ADA Guidelines for Web Site Access for the Diasabled

The following are considered the best practices for complying with the ADA requirements on Web site access for the diasabled:

• Images:
  • A text equivalent for every non-text element should be provided.
  • Web pages should be designed so that all information conveyed with color is also available without color from context or markup on the page.
  • Client-side image maps should be provided instead of server-side image maps and redundant text links should be provided for each active region of a image map.
• Navigation & Layout:
  • A method shall be provided that permits users to skip repetitive navigation links.
  • Documents should be organized so as not require a style sheet.
  • Frames should be titled with text that allows for frame identification and navigation.
  • When using scripting languages to display content or interface elements, the information provided should be identified with text that can be read by assistive technology.
• Tables:
  • Row and column headers should be identified for data tables.
  • Markup should be used to associate data cells and header cells for data tables that have two or more logical levels of row or column headers.
• Forms:
  • When forms are designed to be completed on-line, the form should allow people using assistive technology to access the information, field elements, and functionality required for completion and submission of the form, including all directions and cues.
  • When a timed response is required, the user should be alerted and given sufficient time to indicate more time is required.
• Multimedia & Plugins:
  • When a web page requires that an applet, plug-in or other application be present on the client system to interpret page content, the page must provide a link to a plug-in or applet that itself complies with ADA guidelines.
  • Equivalent alternatives for any multimedia presentation should be synchronized with the presentation.
  • Pages should be designed to avoid causing the screen to flicker with a frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz.
• Finally:
  • A text-only page, with equivalent information or functionality, should be provided to make the web site comply with the above guidelines, when compliance cannot be accomplished in any other way. The content of the text-only page should be updated whenever the primary page changes.