Hands-on Web Accessibility Evaluation

Proposal No: 1197

Bios & Handouts

Speaker(s)

• Jonathan Whiting, Director of Training, WebAIM

Disability Area: Cognitive|Learning   Mobility   Vision   Deaf|HOH   Other Disability   Other Text  

Topic Area: Legal   Best Practices   Web|Media Access   Alternate Format   Campus Policy   Curriculum Access   Assistive Technology   Information Resources  

Summary of Session

In this hands-on session, participants will learn to evaluate their websites using freely-available browsers and tools. Activities will include testing your page with a keyboard, evaluating contrast, enlarging page content, and testing with a screen reader.

Abstract

Web accessibility addresses the experiences of people with disabilities, so it takes a person, armed with the right tools, to successfully evaluate the accessibility of a web page. No piece of software can do it all for you. In this half-day session you will learn the tools and techniques required to successfully evaluate your web content for all major accessibility issues. You will use free tools and resources such as WCAG 2.0 and 508 checklists, contrast checkers, and the WAVE accessibility evaluation tool. We will also use your browser of choice to test keyboard accessibility, reading and navigation order, scaling of text and images, accessible form labels and error messages, etc. We will learn to use the VoiceOver screen reader for Mac and NVDA screen reader for Windows, even if you have never used a screen reader before.

Kepoints

1. Learn which accessibility issues cannot be detected with automated tools.
2. Use freely-available tools and techniques to identify accessibility issues.
3. Conduct screen reader testing.

Speaker Bio(s)

Jonathan Whiting

Jonathan is the director of training at WebAIM. His main passion is helping others learn to make the web more accessible to people with disabilities. With a master's degree in Instructional Technology and 20 years of experience in the field of web accessibility, Jonathan has published dozens of articles, tutorials, and other instructional resources. He has traveled extensively to train thousands of web developers and other professionals who develop or maintain web content.

Handout(s)