Rocco thanks you!

One of the biggest frustrations I encounter when surfing the net is inaccessible websites.   They pose problems in general, but for those of us using assistive or alternative technologies, they create real barriers to accessing information, participating online or simply navigating through pages.  
 
Web accessibility refers to the practice of making websites usable by people of all abilities and disabilities.  When sites are designed and developed with access in mind, all users can have equal access to information and functionality.
 
Personally, I use screen-reading technology, namely JAWS, to access desired information.   Screen readers are used to replace the visual display traditionally viewed on a monitor for those with visual disabilities.  Hardware and software produce synthesized voice output for text displayed on the computer screen, as well as for keystrokes entered on the keyboard.  You may be asking yourself,  “What does all that mean? “  Well, simply put, the JAWS software allows electronic text to be read aloud, and mine is named Rocco.   He is my navigator in the electronic world.  What most organizations may not understand about Rocco and alike, is that when it comes to websites, he does not read the screen, but rather, he recognizes and reads the underlying source code for the page.  Therefore, visible content on a webpage that is improperly coded may be missed by Rocco, and as a result, I won’t hear it.
 
Here is a quick list of some common accessibility barriers that Rocco and I may encounter on your site:
 
When visual items are not properly labeled in the source code, we don’t recognize it - or worse, we don’t even know its there.   So,  if you want to educate us on your products and services, please use alt text on all images and graphics.  It is the only language Rocco seems to understand,  and makes my visiting experience a pleasant one.  
 
Inaccessible Multi-media is another web enhancement that puzzles Rocco.  The lack of alternative text and scripts renders audio and visual presentations inaccessible.
 
With regards to navigation, an access barrier is present when any user, using any device, is unable to take advantage of the information you are offering.  Poor organization, placement of links and content can result in a time-consuming experience for Rocco, and an overwhelming and frustrating one for me. 
 
Presenting considerable amounts of complex or detailed information in a table format requires a great deal of additional navigation and processing for Rocco.  People with all kinds of disabilities can easily access tables, as long as the tables are designed accessibly.

Forms created for and tested exclusively with “click” functionality often pose challenges for Rocco, especially when I instruct him to insert required information in a text field.  When forms are improperly built, Rocco and I will have trouble selecting and purchasing merchandise, filling in surveys and questionnaires, registering as a loyal customer,  and searching for information.  
 
We are not asking  for you to design  your site exclusibly for screen readers, that  is  not what web accessibility is about.  Reducing barriers, however, will ensure your website is usable by people of all abilities and disabilities.   Considering the numerous ways people access and use the Internet, it is important to design with access in mind, so please keep it top of mind to…

• Label images, graphics and multi-media with appropriate alt text
• Offer Accessible Multi-media
• Provide Good Simple and consistent Navigation
• Create Simple Data Tables
• Build Keyboard Friendly Forms

Creating and offering a truly accessible website means that you will have taken ALL of your users into consideration.  Rocco and I thank you in advance!