Guidelines for Accessible Web Design / Maintenance
It is essential to ensure that your websites are accessible in order to provide equal access and equal opportunity to all staff and students.
When designing / maintaining websites ensure you:
Designing your site:
- consider accessibility from the very beginning,
- use consistent navigation.
- use a range of media on your webpages,
- seek feedback from users regarding accessibility.
For more see Web accessibility: when and why and Considerations when designing your website.
Accessibility Testing:
Do some or all of the following:
- ask potential user who may experience problems to check your site for accessibility (e.g. visually impaired, colour blind or dyslexic users).
- view your site through a text reader,
- view your site with a screen reader,
- view the site under different conditions (e.g. using different web browsers),
- run an automatic accessibility validation tool,
- commission an accessibility audit.
For more see Accessibility testing.
Everyday Web Maintenance:
Text
- use simple language,
- avoid dense text,
- follow accessible information summary guidelines (Word, 432kb),
- ensure all uploaded documents are accessible,
- give the size of files (e.g. Word, 55kb)
Images
- include alt text for images and AV,
- use longdesc for more complex images and AV.
Colour contrast
- avoid pure black on pure white,
- avoid navigation that relies on colour (e.g. click green button for yes, red for no).
Headings
- apply headings consistently,
- do not skip heading levels.
Tables and forms
- format to be accessible.
Hyperlinks
- make hyperlinks meaningful (more than 'click here).
- regularly review your hyperlinks and fix any that are broken.
For more see Ongoing development and everyday maintenance.