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Cal Poly Pomona

Understanding Sect. 508 as it relates to web pages

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act

Here is a list of all the paragraphs of the part of Sect. 508 that relates to web pages, with an explanation of how to achieve each one:

 

§ 1194.22 Web-based intranet and internet information and applications.

  1. Arabian horse turning the page of a phone bookA text equivalent for every non-text element shall be provided (e.g., via "alt", "longdesc", or in element content).
    An image of text should have an "alt" that is identical to the text. A photo or other pictorial material should have a description of the sort that you might use to describe it over the telephone. And an image that is nothing but visual decoration should be placed in the background, such as the gold bar across this page, or given an "empty alt" (alt="").
  2. Equivalent alternatives for any multimedia presentation shall be synchronized with the presentation.
    This is one of the most costly parts of retrofitting materials on the web.
  3. Web pages shall be designed so that all information conveyed with color is also available without color, for example from context or markup.
    Don't do stuff like this, for example, unless the color is completely decorative and has no meaning (and then you should ask yourself if it's really needed)..
  4. Documents shall be organized so they are readable without requiring an associated style sheet.
    The Cal Poly Pomona templates are a good example.
  5. Redundant text links shall be provided for each active region of a server-side image map.
    It's even useful for client-side image maps (the kind most used today, and the kind that Dreamweave makes), since not all screen readers interpret them usefully. The BioTrek virtual tour is an example.
  6. Client-side image maps shall be provided instead of server-side image maps except where the regions cannot be defined with an available geometric shape.
    Server-side image maps are almost never used any more except in legacy applications, since client-side maps are easier to create (and are the only kind most of you will ever make). As part of remediation, old server-side maps should be converted to client-side.
  7. Row and column headers shall be identified for data tables.
    This is accomplished with the <th> tag, or marking the cells as "Header" in Dreamweaver. By default, headers are bold and centered in most browsers, but a style sheet can be used to modify this
    An example of header cells
      2007 2008 2009 2010
    Cal Poly Pomona 10342 2040 175 0
    CSUN 9593 3795 512 0
    Fullerton 11459 4505 1483 254
    CSUSB 8473 2231 417 106

    The same table without headers or caption
      2007 2008 2009 2010
    Cal Poly Pomona 10342 2040 175 0
    CSUN 9593 3795 512 0
    Fullerton 11459 4505 1483 254
    CSUSB 8473 2231 417 106

    They may look the same, but they will sound very different to a screen reader.
  8. Markup shall be used to associate data cells and header cells for data tables that have two or more logical levels of row or column headers.
    Complex tables are, uh, complex
    . Here are some examples of complex tables.
  9. Frames shall be titled with text that facilitates frame identification and navigation.
    BroncoDirect is an example of a site that uses frames for navigation.
  10. Processing graphic from BroncoDirect, animated at 2 Hz Pages shall be designed to avoid causing the screen to flicker with a frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz.
    The "Processing" graphic on BroncoDirect cycles at exactly 2 Hz and the old deprecated <blink> tag blinks at around 1 hz in most browsers. A laptop screen refreshes at 60 Hz and most CRTs refresh at 75 Hz or more.
  11. A text-only page, with equivalent information or functionality, shall be provided to make a web site comply with the provisions of this part, when compliance cannot be accomplished in any other way. The content of the text-only page shall be updated whenever the primary page changes.
    Text-only pages mean twice as much updating. Since it is so easy to make accessible pages in the first place, text-only equivalents aren't worth the effort.
  12. When pages utilize scripting languages to display content, or to create interface elements, the information provided by the script shall be identified with functional text that can be read by assistive technology.
  13. Javascript that changes parts of the page that have alread been read by a screen reader are problematic.
  14. When a web page requires that an applet, plug-in or other application be present on the client system to interpret page content, the page must provide a link to a plug-in or applet that complies with §1194.21(a) through (l).
    You can download Adobe Reader and Flash Player, if you need them.
  15. When electronic forms are designed to be completed on-line, the form shall allow people using assistive technology to access the information, field elements, and functionality required for completion and submission of the form, including all directions and cues.
    Forms are complex for all users. You can read about accessible forms, but the most important part is the <label> tag.
  16. A method shall be provided that permits users to skip repetitive navigation links.
    There's one at the top of this page (part of the Cal Poly Pomona templates), even though there's no repetitive navigation to skip. It's only apparent to the users who need it.
  17. When a timed response is required, the user shall be alerted and given sufficient time to indicate more time is required.

 

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