ACCESSITWeb 2'0 Accessible Twitter

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ACCESS-IT_at_Web 2.0Accessible Twitter
Meera Tank representing Dennis
LembreeWebOverhauls.com
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Summary

• Accessible Twitter provides a web-accessible and
  standards-compliant version of the Twitter web
  site, a very popular micro-blogging web service.

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Issues with Twitter.com

• Many web accessibility issues including
• Some core functionality is not keyboard
  accessible.
• Poor use of headings.
• Much core functionality requires JavaScript.

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Keyboard Accessible

• Keyboard cannot access Favorite, Reply, and
  Delete links.
• ALL links are keyboard accessible.

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Use of Headings

• Poor use of headings
• Where are the tweets?
• Can you find the menu?
• What site is this?
• What account is this?
• Also
• Why is the footer under Following?
• Saved Searches is a primary heading but doesnt
  display on the page.

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Use of Headings

• Ideal use of headings
• Where are the tweets?
• Can you find the menu?
• What site is this?
• What account is this?
• Names of Tweet authors are headings which
  greatly improves navigation for screen readers.

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JavaScript

• Twitter.com requires JavaScript. Without it, the
  user is
• Unable to Favorite a tweet.
• Unable to Delete a tweet.
• Unable to access the content under Trending
  Topics Followers.
• Unable to perform Actions on Followers and
  Following pages.

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JavaScript

• Accessible Twitter is fully functional without
  JavaScript.

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Other issues with Twitter.com that Accessible
Twitter addresses

• Sidebar navigation is inconsistent.
• Links unclear (underlined removed, colors).
• Custom colors may not be readable.
• Code doesn't validate.
• Code could use better semantics.
• Form fields are missing labels.
• Fieldset tags used without legends.
• Layout width is static not flexible.

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Other Benefits

• Works in text-only user-agents such as Lynx
  (thanks to progress enhancement).
• Keyboard accessibility opens gate for many other
  types of input devices.
• Providing clear, consistent content and
  navigation benefits those with cognitive
  impairments (and is more usable in general).
• Use with a mobile device is possible.

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Where it is currently offered

• Accessible Twitter is free to use.
• www.AccessibleTwitter.com

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Quotes from Users

• Wow! You have really made my day, and I am
  smiling once again. I am so excited that I found
  your Accessible Twitter. Now I feel that I can be
  in the cutting edge of everything that is
  happening in the Twitter Universe.
• Jacqueline

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Quotes from Users

• You can easily navigate by several methods skip
  links, form fields, headings. Very effective with
  a screen reader.
• really easy with a Braille Display to use
• From now on my default web interface for
  Twitter! Keyboard accessible touch accessible!

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Quotes from Users

• seems to work nicely in Lynx. Main Twitter
  won't let me login and mobile site won't show
  followers.
• Liking it more than twitter.com! Cleaner,
  easier, fun!
• Love this! So clear Easy dyslexia

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Quotes from Users

• Good to see somebody doing Twitters job for
  them... Paul Boag
• Read morehttp//accessibletwitter.com/articles.p
  hp

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Promote Web Accessibility for Twitter

• Use Accessible Twitter
• Will be listed under source of status/tweet
• Discuss Accessible Twitter
• Benefits, drawbacks, other applications
• Donate to Accessible Twitter
• Via PayPal

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Future Enhancements

• Many enhancements and features are planned
  including
• Caching on Trends and Popular Links pages.
• Better error handling.
• Implement ARIA live regions.
• Functionality to upload photos via Twitpic and/or
  yFrog.
• Open Authentication.

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Attend the Session

• Twitter Web Accessibility presented by Dennis
  Lembree.
• 12th Annual Accessing Higher Ground near Denver,
  Colorado.
• Accessible Media, Web and Technology Conference
• 10-14 Nov 2009 (Tue-Sat).
• Session is scheduled at 915am Thu, 12 Nov.

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Web Accessibility Podcast Blog

• The author of Accessible Twitter is also the
  founder of Web Axe, a podcast and blog focused on
  web accessibility.
• http//webaxe.blogspot.com
• Since Sept 2005
• Approximately 3,000 RSS subscribers

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Contact Details

• Dennis Lembree
• Owner/Author
• www.DennisLembree.com
• www.WebOverhauls.com
• On Twitter
• _at_AccessibleTwitr
• _at_WebAxe
• _at_DennisL