Web Axe: web accessibility podcast and blog

Web Axe is a podcast and blog featuring practical web design accessibility tips

What is web accessibility? | web axe [at gmail] NOSPAM! dot com

Current Posts

Accessible WordPress Themes?

Monday, July 06, 2009

I'm really on a quest to find some web accessible, standards-compliant WordPress theme. It's so disappointing that the platform is set up for web standards (and usability, accessibility) but nearly all custom themes break it. Ugh!

Last week, I did a search on Google, but wasn't happy with the results. Then on Twitter, I asked the question:

Can anyone recommend a few fully accessible, fully standards-complaint #WordPress themes (besides Sea Beast)

I received a few replies, but didn't get much further in my quest. Then I ran a few searches in the WordPress themes site, but didn't come up with much. This is what I've got so far:

• Sea Beast by Mike Cherim: the first theme to come to mind. Solid, but outdated.
• Puritan by Peter Krantz: didn't try it because it didn't install with the new version of WordPress, 2.8.
• Hybrid: Already had it installed , but still needs styling since it's a framework. And it requires joining a "club".
• Stardust: good, but still needs some tweaking.

Does anyone know of any other accessible WordPress themes available? Valid code and semantic markup sure wouldn't hurt either. Template options and widget-ready are good too! Not sure why this is so difficult. Guess I'll have to make time to build my own (hopefully late this summer!).

Labels: standards, wordpress

posted by Dennis at Web Axe at 12:02 PM   9 comments

Web Accessibility News

Thursday, July 02, 2009

Latest goings-on in the web accessibility community. Found all on a valuable resource, Twitter!

• Accessibility and the Law: from Practical eCommerce (from @joedolson)
• Drupal Developers: Build accessibility into themes (and in general) (from @pixeldiva)
• Working in Web Accessibility: (from @jared_w_smith)
• New accessibility features in Firefox 3.5 (from @MarcoZehe)
• Internet access as a human right (from @crgonzalez)
• The new Pogo Sketch - Persons with mobility impairments can now use the Pogo Sketch stylus with Blackberry Storm (from @berryaccess)
  

Labels: firefox, law, mobile, news, twitter

posted by Dennis at Web Axe at 7:00 AM   0 comments

Usability (and Accessibility) Tweetup in Ann Arbor, July 18

Wednesday, July 01, 2009

• What: “Usability Tweetup”
• When: 7pm, Saturday, July 18, 2009
• Where: Ann Arbor Brewing Company in downtown Ann Arbor [Google map]
• Why: To discuss web usability, web accessibility, Twitter; socialize; drink beer

Labels: event, twitter, usability

posted by Dennis at Web Axe at 11:26 AM   0 comments

Podcast #72: Twitter Accessibility, Events, and News

Monday, June 22, 2009

Download Web Axe Episode 72 (Twitter Accessibility, Events, and News)

Chatter

• Feedback for new Web Axe theme song?
• Opera 10 beta
• Where are the headings?
• AudioBoo "A Eulogy For IE6" by Paul Boag.
• Web Axe-Refresh Detroit Tweetup! Ann Arbor, Michigan, Saturday, July 18.

Events/Conferences

• 12th Annual Accessing Higher Ground
  Accessible Media, Web and Technology Conference
  10-14 November 2009
  Westin Hotel in Westminster, Colorado, U.S.A.
  
  
• IEEE Accessing the Future conference
  20-21 July 2009
  Northeastern University
  Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.
  LinkedIn event page
  
  
• Full Frontal JavaScript Conference
  20 November 2009
  One day; £100
  Duke Of York's Picturehouse; Preston Circus; Brighton, BN1 4NA
  

Twitter and Web Accessibility

Accessible Twitter updates:

• Ajax for deleting DM.
• Popular Links page; added categories.
• Add URL shortening to DM page.
• Add (limited) functionality to update user profile.

Compiled List of links from #TwitterBook (look who's first!)

Other Accessible Twitter applications:

• Try a mobile web app.
• Tweete was created as an alternative to the mobile web and slandr mobile clients.
• Twitstat Mobile
• Slandr
• Dabr
• TwInbox - plug-in for Microsoft Outlook
• Tweet s60: totally accessible Twitter mobile app for Nokia Series 60 devices (via @AbilityNet @BlindTwit)

Other issues:

• Accessibility issues with Twitter background
• Twitter Quietly Fixes Broken Audio CAPTCHA
• Software change makes Twitter more accessible for the visually impaired (CAPTCHA to re-CAPTCHA)

More News

• Adopting WCAG 2 - from DingoAccess
• 10 Ways to make your site accessible using web standards

Labels: captcha, conference, podcast, wcag2

posted by Dennis at Web Axe at 8:00 AM   1 comments

Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Joe Dolson recently completed an excellent four part series published on the Practical eCommerce web site. Another great read from Joe,highly recommended. The articles cover the following four fundamental principles of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 (WCAG 2):

1. Is it perceivable?
2. Is it operable?
3. Is it understandable?
4. Is it robust?

Here are the articles:

• New Accessibility Guidelines A "Welcomed Update" (Perceivable)
• New Accessibility Guidelines Part II: Operability
• New Accessibility Guidelines Part III: Understandability
• New Accessibility Guidelines Part IV: Robustness

PS:
Joe was a guest back in 2007 in Podcast: #41: The Definition of Web Accessibility

Labels: article, expert, guidelines, wcag, wcag2

posted by Dennis at Web Axe at 3:31 PM   1 comments

Delay on Next Podcast

Monday, June 15, 2009

Just a note to let you know that the next Web Axe podcast is delayed a week or so. Stayed tuned!

Labels: administrative, podcast

posted by Dennis at Web Axe at 11:13 AM   0 comments

Assistive Technology, Captivate, and Accessify

Friday, June 12, 2009

Browse Assistive Technology - learn about all kinds of Assistive Technology for different types of disabilities.

Tips on Adobe Captivate Accessibility

What to do with Accessify? - Give Ian some ideas! (By the way, check out the Accessify post Interview with Accessible Twitter creator Dennis Lembree.)

Labels: "assistive technology", adobe, expert

posted by Dennis at Web Axe at 8:25 AM   0 comments

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Previous Posts

• Accessible WordPress Themes?
• Web Accessibility News
• Usability (and Accessibility) Tweetup in Ann Arbor...
• Podcast #72: Twitter Accessibility, Events, and Ne...
• Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust
• Delay on Next Podcast
• Assistive Technology, Captivate, and Accessify
• Other Accessibility Podcasts (and UX)
• WAVE now available in Spanish
• CAPTCHA Alternatives and Articles

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Web Axe was nominated for "Podcast of the Year" in .net magazine's 2008 Best of the Web awards.

To learn more about Dennis Lembree, the founder and main host of Web Axe, visit his web site at www.DennisLembree.com.