Web Accessibility

Laws, Standards and Implementation

About Me

• With SRA International, Inc., a Government Contractor– SRA was part of the Section 508 advisory

council for the upcoming changes• Lead a team of Web developers who focus

on accessibility• Technical lead: ENERGY STAR public

website• What I am not: a legal specialist

Goals

High level overview of:• accessibility and the challenges disabled

users face• the current and upcoming legislation and

standards• a methodology to implementing Web

accessibility

What is Web Accessibility?

• Ensuring that all users, regardless of disability, can access the content and participate with the features of the Web

Why is Web Accessibility Important?

• Many of our everyday activities have moved online: shopping, travel, work, government interaction

• Significant barriers exist for many millions of users

• Often a legal obligation

Disability

Hearing Impairments

• Deafness• Hard of hearing• Affects ~15% of adult population---------• Depend on text alternatives

Stat Source:Summary Health Statistics for the U.S. Population:National Health Interview Survey, 2008U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Accommodating Hearing Impairments

• Captions for all video that contains audio• Transcriptions for audio only

Simple Test• Turn sound off

Movement Disabilities

• Muscular control– (e.g., MS, Parkinson's, Cerebral Palsy)

• Pain– (e.g., Carpal Tunnel, injury)

• Loss of limbs-----• Causes issues with fine motor control, inability to

use a mouse• Users depend on keyboard and other input

devices

Accommodating Movement Disabilities

• Ensure keyboard functionality• Provide ability to skip repetitive information• Allowing extension of timed responses

Simple test• Put away the mouse

Visual Disabilities

• Blindness• Low vision• Color blindness• Affects ~11% of adult population• Users depend on screen readers, Braille

machines, magnifiers, contrast controls

Stat Source:Summary Health Statistics for the U.S. Population:National Health Interview Survey, 2008U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Color Blindness Example

• Deutanomaly

Accommodating Visual Disabilities

• Ensure keyboard functionality and allow extension of timed responses (as with mobility)

• Text alternatives for images• Reading order• Well structured tables and forms• Don’t rely on color

Neurological and Cognitive Disabilities

• Seizure disorders• Reading (dyslexia, education, language)• Learning• Memory impairments• Attention• Intellectual level• Mental health

Accommodating Cognitive and Neurological Disabilities

• Avoid flashing content (seizure prevention)• Content organization and presentation• Plain language• Define words

The Impact of Aging• Many disabilities are associated with aging• 13% of the population is over 65• 38% of seniors have some form of

disability

• Estimated 20% of population will be over 65 by 2030

Stat Source: 2008 National Population ProjectionsU.S. Census Bureau, Population Division

Current Legislation

State Level

• Most have formal policies or legislation that refer to Section 508 or WCAG

• Georgia Tech has a index of information• Assistive Technology Act

– Requires that all funded activities adhere to Section 508 standards

Section 508• Three components

– Rehabilitation Act of 1973– Federal Acquisition Regulation Rule– Standards

• Applies to Federal Departments and Agencies and the U.S. Postal Service

• Requires electronic and information technology that is developed, procured, maintained, or used is accessible

• Has some exemptions, though often misunderstood: (especially National Security, Back-office)

The Section 508 Standards

• Created by the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (The “Access Board”)– An independent Agency– Also defines standards for ADA

• Define/govern the technical standards and functional criteria

Some Section 508 Issues• No standardized testing criteria• Responsibility placed on the agencies• Enforcement

– Only real measures are complaints and lawsuits

– DOJ historically hasn’t met its reporting obligations

• Contains ambiguous and confusing guidance

• Outpaced by technology

ADA

• Applicability to the web is debated– Requires “Effective communication” by state and local

government– No specific reference of Web, no referenced

standards– Several legal challenges, no definitive case law– Congressional hearing, no outcome

• DOJ has made it’s opinion’s known– 1996 Letter to Sen. Harkin– Website handbook

Future Legislation

ADA updates

• 2008 Amendments– Partly instituted to broaden the covered

audience• 2010 ANPRM

– Published July 2010, now in public comment– Formally adding web accessibility requirement

to ADA Law– Title II: state & local government entities– Title III: “public accommodations”

(e.g., hotels, retail, restaurants)

508 updates

• Significant expansion and impact• Finished public comment period• Public hearings and comments: broad

spectrum• Strong harmonization with WCAG 2.0

WCAG

• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines– from the World Wide Web Consortium (W3)– part of overall Web Accessibility Initiative

(WAI)– better explained and defined– more recent (2.0 released 2008)

General Momentum

• U.S. signing of the U.N. Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

• OMB July 21 Memo: Improving the Accessibility of Government Information– DOJ to start up assessment and reporting– shift in procurement approach– Section508.gov updates

• Executive Order: Increasing Federal Employment of Individuals with Disability

“Compliance” can be gray, but some things are clear

• The barriers many users face• The intent of the legal measures• The responsibility of government entities

to address these issues—socially or eventually legally

Moving forward

• Best approach: An educated, empathetic effort and a receptive stance to feedback

• Accessibility isn’t an expensive line-item• Recommendation: A blended focus on

WCAG 2 and the current 508

Advocate

• W3.org/WAI has good resources• Spread the word about social, legal, and

business drivers• Point out issues• There are other benefits:

– maintenance/performance costs– search engine optimization– portability (better browser support, mobile

support, future technical preparation)

Take Responsibility

• Create and document formal policies and expectations

• Be available and listen to your users

Educate

• Critical that those creating web pages learn and understand– disability barriers– the content, and intent of 508 and WCAG– available tools, resources and best practices

• Start with: webaim.org, w3.org/WAI and section508.gov

• Make accessibility awareness a hiring criteria and a performance expectation

Implementation

• Incorporate into work early and often• Addressing later is more costly• Always ask: “Is this accessible?”• Prioritize remediation of existing content

based on usage

Testing

• Automated tools– Use as part of an overall process, but don’t

depend on them• Manual Checks

– Many areas require human-verification (e.g., color dependency, effective alt text)

– WebAIM.org, IBM have good checklists as starting points

Resources• People

– Section 508 (GSA)• section.508@gsa.gov;• 202-208-7420,

– Access Board• 508@access-board.gov;• 800-872-2253

– WebAIM Mailing List• http://webaim.org/discussion/

– Myself• brian_cramer@sra.com