<Title>
Barrier Free Internet -
 
Information Access for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Brigitte Bornemann-Jeske

http://www.bit-informationsdesign.de/inclusion

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Preview

•	Introduction
•	WAI Guidelines on Accessible Web Content
•	Examples of Good and Poor Web Design
•	Politics
•	Information

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Who is talking to you
Brigitte Bornemann-Jeske, Hamburg 

•	Activities:
•	adapting computers for disabled office workers
•	usability testing of computer access devices for the blind and visually impaired
•	”Design for All” - web design services for accessible, easy to use information 

e-mail: Bornemann-Jeske@t-online.de

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Barrier Free Internet
•	Situation
•	The Internet is a good information source for the Blind and Visually Impaired.
•	Many Websites are not accessible, due to ignorance of design principles.

•	Strategy 
•	“Design for All” - “Accessible Design”?
•	Collect “Best Practices” now!

•	Politics
•	Public Awareness
•	Legal Requirements
•	Education of Designers

•	Notes  from Europe

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WAI Guidelines
•	http://www.w3.org/TR/WAI-WEBCONTENT/
•	 Quick Tips 
•	Images and Animation: Use the ALT Attribute to describe the function of each visual.
•	Image map: Use client-side MAP and text for hotspots
•	Hypertext links: Use text that makes sens when read out of context. Avoid “click here”
•	Page organization: Use headings, lists, and consistent structure. Use CSS for layout and style.
•	Scripts, applets, plug-ins: Provide alternative content in case active features are inaccessible
•	Frames: use NOFRAMES and meaningful titles
•	Tables: Make line-by-line reading sensible. Summarize.

Source: Bartiméus - http://www.accessibility.nl

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WAI Guidelines - Principles
•	Multimodal Legibility : 
•	text alternatives to auditory and visual content
•	legible fonts, color, contrast
•	no flicker, no animation
•	Clear Structuring:
•	no tables, frames, columns
•	context orientation, navigation
•	Design for device-independence:
•	use standards - proper HTML markup
•	alternatives for new technologies

•	WAI Guidelines = “Design for All”

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WAI Guidelines - Challenges
•	 3 levels:
•	accessible for all
•	accessible for most under good technical conditions
•	alternative accessible version available
•	Validate:
•	test with several browsers
•	test with several access technology
•	use automated testing tools

•	WAI Guidelines are not “ready”
•	WAI Guidelines give little positive advice
•	“Best Practices” needed

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“Don‘t use Tables for Layout”
http://www.ccrw.org/worldcongress/honorary.htm

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“Don‘t use Java Script”
“Don‘t use moving content”
http://www.bundesregierung.de/

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Try something else: Mind-Mapping
http://www.orgoville-hamburg.de/m_index.html

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Try something else: Hierarchic Navigation
http://www.orgoville-hamburg.de/massage/ma_index.html

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Raising Public Awareness
•	Actors in Europe:
•	National Federations of the Blind
•	European Blind Union
•	projects with public funding
•	Activities:
•	Testing Websites
•	Consultancy Services for Publishers and Programmers

•	Have an Accessibility Executive in every Public Agency
•	Make “Design for All” a basic issue in Design Schools

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Legislation / Standardization
•	USA: 
•	ADA 
•	Rehabilitation Act Section 508

•	Europe:
•	several national Initiatives

•	International:
•	W3C /WAI

•	Industry:
•	Microsoft Accessibility Activities
•	IBM
•	Sun / Java Accessibility

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Further Information on  Accessible Web Design

•	http://www.w3.org/TR/WAI-WEBCONTENT
•	Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0
•	W3C Recommendation 5-May-1999
•	http://www.w3.org/WAI/References/QuickTips
•	WAI Quick Tips Reference Card
•	http://www.hwg.org
•	HTML Writer’s Guild
•	Cross Platform Compatibility
•	http://www.rnib.org.uk/digital
•	RNIB Campaign for Good Web Design
•	http://www.accessibility.nl
•	Bartiméus – the low vision experts
•	Web Accessibility Consultancy (dutch)
•	http://www.bit-informationsdesign.de
•	Accessible Web Design Services

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Literature
•	Web Accessibility for People with Disabilities
•	Michael G. Paciello
•	© 2000 CPM Books, Berkeley USA

•	Site Seeing - The Development of an accessible Website or webbased mulitmedia product
•	Eric Velleman, Henk Snetselaar
•	© 2000 Bartiméus, Netherlands

•	Get the message online - Making internet shopping accessible to blind an partially sighted people
•	Julie Howell
•	© 2000 RNIB, Great Britain