About the Guidelines Referenced
in this Tutorial.
This tutorial brings together a collection of accessibility and usability
guidelines, standards, and best practices for web developers.
Key for this Tutorial
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Source for Guideline/Standard |
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Guideline from the "Web-based
Intranet and Internet Information and Applications (1194.22)"
subsection of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. OSU requires
web developers to meet or exceed the OSU Web Accessibility Policies
and Standards, which are based on these standards. |
Specific help for each guideline is referenced
throughout the tutorial.
For more help, see the Access
Board's Guide to the Standards. |
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Priority 1 issue from the Web
Content Accessibility Guidelines of the World Wide Web Consortium's Web Accessibility Initiative
(WAI), A Web content developer must satisfy
this checkpoint. Otherwise, one or more groups will find it impossible
to access information in the document. Satisfying this checkpoint
is a basic requirement for some groups to be able to use Web documents.
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Specific help for each guideline is referenced
throughout the tutorial. See the complete list of Web
Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0. |
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Priority 2 issue from Web
Content Accessibility Guidelines of the World
Wide Web Consortium's Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI), A
Web content developer should satisfy this checkpoint.
Otherwise, one or more groups will find it difficult to access information
in the document. Satisfying this checkpoint will remove significant
barriers to accessing Web documents. |
Specific help for each guideline is referenced
throughout the tutorial. See the complete list of Web
Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0. |
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Priority 3 issue from Web
Content Accessibility Guidelines of the World
Wide Web Consortium's Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI), A
Web content developer may address this checkpoint.
Otherwise, one or more groups will find it somewhat difficult to
access information in the document. Satisfying this checkpoint will
improve access to Web documents. |
Specific help for each guideline is referenced
throughout the tutorial. See the complete list of Web
Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0. |
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The OSU
Minimum Web Accessibility Standards (MWAS) were developed
using the U.S. Access Board’s Section 508 standards, supplemented
by The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines developed by World
Wide Web Consortium (W3C) as a benchmark for access to web based
information and services. |
Specific help for each guideline is referenced throughout the
tutorial. Resources to assist designers in understanding and meeting
these standards can be found elsewhere on this site (including
a detailed guide
to the standards. |
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Best Practice recommended by the W.A.C.
Although not covered specifically by either Section 508 or the WCAG,
WAC recommends web developers follow these guidelines to further
usability for all users. |
WAC usability guidelines are based on accepted best
practices, as identified by, among others, noted experts Vincent Flanders and Jacob Nielsen. |
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Section 508
OSU requires web developers to meet or exceed the OSU Web Accessibility Policies
and Standards, which are based on Section 508 of the Rehabilitation
Act of 1973. Section 508 requires that certain guidelines or priorities
are met to insure those with visual, auditory, physical, mental, or learning
disabilities are able to access electronic information. Standards covered
by Section 508 include:
For more help with Section 508 guidelines, see the WAC Tutorial: Understanding
and Applying Section 508 Standards.
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Using the WAI's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
Depending on its intended use and audience and the complexity of the
site design, web designers may want to adhere to the stricter (more detailed)
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
of the World Wide Web Consortium's
Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI), which cover not only basic
web pages, but also use of dynamic content with scripting, plug-ins, multimedia,
and other advance design features.
The WCAG are categorized by priority:
- [Priority
1]
A Web content developer must satisfy this checkpoint.
Otherwise, one or more groups will find it impossible to access information
in the document. Satisfying this checkpoint is a basic requirement for
some groups to be able to use Web documents.
- [Priority
2]
A Web content developer should satisfy this checkpoint.
Otherwise, one or more groups will find it difficult to access information
in the document. Satisfying this checkpoint will remove significant
barriers to accessing Web documents.
- [Priority
3]
A Web content developer may address this checkpoint.
Otherwise, one or more groups will find it somewhat difficult to access
information in the document. Satisfying this checkpoint will improve
access to Web documents.
The WAI allows designers to certify their sites under three levels of
compliance:
-
 Conformance
Level "A": all Priority 1 checkpoints are satisfied;
-
 Conformance
Level "Double-A": all Priority 1 and 2 checkpoints are satisfied;
-
 Conformance
Level "Triple-A": all Priority 1, 2, and 3 checkpoints are
satisfied.
Thus, a designer with a simpler site, may choose to make the site compliant
to "Double-A" rating, while more advance sites may want to certify
a "Triple-A" rating to insure all plug-in and scripting technologies
are compliant as well.
 The
WAC recommends that designers in academic institutions who choose
to use the WAI's WCAG for validation should certify to at least the "Double-A" rating.
Note: In addition to treating, in detail, methods for
accessibility in complex web sites, the WAI also strives to lead the way
in establishing accessible design practices as emerging technology and
design trends enter the market. Thus, many of the recommendations, such
as using Style Sheets for layout as well as formatting, represent design
elements that will be, but are not yet, fully supported by existing browser
technology. Designers who choose to become fully compliant to the WCAG
Priority 1, 2, and 3 issues may need to require use of only the most current
version of available browsers and further may only support one or two
browser types.
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OSU Minimum Web Accessibility Standards (MWAS)
The current version of the OSU MWAS went into effect June 30, 2004.
In addition to detailed standards, the new policy also includes a prioirty
schedule for implemenation and retrofit and an annual reporting requirement.
For complete information about the standards, visit the WAC's About
the OSU Standards section.
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