Friday 7 September 2007
2 Classes Taught!
As of 7th Sept. 2007, we have completed our test-lessons on 2 classes at Anglo-Chinese School (Independent).The 2 classes are 2.4 and 1.12. Thank you to all the teachers and students who helped out!
Here are some pictures:
Sunday 22 July 2007
Simple Guidelines
To make accessible blogs, simply follow the following guidelines:1. Have text alternatives for sounds and images.
Many blind people who access the Internet need to use a Speech Synthesizer program to read the text on the page to them. So if you just use pictures, they can’t access your page! Try to provide a text description for each image that you use (unless it’s something unimportant like the red rectangle you used for your border), especially for links which are pictures. For example, instead of just having an arrow for your “Back” link, include the text as well, under the image.
2. Don’t rely on colour to say what you want.
Many people have a form of colour-blindness, so if your website is full of pink hearts to show that you love Valentine’s Day, someone with colour vision deficiency may not be able to see the pink colours that convey that information. Also, try to use text and background colours that contrast, so the visually impaired will not have too much trouble.
3. Use proper markup and style sheets.
If your HTML code uses something like [font size=“14”] then the font that appears will be fixed. However, if you use [font size=”medium”] then users with visual disability will be able to use the text size function in their Internet browsers to make the text look bigger.
4. Clarify Natural Language Usage
The language of the content of your blog should be stated clearly so as to allow speech synthesizers and Braille devices to identify the information in the correct language. This is particularly important for users who are multilingual. In the case that the blog contains more the one language, the predominant language should be stated clearly. Also, acronyms and abbreviations should also be accompanied with the expansions so as to allow the devices to identify the words correctly.
5. Use tables that transform gracefully.
Certain types of tables can be very difficult to read with a Screen Reader or Speech Synthesizer. It is important that information in tables is formatted and coded properly.
6. Make sure that pages with newer technologies still work with the old technologies.
Programs like Flash and Javascript may make your website look really cool, but many people do not have access to fast Internet connections or even the software which runs these programs. Try providing a text description for Flash or Javascript animations. Also, ensure that your blog still work with older versions of browsers, as there are still a lot of people who are using older versions of the browsers.
7. Let the user control constantly-changing content.
Some people with cognitive or visual disabilities are unable to read moving text quickly enough or at all. Movement can also cause such a distraction that the rest of the page becomes unreadable for people with cognitive disabilities. Screen readers are unable to read moving text. People with physical disabilities might not be able to move quickly or accurately enough to interact with moving objects.
8. Make sure your interface is accessible.
Don’t confuse your website user. Make sure your layout and programming is neat and structured, without having the user to hunt all over the screen for the mouse pointer.
9. Use features which allow for multiple input devices.
Many disabled people may not be able to type or use a mouse. Using features which support multiple input devices like voice or a head wand, will greatly increase the accessibility of your website.
10. Use interim solutions
Ensure that your blog works correctly with older versions of browsers. This, in turn, will help ensure that the assistive devices work correctly. Also, pop-up windows should be avoided at all cost, as it confuses disabled users. In the event that pop-ups are absolutely necessary, the link that leads to the pop-up should inform the user that a pop-up will be launched when the link is clicked.
11. Use W3C technologies and guidelines
Many non-W3C formats (i.e. PDF, Shockwave, Flash) require the installation of stand-alone applications. Very often, these applications do not work well with assistive devices. As such, blog templates should be written in W3C-approved formats (i.e. XML, HTML), which work far better with assistive devices than the non-W3C formats. When non-W3C formats must be used, equivalent accessible pages must be included.
12. Provide context and orientation information
Grouping elements and providing contextual information about the relationships
between elements can be useful for all users. This is because people with visual disabilities find it hard and difficult to navigate your blog if there are somplex relationships between parts of the blog.
13. Provide clear navigation mechanisms
Navigation mechanisms for blog templates should be clear and consistent. This is to not confuse the users on how to navigate around your blog. After all, you want people to spend some time at your blog!
14. Ensure all documents are clear and simple
Consistent page layout, recognizable graphics and easy-to-understand language is beneficial to all. Using clear and simple language for the contents of blogs ensure that the information presented is accessible to all. This especially important to those who communicate primarily using sign language, and those whose first language is not the language used on your blog.
For a more comprehensive list of guidelines, do visit the following websites:
W3C Guidelines
Diving Into Accessibility
To check whether your blog complies with the W3C standards for web accessibility, check out:
W3C Markup Validator
Have a great time making your blog accessible!
Talkback
What do you think about this blog template?What are your comments regarding our project?
Tell us by clicking on the "talk" button on the right!
About Us
We are a group of students from Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) Singapore, who are running a project called Enabling & Empowering People as our Community Problem Solving (CmPS) project. This project is proudly supported by the Disabled People Association Singapore (DPA).Through our extensive research in various materials, we concluded that awareness is an important area in efforts to help the disabled in Singapore. As such, our set of solutions (this project) consists of 3 mini-solutions that aim to raise awareness of the problems that disabled people face, amongst different levels of society. The 3 mini-solutions are: Disabled Education Module for Secondary Schools’ Pastoral Care Lessons, Experience! – Promotion Drive that aims to raise awareness through personal experience, and e-accessibility amongst bloggers.
This blog is part of our efforts to promote e-accessibility amongst blog skins developers. Besides boasting a disabled-friendly design, blog skins developers can also find resources on how to make their blog skins friendlier and more accessible. After all, who wouldn’t more user traffic on their blog?
Furthermore, updates on our other mini-solutions can also be found on the blog. This allows our sponsors and beneficiaries to remain updated on our progress and the impact that we have made.
