Web Accessibility Resources

Standards

The goverment standards for software accessibility in checklist format.

Section 508 Web-based intranet and internet accessiblity guidelines

The W3's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines

An interesting Shockwave simulation from WebAIM that lets you experience reading web pages with a screen reader. Also, a good Section 508 checklist with Pass/Fail criteria for each requirement.

Software

Jaws for Windows screen reader software.

Dolphin's Hal screen reader software.

IBM's Home Page Reader 3.0 screen reader software.

Download and try Virtual Magnifying Glass.

Evaluating accessiblity software? This checklist of questions will help.

Assistive technology tools for the Mac OS.

Testing Tools

Watchfire lets you test web pages and help expose and repair barriers to accessibility and encourage compliance with existing accessibility guidelines. Jump to the bottom of the page to try Watchfire now.

Try the WAVE 3.0 web accessibility testing tool.

The University of Toronto offers Aprompt, a Web Accessibility Verifier that checks for validity and compliance with the WAI guidelines.

Testing Tools for Developing Accessible Web Sites

Reference

The Alliance for Technology Access provides information on assistive technology hardware. There's lots of good info at this site.

An excellent primer from WGBH-Boston on Making Educational Software and Web Sites Accessible.

The New York Public Library has a great online style guide with lots of tips for making your content more accessible, also a good model for instituting XHTML/CSS guidelines.

ISO 639.2 language codes for representing names of languages.

Need help convincing the boss? See the Business Case for Web Accessibility for some great ideas.

A great resource - 30 days to a more accessible web site.

The University of Toronto has an excellent illustrated technical glossary of adaptive technologies.

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