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ADA Compliance Guide for Online Courses

Suggested Guidelines for Online Courses

Links

• Do not use hyperlinks of the type "click here." Screen readers have an option to list and read all hyperlinks on a page. A list of twenty items all reading "click here" would not be instructive.

Text

• Research shows that sans-serif fonts are more easily read on computer monitors than are serif fonts.
• Black text on a white background is recommended.
• Use only one font.
• Limit use of all CAPS, italics or bold text.
• Do not use underlining for emphasis (it can be mistaken for a link).

Graphics

• All graphics should have alternative text (alt tags) for ADA Section 508 compliance. Screen readers are then able to read what the image is.
• The text information in the alt tag associated with an image/graphic should, when possible, communicate the same information as its image/graphic.

Color

• There should be a high contrast between the background color and the font color.
• Avoid extremely bright colors as a background color, it makes text very hard to read.

Animation

• Refrain from using animated or blinking images, text or cursors. These can cause seizures for some people.

Video and Audio

• Provide close-captioning or have accompanying text-based scripts for all video.
• Provide text versions of all audio files.

 

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Accessibility Resources Online

• http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/guide/1194.22.htm
  A list of the requirements for Section 508

• http://www.w3.org/WAI/Resources/ 
  A good overview of  Web Accessibility

• http://trace.wisc.edu/world/web/
  Advice on now to design more usable Web sites.

• http://diveintoaccessibility.org/
  Tips for designing accessible Web sites, divided by disability and tool.

• http://webxact.watchfire.com/
  This free service (previously known as Bobby) will allow you to test web pages and help expose and repair barriers to accessibility and encourage compliance with existing accessibility guidelines, such as Section 508 and the W3C's WCAG (quality, accessibility, and privacy issues).

• http://www.cynthiasays.com/
  Web content accessibility validation solution, designed to identify errors in design related to Section 508 standards and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.  This service is a free accessibility validation tester.