Presentations
Tuesday 3rd July
Jenny Craven of Manchester Metropolitan University
Accessibility issues from the user perspective
Notes
Presentation (Microsoft PowerPoint file, 483KB)
Slide 1:
Introduction – to identify awareness amongst
delegates of the following:
– Web accessibility and/or Web usability
– Design for All – Universal Design
– W3C/WAI
– Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)
– PAS 78: Guide to good practice in commissioning accessible
websites
– Jakob Nielsen’s Usability Heuristics
Slide 2:
What is accessibility?
Ensuring systems and interfaces can be visited, understood
and interacted with by all users through:
– Access to hardware and software
– Use of appropriate assistive technology
– Ensuring information can be interpreted by the user
and the technology = Accessible web design
Slide 3:
Why make information accessible?
-
Information increasingly being provided in electronic
formats via PCs, smart phones, TV, hand held computers
etc
-
The business case: accessibility = commercial success
-
Inclusive society - information for all
-
Legislation e.g. UK Disability Discrimination Act, 1995,
SENDA, 2001, Disability Duty, 2006
Slide 4:
From a user perspective, it helps people …
-
With disabilities e.g. visual, mobility, learning, hearing
-
Working in a noisy environment
-
Using a PC with a slow connection
-
Using small screen web-based devices e.g. smart phones,
hand-held computers etc
Accessible design helps people to
Independently access and interact with
web-based content
Slide 5:
Alternative ways to access websites
Assistive, Adaptive, Access Technology:
Also:
Slide 6:
Accessible Web Design
Based on W3C/WAI Recommendations:
-
Text descriptions for all images and sound
-
Contrasting colours
-
Plain fonts
-
Adjustable font sizes
-
Properly labelled frames and tables
-
Appropriate text for hypertext links (avoid ‘click
here’)
-
Alternatives for scripts, applets, plug-ins etc
-
Use of Accessible Style Sheets (CSS)
Source: http://www.w3.org/WAI/
Slide 7:
Usability issues
– Unambiguous language
– Clear and consistent layout
– Logical navigation of forms, search screens etc
– Warning of new windows opening
– User control, e.g. to adjust screen display
– Dynamic interaction: online chat, quizzes, Web 2.0
Slide 8:
Web Accessibility in Context:
Some relevant inter lending issues
Access to library materials:
– Library website and catalogue
– Online databases
-
Inter lending request forms:
– Downloadable
– Online
-
Other issues:
– Online payments
– Electronic document delivery
– Notification – email, text messaging
– Digital signatures
Slide 9:
Access to Library Materials
-
Library website and catalogue
– Adhere to web accessibility guidelines and recommendations
– Terminology should be meaningful to general public
– Avoid repeated link descriptions to different
targets
– Cut down on multiple links to the same place
– Avoid over use of acronyms
-
External resources
– Is there a policy for the selection of external
resources?
– Are there guidelines for selection of accessible
resources?
– Are users provided with a description of how best
to access the resource as well as resource description?
-
E-materials (to be covered in other presentations)
Slide 10:
Interlending Request Forms
Downloading forms
Online request forms
Slide 11:
Interlending Request Forms
Downloading forms
-
Solutions:
– Accessible PDF (tagged for navigation)
– Providing choices (PDF, Word, HTML, etc)
– Clear presentation/download instructions
Online request forms
-
Solutions:
– Keyboard accessible, logical, easy to use
– Adhere to guidelines on creating accessible online
forms; conduct user testing
– Reporting mechanism for problems (email, telephone,
online etc)
Slide 12:
Other issues
– Online payments – similar to online form issues
– Electronic document delivery (covered in other presentations)
– Notification – email, text messaging - similar
to web accessibility issues
– Digital signatures: unresolved?
Slide 13:
User Perspective (1)
– Present information in a logical order, using simple
and relevant language
– Keep users informed about what is going on e.g. if
they need to go back to complete a field, if they have to
click on a copyright agreement box, the number of pages in
a form
– Follow standard conventions e.g. terminology, order
of information, command buttons (search, submit)
– Give users choices e.g. download options, screen display
Adapted from: www.useit.com/papers/heuristic/heuristic_list.html
Slide 14:
User Perspective (2)
– Error prevention – ask users to confirm important
actions before submitting
– Provide helpful error messages e.g. an example of
how a date or ISBN number should be submitted
– Make objects, actions and options visible so the user
doesn’t have to remember them e.g. provide a breadcrumb
trail to allow them to track back; consistent layout
– Simple design!
– Helpful help documentation
Adapted from: www.useit.com/papers/heuristic/heuristic_list.html
Slide 15:
Simple Evaluation:
-
Look and feel – colours, language, terminology,
structure
-
Look for good navigational aids, e.g. search facility,
return to home page
-
Adjustable font sizes and styles
-
Choice of downloadable forms
-
Navigating around online forms using Tab key
Slide 16:
Other ways to evaluate
-
Automated checking tools: WebXact, WAVE, Cynthia Says
-
Validation e.g. HTML Tidy
-
Expert testing
-
Accessibility and Usability Audits
-
User testing
See also: W3C/WAI Evaluating Web Sites: http://www.w3.org/WAI/eval/
Slide 17:
Final points for consideration
-
'Design for all' can be difficult to achieve –be
prepared to prioritise
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Evaluate your website using a combination of manual and
automated tools, but also….
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Include users in your assessments and feedback mechanisms
-
Participate in accessibility related discussion groups
and forums
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Take advantage of all the free advice available…
Slide18:
Advice on accessibility/usability
Presentation (Microsoft PowerPoint file, 483KB) |
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