Top 10 Technical Recommendations

Based on the most common errors discovered during a recent Web Accessibility study, SciVisum make a number of specific recommendations to improve website accessibility.

1. Provide equivalent text for all images, image maps, image map hotspots and image buttons. Provide alt txt containing a space for decorative and spacer images. Provide alt="*" for bullets or arrows.

2. Provide meaningful equivalent text describing the purpose of a graphic

3. Provide an accessible alternative for functional JavaScript. Where possible for example for jump tables provide <noscript> content and for more in depth functionality provide accessible pages implementing Server Side Scripting. Do not use JavaScript if unnecessary, for example for straightforward links or search forms.

4. Ensure all frames have titles

5. Do not make support of JavaScript essential for viewers to visit your entire site.

6. Provide HTML equivalents for Flash movies, for example use <noembed> and <noscript> content.

7. Ensure sizing is defined in relative units such as percentages for tables and table cells and em for text.

8. Ensure information is not conveyed in colour alone but use other markup techniques such as underline.

9. Provide labels for form controls

10. Provide summaries to explain the structure and purpose of data tables.