Web Accessibility Evalutation Resources

Basic Accessibility Questions: Explanation and Resources

Web Accessibility Resources (Word)

WebAIM Section 508 Checklist:
Descriptions of how each standard would pass or fail, links to explanations and some solutions.

Common Assistive Technology used to access electronic information:

Deya Alexander provides links to show how people with disabilities experience the web.

Web Evaluation Tools:

Web accessibility evaluation tools are software programs or online services that help determine if a Web site meets accessibility guidelines. While Web accessibility evaluation tools can significantly reduce the time and effort to evaluate Web sites, no tool can automatically determine the accessibility of Web sites or realistically "certify" accessibility.

Resources:

Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool (WAVE):

WAVE is a free web accessibility evaluation tool provided by WebAIM. It is used to aid humans in the web accessibility evaluation process. Rather than providing a complex technical report, WAVE shows the original web page with embedded icons and indicators that reveal the accessibility of that page.

You have several options for using WAVE. You can enter a URL on the WAVE webpage and it will show you the page you entered with its evaluation layered on top. You can also upload a file or enter straight HTML code to have checked. There are also extensions for FireFox and Dreamweaver if you would like to always have it on hand.

Visit the WAVE webpage

Web Accessibility Toolbar for Internet Explorer:

The Web Accessibility Toolbar is a plugin for Internet Explorer that allows you to examine the unseen parts of a webpage and see how accessible it is "under the hood." You can display the Alt text of images on a webpage, outline tables and headings, disable JavaScript and CSS, and much more. The toolbar is also integrated into WebAIM's WAVE tool.

Download the WAT

Web Developer Toolbar for Mozilla Firefox:

Almost identical in function to the WAT for IE, this add-on will let Firefox users test pages for accessibility. After you download it, Firefox will need to restart before you can use it.

Download the WDT

Web Developer Toolbar for Google Chrome:

The WDT for Chrome has almost the same collection of tools as the version of Firefox. It still provides an excellent way for Chrome users to test the webpages they visit for accessibility. You can download it by opening Chrome and searching for the toolbar on the Chrome extensions page. After that, it's a simple matter of installing it.

AChecker:

AChecker is an open-source evaluation tool designed to check web pages based on a variety of international accessibility guidelines. You can try an online demo on the AChecker website and then download your own copy to customize.

AMP Express Accessibility-On-Demand Website Checker

Allows you to enter a website URL and have it examined for accessibily against your choice of several guidlines. You can also have the service search at its discretion through up to 10 pages of the site.

Go to the AMP Express Website Checker website

Additional Guidelines and Tutorials:

Web Usability Guide (218kb PDF)
Good guidelines on writing for the web, to make sites more usable.

The Planning, Evaluation, Repair and Maintenance Process (WebAIM)

Colorado State University:

The Veterans Health Administration Section 508 office has a training for accessible Flash:

Document Accessibility:

PDF Accessibility

PowerPoint Accessibility

Microsoft Word Document Accessibility

Web Accessibility in General and Specifics

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