A well structured document - Page 2
September 8, 2000
Negotiating a site when you can't see. Does this sound
difficult? It is, but you can make it much easier by designing a
well-structured site.
Most people will not read every word on your site. They will
skim it. Someone who is listening to your site will want to skim
it too. They will do this by using the tags you provide.
Use a consistent style and use mark up whenever you can. It
helps people know what is going on. Use the
<cite> tag on
citations, the <CODE> tag when quoting code
snippets, <lang>
when switching languages, and <abbr> and
<acronym> tags for
abbreviations. With most tags you can then allocate a title
property which can be used to explain what is coming next.
MathML
is excellent to use for formulas; (if using TEX check that the
HTML version is still accessible). Best of all, you can use your
own
pseudoclasses tags.
To help a reading program understand your site, avoid
deprecated tags, use Meta tags, and explain your page structure
as you go.
Paragraphs and sections should have clear, accurate, and
informative headers. Limit each paragraph to one main idea. You can state
the topic of the paragraph within a tag at the beginning of the
sentence.
In order to help people with learning disabilities understand
your site, make your site look clear and well structured. Use
colors and clear fonts. But never rely on visible techniques
alone, remember the visually impaired.
Everyone with a disability will benefit from a clear
well-structured document, easy short words (no slang or jargon),
and simple sentences.
Use a validation tool to check the tags, and check spelling
and grammar. After incorporating this list you are nearly done.
Your site should be almost accessible by now. However, there are a few
more pitfalls to be aware of.
Designing Web Sites to be Disability Friendly
Designing Web Sites to be Disability Friendly
Images - Page 3
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