Accessibility and Usability Resources

Rules and Standards (as posted at: DIR Website)

Amended Accessibility Rules
- TAC 206 – State Web Sites
- TAC 213 – Electronic & Information Resources Accessibility Standards
The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)
The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Working Drafts:
A WCAG 2.0 Proposed Recommendation was published November 3, 2008. Comment period ends December 2, 2008
The Federal Government Section 508 standards.

Guidelines

Usability Checklist – XLS (86 KB)
Web Browser Comparison

Manual and Automated Tools for Code Creation, Testing, and Evaluation

Authoring Tools
- Adobe Accessibility
- Illinois Center for Information Technology Accessibility
- Macromedia – Accessibility Resource Center
- MAGpie 2.01 – Captioning and describing multimedia
- Microsoft Accessibility
- W3C Checklist of Checkpoints for Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0
- Web Developer – Firefox Extension
Evaluation Tools
- 508 Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool
- Colorblind Web Page Filter – Color blindness
- CynthiaSays! – Web content validation
- Simple Tool for Error Prioritization – STEP508
- The WAVE
- Vischeck – Colorblind check
- WebAIM Section 508 Checklist
- W3C Evaluating Web Sites for Accessibility
- W3C List of Evaluation, Repair, and Transformation Tools for Web Content Accessibility
- Using JAWS to Evaluate Web Accessibility
- Keyboard Shortcuts for JAWS
Extensible Markup Language (XML)
PDFs
- Making Accessible PDFs / Making Accessible PDFs – PDF (1.92 MB)
  Step-by-step instructions for making fully compliant PDF files, from creating initial Word document to running an accessibility report.
- Editing PDF Table Tags / Editing PDF Table Tags – PDF (644 KB)
  Step-by-step instructions for editing table tags in a PDF document.
- Adding and Moving PDF Bookmarks / Adding and Moving PDF Bookmarks – PDF (819 KB)
  Step-by-step instructions for adding and moving bookmarks in a PDF document.
- Editing PDF Image Tags / Editing PDF Image Tags – PDF (655 KB)
  Step-by-step instructions for editing image tags in a PDF document.
- Accessible (508) PDF Forms
- Checklists
  - PDF File 508 Checklist / PDF File 508 Checklist – PDF (26 KB)
  - Word Document 508 Checklist / Word Document 508 Checklist – PDF(23 KB)
Screen Readers
- JAWS
- Windows-Eyes Professional
Usability
- IBM Accessibility Center
- IBM Rational Policy Tester Accessibility (replaced WebXACT)
- Usability Tools and Templates – U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Free/Low-Cost Training and Networking Opportunities

Introduction to Web Accessibility – W3C Web Accessibility Initiative
Access E-Learning (AEL) – A free online tutorial to improve distance education
Accessible PDF documents – Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
CSS Accessibility – Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
JAVA and JavaScript Accessibility – Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Guide to Creating Accessible PDF Documents – U.S. General Services Administration
Section 508 Web Accessibility Tutorial – Jim Thatcher
PESO (Public Electronic Services On-the-Internet) Working Group
Accessibility_sig – Discussion list for web and software accessibility issues
Austin Tech Disability Access – Discussion list for web and software accessibility issues
Austin Macromedia Users Group – Offering training and networking opportunities related to web and multimedia design and development

General Resources

Access Newsletter from the American Federation for the Blind
Fred's Head
The Fred's Head Database contains tips, techniques, tutorials, in-depth articles, and resources for and by blind or visually impaired people.
Governor's Committee on People with Disabilities
National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA) Web 2.0 Collaboration Project
Case studies show agencies the kinds of Return on Investment (ROI) that they can expect from implementing social media.
National Center on Disability & Access to Education
Utah State University, Center for Persons with Disabilities
The National Center on Disability and Access to Education (NCDAE) monitors and promotes electronically-mediated distance education policies and practices that enhance the lives of people with disabilities and their families.
USASearch.gov Affiliate Program
The program is being offered to government agencies at all levels to help them provide their constituents with easy access to government information. Web managers can configure their own search engine based on the USASearch.gov platform. To find out more, or to sign up to use this free service, visit the USA Services website.