Accessible Web Authoring Guidelines
It's not always easy to know how to make a web site accessible; the topic is very broad and because of the potential number of needs out there for various users, it can seem pretty intimidating. Fortunately for us, however, most of the research has already been done and compiled into clear, useful guidelines that you can apply when creating your own websites.
The W3C's Web Accessibility Initiative
The World Wide Web Consortium, or the W3C for short, is the international body of industry-leading corporations, individuals, and organizations (including the HTML Writers Guild) who set the standards by which the World Wide Web operates. Headed by Tim Berners-Lee, the creator of the WWW and HTML, the W3C develops the technologies and methods for an interoperable global network.
One of the W3C's major areas of interest is the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI, pronounced "way"). Under the direction of Judy Brewer, Director of the Web Accessibility Initiative International Program Office, the WAI team and volunteers develop resources that increase the accessibility of the web, including guidelines for web page content, browsers and other user agents, and authoring tools.
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Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
[local copy]
The definitive document on creating accessible HTML. Read this, learn this, apply this. (Formerly called the Page Author Guidelines and sometimes referred to as such in older references.) -
Checklist for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
[local copy]
The information from the guidelines above, in checklist form so you can evaluate your site item by item. -
Techniques for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
[local
copy]
Not sure how to meet the guidelines? This document gives the techniques necessary to implement the web content guidelines. -
WAI QuickTips
Direct and to the point -- ten easy steps to creating a more accessible web design, that can fit on a business card! -
The WAI Homepage
More information about the Web Accessibility Initiative! Bookmark this site, definitely.
Commentary on the WCAG
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Disabled Accessibility: The Pragmatic Approach
Jakob Nielsen examines the WCAG in his June 13 AlertBox column.
Other Links on Accessibility Guidelines
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Six Principles of Accessible Web Design
Kynn Bartlett shares several important foundation concepts behind creating accessible web sites.