Universal Web Accessibility: Is It Possible?

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Universal Web Accessibility Is It Possible?
Brian Kelly UK Web Focus UKOLN B.Kelly_at_ukoln.ac.u
k

• Jenny Craven,
• Research Associate
• CERLIM
• j.craven_at_mmu.ac.uk

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Contents

• Introduction
• Universal Access For All
• The Web Architecture
• The People Factor
• Implementation Challenges
• Current State Of UK HEI Web Sites
• Accessibility and Usability
• Conclusions

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The Speakers

• Brian Kelly
• UK Web Focus
• JISC-funded advisory post
• Based at UKOLN, University Of Bath
• Jenny Craven
• Research Associate
• Based at CERLIM, Manchester Metropolitan
  University

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The Web Vision

• The Web was developed in order to provide
  universal access to digital resources, and
  independency from
• Platforms
• Applications
• File formats
• through use of open standards

Universal Access
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Standards

• Before the Web
• Access to resources typically required use of
  software vendors software which was only
  available on limited no. of platforms. Often the
  software would be licensed.
• The goal of the Web was to provide universal
  access to resources. Who could argue with this
  goal?

Universal Access

• Need for standards to provide
• Platform and application independence
• Avoidance of patented technologies
• Flexibility and architectural integrity
• Long-term access to data
• Ideally look at standards first, then find
  applications which support the standards.
  However it can be difficult to achieve this ideal!

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The Case For W3C Standards

• Why use open standards developed by the W3C? Why
  not leave it to the marketplace?
• W3Cs open standards have been developed in an
  open environment, with the aim of achieving
  platform and application independency
• Commercial companies develop proprietary formats
  in order to maximise their profits and dividends
  to shareholders
• W3Cs open standards have been developed to
  interoperate with each other according to W3Cs
  design vision
• Commercial companies typically develop
  proprietary formats in isolation, or along the
  lines of a company vision

Universal Access
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How Does The Web Work?

• The Web has three fundamental concepts
• URLs addresses of resources
• HTTP dialogue between client server
• HTML format of resources

Universal Access
1 User clicks on link to the address
(URL)http//www.netsoft.com/hello.html
Web Browser
2 Browser converts link to HTTP command
(METHOD) Connect to computer at
www.netsoft.com GET /hello.html
The Netsoft home page
3 Remote computer sends file
ltHTMLgt ltTITLEgtWelcomelt/TITLEgt.. ltPgtThe ltA
HREFgtNetsoftlt/Agt home pagelt/Pgt
Web server
4 Local computer displays HTML file
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HTML Is Dead!

• Emphasis on managing HTML resources
  inappropriate
• HTML is an output format, which cannot easily be
  reused (e.g. WAP, e-Books, etc.)
• Need to manage HTML fragments (only partly
  achievable with SSIs)
• Need to manage collections of resources
• Need to have single master source of data
• Need to support new developments such as
  personalisation
• Difficult to integrate with new formats

Universal Access

• Issues
• Should we stop giving HTML training courses?
• Should we stop buying HTML authoring tools?

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XML The Key Meta Format

• XML
• Extensible Markup Language
• A lightweight SGML designed for network use
• A language for describing other languages
• Addresses HTML's lack of evolvability
• Arbitrary elements can be defined
  (ltSTUDENT-NUMBERgt, ltPART-NOgt, etc)
• Agreement achieved quickly - XML 1.0 became W3C
  Recommendation in Feb 1998
• Support from industry (SGML vendors, Microsoft,
  etc.)
• Need for accessibility support in from start

Universal Access
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XML Concepts (1)

• Well-formed XML resources
• Make end-tags explicit ltligt...lt/ligt
• Make empty elements explicit ltimg ... /gt
• Quote attributes ltimg src"logo.gif" height"20"
• Use consistent upper/lower case ltpgt and ltPgt are
  different
• XML Namespaces
• Mechanism for ensuring unique XML elements e.g. a
  library application containing the TITLE of the
  XML page, the TITLE of a book and the TITLE of
• lt?xmlnamespace ns"http//loc.org/1998-001"
  prefix"i"gt
• ltpgtBook ltiTITLEgtThe Biblelt/iTITLEgtlt/pgt
• ltpgtBorrower ltjTITLEgtMrlt/jTITLEgt

Universal Access
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XML Concepts (2)

• XML Schemas
• Allow constraints to be applied on XML attributes
• Express shared vocabularies and allow machines to
  carry out rules made by people
• Richer than DTDs
• See lthttp//www.w3.org/XML/Schemagt
• XSLT
• A language for transforming XML from one XML
  application to anothe, or to another format (e.g.
  PDF)
• Written in XML
• Knows about XML (e.g. tree structures, etc.)
• See lthttp//www.xslt.com/gt

Universal Access
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XML Concepts (3)

• XLink sophisticated hyperlinking
• Links that allow you to choose multiple
  destinations
• Bidirectional links
• Links with special behaviours
• Expand-in-place / Replace / Create new window
• Link on load / Link on user action
• Link databases
• See lthttp//www.xml.com/pub/a/2000/09/xlink/gt
• XPointer/XPath
• Provides access to arbitrary portions of XML
  resource
• See lthttp//www.w3.org/TR/xptr/gt

Universal Access
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Getting To XML With XHTML

• XHTML
• HTML represented in XML
• Some small changes to HTML
• Elements in lowercase ltpgt not ltPgt
• Attributes must be quoted ltimg src"logo"
  height"50"gt
• Elements must be closed
• ltp gt... lt/ p gt)
• ltimg src"logo" ... /gt
• Gain benefits from XML
• Tools available (e.g. HTML-Kit from
  http//www.chami.com/html-kit/)
• See lthttp//www.webreference.com/xml/column6/gt,
  lthttp//groups.yahoo.com/group/XHTML-L/gt and
  lthttp//www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue27/web-focus/gt

Universal Access
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CSS Where You Define The Appearance

• HTML/XHTML should be used to describe the basis
  document structure
• CSS (Cascading Style Sheets)
• Should be used to describe how documents should
  be used to describe how the document will be
  displayed
• Separation of structure from appearance helps
  management (cf. modular programming)
• Designed with accessibility in mind

Universal Access
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W3C Standards - Conclusions

• W3C are coordinating the development of new open
  standards which
• Address the limitations of the original Web
  architecture
• Are designed to provide device and application
  independence
• Have accessibility considerations built-in from
  scratch
• XHTML and CSS are the ideal now

Universal Access
Let us now move away from standards and consider
the people aspect
?JC
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What is Accessibility?

• Ensuring systems and interfaces can be read by
  all users through
• Access to hardware and software
• Use of appropriate assistive technology and
  accessibility features
• Ensuring information can be interpreted by the
  technology i.e. design for all

Universal Access
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Why Make Information Accessible?
Universal Access

• Resources provided online
• Growth of online learning, online tutorials, etc.
• Inclusive society - widening access, information
  for all
• Legislation e.g. Disability Discrimination Act,
  1995 SENDA, 2001

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What Are The Benefits Of Universal Access?

• It helps people with ..
• Visual impairments
• Learning disabilities
• Mobility impairments
• Hearing impairments
• Speech impairments
• Seizure disorders
• (source Burgstahler Universal design of
  distance learning)

Universal Access
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What Are The Benefits Of Universal Access?

• It also helps people who are
• Using a PC with graphics switched off
• Working in a noisy environment
• Using a PC with a slow connection
• Using other Web-based devices e.g. phones, PDAs,

Universal Access
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Accessible Web Design

• Text descriptions for all images and sound
• Contrasting colours
• Plain fonts with adjustable font sizes
• Properly labelled frames and tables
• Alternatives for scripts, applets, plug-ins, etc.

Universal Access
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Checking For Accessibility

• WAI Guidelines and Quick Tips Checklist
• Automated tools
• Validation services
• Web Audits and Policies
• PEOPLE!!!!!

Universal Access
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So Why Are People Important?

• A Web site can comply with open standards.
• A Web site can pass all the automated
  accessibility checks.
• A Web site can appear to be accessible, BUT
• An accessible Web site is not necessarily usable.
• The best way to test for usability is by
  involving PEOPLE, i.e. the users

Universal Access
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Usability Issues

• Appropriate alternative text for images, links,
  etc.
• Use of unambiguous language
• Clear and consistent layout and labelling
• Logical navigation of forms, search screens, etc.
• Interactive elements online chat, quizzes, new
  windows, pop-up windows,

Universal Access
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Checking For Usability

• Automated checkers e.g. LynxView, Bobby,
• Ensure features can be altered e.g. font size,
  colours, etc.
• Try pages with graphics turned off, different
  colours, etc.
• Try pages using a number of Web browsers

Universal Access
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Checking For Usability

• Sample size .. Dont panic!!!!
• Ideally, try to use a sample of
• People with mixed abilities i.e. experienced,
  novice, visual impairment, hearing impairment,
  etc.
• People using different assistive technologies

Universal Access
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Checking For Usability

• Observation
• Transaction logging
• Verbal protocol
• Questionnaires and/or interviews

Universal Access
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Implementation Challenges

• We have
• Given an overview of the Web framework, the
  importance of standards, and the development of
  new, richer standards
• Outlined the importance of a people-oriented
  approach to complement the technical architecture
• Outlined basic design principles for usable and
  accessible Web services
• This sounds great in theory, but what around
  real-world deployment issues
• An accessibility usability case study
• Challenges at the institutional level

Implementation Challenges
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Case Study The NoVA Project

• NoVA Non-visual access to the digital library
• To develop understanding of the information
  seeking behaviour of blind and visually impaired
  people in Web-based digital library resources.

Implementation Challenges
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NoVA Usability Testing

• Sample of 20 sighted, 20 visually impaired
  users.
• Semi-structured tasks using four electronic
  resources.
• Map search process together with verbal dialog.
• Pre- and Post-task questions

Implementation Challenges
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Examples Of Observations

• Surveying page
• Time taken
• Types of mouse clicks and keystrokes
• Problems experienced
• Tackling problems
• Successful interaction
• Performance of assistive technologies

Implementation Challenges
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Examples Of Usability Questions

• Navigation
• Searching
• Browsing
• Results
• Getting lost
• Other resources

Implementation Challenges
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Conclusions Derived From NoVA Usability Testing

• Usability issues
• Design issues
• Training issues
• Software issues

Implementation Challenges
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Implementation Challenges

• In the real world we are faced with several
  implementation challenges
• Deficiencies in specs, tools, etc.
• Migration and support implications
• Addressing user needs and resourcing implications
  and not just technical considerations

Implementation Challenges
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The Real World Web

• In the real world Web we need to recognise
  several external factors
• Due to the rapid development of Web specs ("the
  Web year") the specs themselves may be flawed,
  ambiguous or over-ambitious
• Software has bugs (the cockup theory)
• Software vendors have their own agendas
  (conspiracy theory)
• Together with local factors
• Inertia / unwillingness to act as guinea pigs
• Licensing costs
• Support issues

Implementation Challenges
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UK HEIs - A Case Study

• In Sept 2003 a survey of accessibility of 160 UK
  HEI entry points was carried out
• Used Bobby tool (to report on problems which
  could be spotted using an automated tool)
• How many WAI AA entry points were found?
• The survey found
• 4 entry points complied with WAI AA
• One was a JavaScripted site (so isn't accessible)
• The UK HEI Web management community is aware of
  importance of accessibility and wants to
  implement accessibility. What are the
  difficulties?

Implementation Challenges
See lthttp//www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue33/web-watch/gt
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UK HEIs - A Case Study (2)

• An example of a AA-approved site is the
  University of Bristol

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UK HEIs - A Case Study (3)

• Typical problems found
• Missing DOCTYPES
• Missing ALT attributes in IMG tags
• Use relative sizing and positioning ( values)
  rather than absolute (pixels)
• The first two problems could be fixed with little
  effort on a single page
• The third problem may conflict with usability
  criteria
• Let us now
• Look at the challenges in accessible Web sites
  (and not just pages)
• Consider the usability issues

Implementation Challenges
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WAI Implementation Challenges

• Many University Web managers want to comply with
  WAI but have encountered implementation
  challenges
• Limitations of authoring tools
• Browser bugs (e.g. Netscape 4)
• Apparent conflicts between usability and
  accessibility
• Resource implications of deploying new tools,
  training, etc.
• The scope of large institutional Web sites
• Finding the funding

Implementation Challenges
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WAI Implementation Challenges

• One Web manager commented that " I too have
  recently been struggling with just how rigorously
  the WAI guidelines should be implemented. I
  certainly aspire to comply as fully as I can with
  the WAI guidelines but "
• Some guidelines are too theoretical
• Will have a pragmatic approach
• Use tables for positioning
• Will not associate form controls for search boxes
• Not necessarily nest headers correctly

Implementation Challenges
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Accessibility Policies

• You may wish to have an institutional
  accessibility policy

All resources on the University Web site will
comply with WAI AA
Implementation Challenges

• But
• Is this practical
• All Web sites?
• What about MS Word / PowerPoint documents?
• How will compliance be audited?
• What about difficult areas (e.g. 3D maps)?
• What about people? What about usability?
• How will this be funded?
• Is this policy intended to be rigorously
  enforced, or does it define an aspiration?

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Conclusions

• Standards
• Use of open standards promises to provide a rich
  and platform- and application-independent
  framework which the HE sector needs
• However deployment of standards-based services in
  a real-world context is not necessarily easy
• Accessibility
• Technical aspects are an essential but not
  sufficient condition
• Ensure that user issues are addressed
• You should address usability issues alongside
  accessibility
• There is probably a need for an accessibility
  institutional policy but thought will be needed
  for this

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Advice and Good Practice

• World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), Web
  Accessibility Initiative lthttp//
  www.w3.org/WAI/gt
• REVIEL Project - Good Design Principles
  lthttp//www.cerlim.ac.uk/projects/reviel/resource.
  htmgt
• Usable IT Web site lthttp//www.useit.com/gt
• NoVA project final report lthttp//www.cerlim.ac.u
  k/projects/nova.htmlgt