Web design for accessibility can be difficult, especially when it seems like a set of rules appended onto general web design tools. Accessibility for people with disabilities, however, is not the only issue with true web accessibility.

The recent explosion and upgrade of small, mobile devices that can roam the internet is indication of the various kinds of technology that might access your website. There are dozens of different browsers, ranging from the text-only Lynx to Firefox, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Opera, Netscape, and Safari.

Web Design for Accessibility sheds light on the issues of web design from browser compatibility to screen-reader compatibility and beyond.

Due to the length and detail of this section, it has been split over several pages. Instead of using the table of contents below, you can start reading Understanding Your Users, and then continue to the next section till the end.

  1. The Basics: Understanding Your Users
    1. Assumptions on the Average User
      1. The user can read at least one of the languages on the website
      2. The user has a keyboard with the same alphanumeric characters
      3. The user has a mouse to navigate a graphical user interface (GUI)
      4. The user can see well enough to read standard font sizes
      5. The user has a sound system that can play audio
      6. The user can hear the audio media on the website
      7. The user has the appropriate reading level
      8. The user has the ability to easily seek desired information
      9. The user has the ability to focus only on the content
    2. Common Web Design Mistakes for All Users
      1. Forgetting the User Entirely
      2. Illegibility
      3. Poor Structure of Formatted Content
      4. Lack of Consistency
      5. Surprise Link Effects
      6. Cluttered, Low-Content Pages
      7. Writing for Paper and not the Web
      8. Broken Links and Moved Pages
      9. Undated Content
      10. Lack of Archives
      11. Lack of Biography or "About Us"
      12. Using All the Latest Buzzwords and Technology
    3. Summary of Understanding the User
    4. Resources for Web Design Basics
  2. Coming Soon: Designing for Accessibility
  3. Back to the Resources Page