Something Else?

It's now easier than ever to take payments on the... Read More

Product Promoting: Getting The Response

When you publish a content site there are times when... Read More

Web Analytics - Getting it Right

Understanding and using web analytics.In recent years, website marketers were... Read More

Streamline your Business Website with a Content Management System

I talk with so many people who have small businesses... Read More

Nonsense! Why Do I Need a Website?

"I don't sell anything online, I don't advertise online, in... Read More

The Most Important Aspect of Writing Web Copy

There is an ongoing debate about web copy. Some say... Read More

Five Essential Questions to Answer Before Creating Your First (or second...or third) Website

Right after the thought, "I need a website," people usually... Read More

Are You Overlooking the Benefits of Using Sub-Domains within Your Web-hosting account?

One of the most useful features offered by some web... Read More

Freelance Programming is Easy to Manage

There are several reverse bid freelance sites out there. Beyond... Read More

Find the Purpose of Your New / Proposed Website

Absolutely everything stems from the purpose of your website -... Read More

Why Should Your Business Go O.N.L.I.N.E.

Optimize your time. How much time each day must you... Read More

4 Rock Solid Reasons For Building Your Own Website

What is the point of having a website, you may... Read More

Seven Daft Things Not To Do To Your Website

1. Splash pagesMost of the time splash pages are uncalled... Read More

3 Reasons Why You Need URL Rewriting Module To Enchance Your Web

URL rewriting are major needs for your sites that produce... Read More

3 Rules of Website Designing and Layout

Now that you have got your domain name registered, your... Read More

Maintaining Your Business Website

QUESTION: Should I build and maintain my business Web... Read More

UK Online Shopping with an Edge, for Buyers and Sellers Alike

Any new website competing on the internet, needs to take... Read More

Web Site Development Process - The Life-cycle Steps

A system development process can follow a number of standard... Read More

Free Webmaster Tools - 7 Things Every Webmaster Needs in Their Toolbox

Webmaster tools are vital to becoming both efficient and effective... Read More

Business Website Building Do?s and Don?ts

First, using a lot of web graphics, flash, banners and... Read More

What Works and What not Works for Your Internet Business

"Build it and they will come."--Filed of Dreams (1989) If... Read More

Website Globalization

Globalize Your WebsiteThe Internet has unlocked a wide array of... Read More

Beautiful Web Sites Seldom Make More Sales

Designing an E-commerce Web site is not as simple as... Read More

Website Survival Guide

In the big, wide online world there are millions of... Read More

Why Your Brick-and-Mortar Biz Needs A Website

The internet has taken over our lives with a vengeance,... Read More

Growing Your Meetings In CyberSpace

As increasing numbers of people search for information on the... Read More

Revealing the Firefox Secret Used by Top Web Developers and Power-Browsers

Profiles are one of the best kept secrets around regarding... Read More

Three Things Every Website Should Do

When I started my company in 2002, I knew I... Read More

Autoresponders Make You Look Like A Pro

People like to get immediate responses to requests. Autoresponders are... Read More

Conceptualize, Build and Publish a Web site

Conceptualize, Build and Publish a Web site - What's required... Read More