Web Axe: web accessibility podcast and blog
Podcast and blog on practical web design accessibility tips.
What is web accessibility? | Email: web axe [at gmail] NOSPAM! dot com
Current Posts
Section 508 to be updated
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
In the post Section 508 to be updated on WebAIM, Jared Smith announces that Section 508 (of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973) is going through the process of being updated. There are also some excellent comments on this post.The portion of Section 508 dealing with web sites is outdated and badly needs this revision. The guidelines are loosely based on WCAG 1.0 Priority 1, which also needs updating (see Podcast #55: WCAG Samurai).
Related Links:
Web Accessibility Myths
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
In the article Web Accessibility Myths, common misunderstandings of accessible web sites are addressed and rebutted. Be it a poorly marked-up article, the content has some great points including:- Creating a separate text-only equivalent can lead to a number of problems.
- To develop an accessible website from scratch will cost virtually the same as to develop a website that isn’t accessible.
- Web accessibility actually places very few restrictions on website design.
- Blind and disabled people benefit from the Internet perhaps more than anyone else.
Mexico Signs Manifesto on Web Accessibility
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Twenty-three Mexican states and three Mexican municipalities have created and signed a manifesto on web accessibility and usability. The manifesto states:As administrators, our objective is to create and maintain websites that are both useful and easy to use for the widest possible audience: usable and accessible websites. We believe that government, academia and the private sector should work together to achieve this objective.The manifesto sprang from the Usability and Accessibility for the Web International Seminar which was held in Monterrey, Mexico this past July (2007).
- Mexico signs first Manifesto on Usability and Accessibility for Mexican Government Websites
- Manifesto on Usability and Accessibility for Mexican Government Websites
Podcast #57: AJAX and Accessibility (Part 2)
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Previously, Dennis and Guest Mark McKay began the discussion on nearly taboo subject of AJAX and web accessibility in Podcast #49: AJAX and Accessibility. Now in Part 2, Dennis and Ross discuss the problems and solutions in greater detail.Download Web Axe Episode 57 (AJAX and Accessibility, Part 2)
The Problems & Solutions
- Notifying screen readers updated content
- For JavaScript disabled browsers, use Hijax and progressive enhancement
- The dreaded alternative page
- The future?
AJAX Links
- Hijax: Progressive Enhancement with Ajax
- The Hows and Whys of Degradable Ajax
- How to: Get Google and AJAX to Play Nice
- Book: Bulletproof AJAX by Jeremy Keith
- AJAX and Screenreaders: When Can it Work?
- Making AJAX work with Screen Readers
News
Announcements
- Web Axe 2-Year episode thank-yous
- Attended An Event Apart, SF 07
- Dennis got a motorcycle
Labels: ajax, podcast, screenreader
Court rules against Target on website accessibility lawsuit
Thursday, October 04, 2007
Huge news pertaining to web accessibility law in the U.S. -- a California court ruled that web sites such as target.com are required by California law to be accessible.- Court Ruling Says California Disabled Rights Law Applies to the Web
- Court rules against Target on website accessibility lawsuit
Labels: law
Don't Use Text Resizing Widgets
Tuesday, October 02, 2007
Web sites should not implement text resizing widgets--you know, those little buttons, usually an "A+" and "A-" that increase/descrease the size of the text on the site. The responsibility for providing this functionality lies with the browser, like the forward and back buttons.Web designers/owners need to put forth more effort in teaching/guiding the user to using the browsers' features for text resizing. Equally, the browsers themselves should make this feature more obvious and usable.
In addition, most sites I see that use resizing widgets are not very accessible; they seem to add this feature as a cheap replacement (bluff, excuse) for a genuinely accessible web site.
More:
- Scrap text resize widgets and teach people how to resize text
- Text Resizing in Your Browser - A Visual Guide (video)
Partner Links
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Previous Posts
- Podcast #76: Web Accessibility Disasters
- Roundup: Accessibility Links on Twitter
- Accessible YouTube Sites
- Free Browsers for Visual Impairment
- Colorblind, Law, and Lightboxes
- Podcast #75: Jeremy Keith Interview, Google Wave
- ATIA Chicago 2009
- Accessibility Round-Up from Twitter
- Podcast #74: Awards, Events & Back to Basics
- Accessible Twitter Wins Award, Slidedeck
Related Sites
- Web Overhauls - tune-up your web site!
- Accessible Twitter - superior alternative to Twitter.com.
- 3.7crea.tv - web design and marketing blog.
- Refresh Detroit - regional group for web professionals.
- Detroit Podcasters Network.
- Website Design - seo friendly web design company.
About the Hosts
About Dennis
Dennis Lembree is the founder of web development company Web Overhauls, which specializes in web usability, standards, and accessibility. Follow Dennis on Twitter: @dennisl
About Ross
Ross Johnson runs a web design company (3.7 Designs) that takes a wholistic view on the web and art of constructing pages. They strive to be creative and unique. Follow Ross on Twitter: @3pointross