Accessibility First!
Resources
PowerPoint Download (Boston Civic Media 6/10/16)
WGBH Accessible Digital Media Guidelines
David Kelleher
Email: david_kelleher@emerson.edu
Twitter: @david_kelleher
Website: www.davidk.net/accessibility
Workshop Description
When producing media (web, video, or print) for Internet distribution, or teaching students how to produce media, there is a tendency to delay handling accessibility issues until late in the production process. By then, there are few opportunities for meaningful implementation. This workshop will demonstrate how disabled users view media, share the value of adding accessibility early in the process, and teach simple ways for anyone who makes media to create more accessible productions.
Visual impairment, hearing loss, physical limitations, and learning disabilities will all be considered. An accessible first process will be described that includes advocating for accessibility, taking advantage of expert resources, defining responsibilities, engaging disabled users during the design stage, and choosing compliant technologies.
1. Color Blindness
Visual Disability
Download Color Oracle
(Free for Mac, Win, Linux)
Test Google Analyitcs Pie Charts. Which type of color blindness results in slices that appear to have no color difference?
Test BBC Sport Football. What information is conveyed only by color, and not accessible to those with color blindness?
2. Color Contrast
Visual Disability
Download Color Contrast Analyzer.
(Free for Mac, Win, Linux)
Test City of Boston Website. Which sections have enough contrast between the text and background? Which sections do not?
3. Closed Captions
Hearing Disabiliy
View directions for automatic generation and editing of Closed Captions in Youtube.
4. Transcriptions
Hearing Disability
Read directions comparing options for creating Transcriptions of Video and Podcasts.
5. Keyboard Navigation
Physical Disability
Learn about Keyboard Navigation for those unable to use a mouse.
Test City of Boston Website. How many times does the tab key need to be pressed before you get to the search box?
6. Readability Test
Cognitive Disability
Visit the Readability Score website.
Test this paragraph of text from the City of Boston Hazardous Waste Page. What is the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level?
Rewrite the paragraph to improve readability. What is the grade level of your revision? Test this sample solution.
9. Microsoft Office
General Accessibility
Review Microsoft's guidance for making Word, Excel, and PowerPoint Office documents accessible.
Test the Property Information Request Form (MS Word) document on the City of Boston website.
Accessibility Checker: File > Info > Check for Issues > Check Accessibility
Semantic Headers: Home > Styles
Alternative Text: Right Click > Alt Text
Link Text: Insert > HyperLink > Text to Display
10. Adobe PDF
General Accessibility
Review Adobe's guidance for making accessible PDF files.
Test the Recycling and Trash Guidelines (PDF) document on the City of Boston website. Use "Full Check" from the Adobe Acrobat Tools > Accessibility pane.
Set up Word (with Acrobat) to improve accessibility of PDF export: File > Save as PDF > Options > Enable Accessibility and Reflow with Tagged Adobe PDF
Set up Word (without Acrobat) to improve accessibility of PDF export: File > Save As... > PDF > Options > Document structure tags for accessibility
11. Web / HTML5
General Accessibility.
Try the WebAIM Screenreader Simulation to learn how the blind use the web.
If making websites, learn about the W3 accessibility and WCAG initiatives. Test a page in the WebAIM Accessibility Evaluation Tool.
Review the select menu navigation code on the City of Boston website. Test the following revised code, which uses the correct semantic element for the label, in a HTML Sandbox.