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Web Accessiblity Checklist

The State of Kansas guidelines are based in part on the work of the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) and their Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 (WCAG 1.0). This revision also encompasses the rules for Web-based intranet and Internet information and applications required of Federal departments and agencies (and others as applicable) by section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. 794d) and takes into account the draft of the W3C's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 (WCAG 2.0). Where relevant, the number of the corresponding WCAG 1.0 guideline and Section 508 standard is listed. (When available, there are links to the corresponding guidelines in the hypertext version of this document).

Design Principles

The following items, more general than the prioritized guidelines below, are considered "best practices". They apply broadly to all Web pages.

  • In order to satisfy many of the accessibility guidelines, it is necessary to use version 4.0+ of HTML in combination with Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) version 1.0+ For example, do not use proprietary or browser-dependent HTML tags such as <blink> or <marquee>.
  • Whenever possible, avoid deprecated features of W3C technologies. Deprecated features are considered obsolete and will be replaced in future versions. For example, the HTML <font> tag will be replaced by CSS.
  • Tables should be used to mark up truly tabular information rather than using them to control page layout. Once user agents better support style sheet positioning, tables should not be used for layout.
  • Avoid creating pages that periodically auto-refresh.
  • Use the clearest and simplest language appropriate for a site's content.
  • Divide large blocks of information into more manageable groups where natural and appropriate.
  • Create alternative, accessible pages only when other solutions fail because alternative pages are typically updated less often than "primary" pages. An out-of-date page may be as frustrating as an inaccessible one since, in both cases, the information on the original page is unavailable. Before resorting to an alternative page, reconsider the design of the original page; making it accessible is likely to improve it for all users. (See also Priority 1, #19.)

Maintaining Accessibility

Once your site has met the State of Kansas Web Content Accessibility Guidelines it is imperative that the site continue to remain in compliance with the guidelines on an ongoing basis. Web authors and administrators must assure that all new pages and changes to site design (e.g., changes in navigation or color scheme) maintain full accessibility compliance.

Priorities

Each item on the following list has a priority level assigned based on the item's impact on accessibility.

Priority 1

Web developers must satisfy this item. All Section 508 Standards are included in Priority 1. These guidelines represent the most fundamental accessibility features.

Priority 2

Web developers must satisfy this item. These guidelines represent more complex accessibility features Generally, these items would be addressed after satisfying Priority 1 items.

Priority 3

Web developers may satisfy this item. These guidelines represent accessibility features that offer the broadest level of accessibility to web pages.

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Priority 1 Items
No. Description
1. Provide a text equivalent for all non-text elements that can be expressed in words (e.g., via "alt", "longdesc", or in element content). This includes: images that convey meaning or content, graphical representations of text (including symbols and logos), image map regions, animations (e.g., animated GIF's), applets and other programmatic objects, graphical buttons, audio, video, etc. [W3C WCAG 1.0, 1.1] [Sec.508 1194.22(a)]
2. Ensure that all information conveyed with color is also available without color, for example from context or markup. [W3C WCAG 1.0, 2.1] [Sec.508 1194.22(c)]
3. Use style sheets to control presentation while ensuring that all content is accessible in user agents that do not support or do not fully support style sheets. [W3C WCAG 1.0, 6.1 and WCAG 1.0, 3.3] [Sec.508 1194.22(d)]
4. Avoid causing the screen to flicker. [W3C WCAG 1.0, 7.1] [Sec.508 1194.22(j)]
5. Client side image maps should be provided instead of server side image maps. If you must use server-side image maps, provide redundant text links for each link on the image map. [W3C WCAG 1.0, 1.2 and WCAG 1.0, 1.5] [Sec.508 1194.22(e) and 1194.22(f)]
6. Use of frames is discouraged. If you must use frames, title each frame to facilitate frame identification and navigation. [W3C WCAG 1.0, 12.1] [Sec.508 1194.22(i)]
7. Ensure that foreground and background color combinations provide sufficient contrast when viewed by someone with color deficits. [W3C WCAG 1.0, 2.2]
8. Clearly identify the target of each link. [W3C WCAG 1.0, 13.1]
9. Use markup according to specification. For example, use header elements to convey document structure. Mark up lists and list items properly. Mark up quotations. Do not use quotation markup for formatting effects such as indentation. [W3C WCAG 1.0, 3.5; WCAG 1.0, 3.6; WCAG 1.0, 3.7]
10. Use markup to identify the primary natural language of a document and any changes in its natural language (including those in text equivalents, captions, etc. [W3C WCAG 1.0 4.1, and WCAG 1.0, 4.3]
11. Make scripts and applets that allow users to interpret or access page content, or any other element that has its own interface, compatible with assistive technologies, and ensure that event handlers are input device-independent. [W3C WCAG 1.0, 6.4; WCAG 1.0, 8.1; WCAG 1.0, 9.2] [Sec.508 1194.22(m)]
12. Ensure that all content is accessible when scripts, applets, or other programmatic objects are turned off or not supported. If this is not possible, provide equivalent information on an alternative accessible page. (See also P1, #1, #11, #19) [W3C WCAG 1.0, 6.3]
13. For data tables, identify row and column headers. Use markup to associate data cells with header cells for data tyables that have two or more logical levels of rows or column headers [W3C WCAG 1.0, 5.1] [Sec.508 1194.22(g)]
14. Provide summaries for data tables. If a table is used only for layout, provide an empty summary attribute (e.g., summary=" ").[W3C WCAG 1.0, 5.5]
15. Use markup to associate all form controls with their labels. [W3C WCAG 1.0, 10.2 and WCAG 1.0, 12.4] [Sec.508 1194.22(n)]
16. For any time-based multi-media presentation (e.g., movie or animation) synchronize equivalent alternatives (e.g., captions or auditory descriptions of the visual track) with the presentation. [W3C WCAG 1.0, 1.4] [Sec.508 1194.22(b)]
17. When a timed response is required, the user shall be alerted and given sufficient opportunity to indicate more time is required. [Sec.508 1194.22(p)]
18. Provide a method that permits users to skip lists of links repeated on every page in a site, such as navigation links. [W3C WCAG 1.0, 13.6] [Sec.508 1194.22(o)]
19. If you cannot create an accessible page, provide a link to an alternative page that is accessible, has equivalent information (or functionality), and is updated as often as the inaccessible (original) page. [W3C WCAG 1.0, 11.4] [Sec.508 1194.22(k) and 1194.22(l)]

Priority 2 items

No.

 Description
1.  When an appropriate markup language exists, use markup rather than graphics to convey information. For example, use MathML to mark up mathematical equations instead of using graphics to represent symbols. [W3C WCAG 1.0, 3.1]
2. Create pages that use the transitional or the strict document type declaration (e.g., <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> or <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01//EN">) and include the appropriate declaration as the first line of every HTML page. [W3C WCAG 1.0, 3.2]
3. Use relative rather than absolute units of measure (e.g., for margins, font sizes, borders, etc.). [W3C WCAG 1.0, 3.4]
4. Use navigation mechanisms in a consistent manner. [W3C WCAG 1.0, 13.4]
5. Specify the expansion of each abbreviation or acronym in a document. Providing the expansion in the main body of the document also helps document usability. [W3C WCAG 1.0, 4.2]
6. Inform the user before changing focus from the current window or before causing a "pop-up" or other new window to appear. (See also P1 #12) W3C WCAG 1.0, 10.1]
7. Provide multipe methods to explore sites that are more than two layers deep (e.g., a site map or table of contents). [W3C WCAG 1.0, 13.3]
8. Do not use tables for layout unless the table makes sense when linearized. [W3C WCAG 1.0, 5.3]
9. Create a logical tab order through links, form controls, and objects. [W3C WCAG 1.0, 9.4]
10. Until user agents provide the ability to stop auto-redirect, do not use markup to redirect pages automatically. Instead, configure the server to perform redirects. If necessary to re-direct a page and configuring the server is not possible, label the action and allow the user to invoke the link to the new page. [W3C WCAG 1.0, 7.5]

Priority 3 items
No. Description
1. Provide keyboard shortcuts ("access keys") to important links (including those in client-side images maps), form controls, and groups of form controls. [W3C WCAG 1.0, 9.5]
2. If search functions are provided, enable different types of searches for different skill levels and preferences. [W3C WCAG 1.0, 13.7]
3. Place distinguishing information at the beginning of headings, paragraphs, lists, etc. [W3C WCAG 1.0, 13.8]
4. Avoid using ASCII art [W3C WCAG 1.0, 13.10]
5. Provide terse substitutes for header labels with the "abbr" attribute on <th>. These will be particularly useful for future speaking technologies that can read row and column labels for each cell. Abbreviations cut down on repetition and reading time. [W3C WCAG 1.0, 5.6]
6. Supplement text with graphic or auditory presentations where they will facilitate comprehension of the page. [W3C WCAG 1.0, 14.2]

Undue Burden

These guidelines must be followed unless they would impose an "undue burden". Undue burden will be defined and approached in the same manner as in Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. 794d), as amended by the FY 2001 Appropriation for Military Construction (Public Law 106-246 - July 13, 2000), and related Federal legislation.

Note on Dynamic Mapping Applications: At the present time, sites containing applications that make use of Interactive Mapping Services (IMS) are granted an exception from these priorities, where applicable, due to the complex graphic-intensive, and dynamic nature of these services. Only IMS elements of a site are exempt. We will continue to pursue these issues with the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) community, the Internet accessibility community, and the Federal government to achieve full compliance as developments in the technology allows.
 
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