Accessibility: Prep

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Learning outcomes

In this session you will learn:

• What are the most common accessibility problems in websites
• How to use the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.2) as a standard
• What code patterns to use to make websites accessible for more people
• How to test websites for accessibility

Pre-sessional activities

Priority

Selections from Fredrik Ridderfalk, Learn Accessibility - Full a11y tutorial, freeCodeCamp.org, YouTube, ~60m, 1 Feb 2024.

• (0:00:00) Accessible Development Intro
• (0:01:32) Understanding web accessibility
• (0:06:09) Aside - Text contrast
• (0:10:02) Aside - Use of color
• (0:11:23) Text contrast
• (0:17:56) Aside - Alternative Text
• (0:25:13) Aside - Links
• (0:37:46) Aside - Labels
• (0:45:54) Labels
• (0:49:07) Semantic HTML
• (0:54:55) Lists
• (0:59:41) Text-size
• (1:03:06) Headings

Selections from Fisher, Carie, Alexandra White, and Rachel Andrew, Learn Accessibility, Google web.dev, 1 Jan 2023.

• Welcome to Learn Accessibility
• How is digital accessibility measured?
• Content structure
• Keyboard focus
• Images
• Color and contrast
• Forms
• Automated accessibility testing
• Manual accessibility testing
• Assistive Technology testing

Also recommended

Jordie Howell, Screen reader demonstration with Jordie, Digital Access, Vision Australia, YouTube, 3m 50s, 8 May 2023.

Install a screen reader like NVDA or JAWS (paid), or use Apple Voiceover. Find a list of commands, and try browse some websites you are familiar with, and some you are not familiar with, only using the technology.

Tyler Schrenk, Assistive technologies: quadriplegic man Tyler Schrenk controls an iPhone hands free, YouTube, 2m 9s, 24 Jan 2017.

Try navigating a few websites without using the mouse or touchpad at all, just the keyboard. Try websites you're familiar with and also ones that you are less familiar with.

Try testing a website with an automated tool like LightHouse or WAVE:

• Lighthouse, Chrome for Developers, accessed 14 Nov 2023.

• WAVE, WebAIM, accessed 14 Nov 14, 2023.

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2, World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). 5 Oct 2023.