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Cynthia Says: www.contentquality.com
into a website can be a complicated
process for the Web developer.
One way to make links accessible to
those without a mouse is to include
the access key attribute in the link
code. Access keys allow the developer
to choose a letter key to press to go to
a specific linked page. Each link can
be coded with a different access key
to allow the user to follow a variety
of links without tabbing through
each one each time. It is also helpful
to group related links together.
more information about the item. This
is especially useful when describing a
graph, chart, or detailed image.
Sound and video need text too. Always include captions in video, and
provide transcripts of audio and video
so the user can gather all of the necessary information.
Finally, if all of the additional text
gets to be too much for one page,
provide an additional page that is
text only. Make sure to create a link
between the two pages so the user
can get back to the original page.
Step 3: Text Explanations for Images
Provide text for every item in your website that is not in text format, such as
images, audio, animation, buttons, Java
applets, and image maps. Think about
how you would describe them over the
telephone. Provide enough information
so that the user isn’t left questioning
what they are missing, but bear in mind
that too much information can make
viewing and navigating the website a
daunting task. Screen readers cannot
make sense of images and Java script,
so be sure to provide explanations in
text. Otherwise, users who cannot view
the screen will skip nontext items.
One way to provide text information
is to use the “alt” tag or “longdesc” tag
within the image, animation, or applet
HTML code. Some Web editors, such
as PageSpinner for Mac, will ask for
this information when inserting a new
image. Use the alt tag for a very brief
description of the item so the information is available when the image cannot be viewed. If you require a longer
description, use the longdesc tag to
provide a link to an additional file with
Step 4: Using Text that Makes Sense
When creating links, use text that actually describes what the link is about.
Avoid phrases such as “click here,”
which doesn’t tell users what information they will gather by clicking
on a link and doesn’t apply to those
who aren’t using a mouse. One way to
include more information about the
link is to use the “title” attribute. You
can give the link a title within the link
code and describe what the link does.
Also, if the same link text is used multiple times on the same page, it should
link to the same page each time.
Step 5: Web Validators
Web validators evaluate your website
according to various categories of accessibility. After evaluating your website, a validator generates a report that
lists any accessibility problems. Each
Web validator assesses the website according to slightly different criteria,
so you or your Web developer may
consider using more than one. (See
Web Validation Tools.)
18 Learning & Leading with Technology | November 2009
