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Web Accessibility: Checklist

Priorities for an Accessible Web Site

Some checkpoints are more important to accessibility than others. Each checkpoint has been assigned a priority level and some may change under certain conditions, as indicated.

Beyond these priorities the site should also conform to the Web Style: Guide and Checklist for content structure and accuracy.

The priority levels used in this document are defined as follows:

Priority 1: [7 checkpoints, 22 items]

Site must satisfy these checkpoints for the basic requirements to be accessible.

Priority 2: [7 checkpoints, 31 items]

Site should satisfy these checkpoints to remove significant barriers to being accessible.

Priority 3: [3 checkpoints, 19 items]

Site may satisfy these checkpoints to improve accessibility.

These 17 checkpoints have been written so that it will be possible to verify when they have been satisfied. The rating scale is:

• 5 (excellent),
• 4 (better than average),
• 3 (average),
• 2 (less than average),
• 1 (below standards),
• 0 (unacceptable), or
• N/A (does not apply, item does not exist in the site).

A minimum rating of three for any item used within a web site is required to be deemed acceptable compliance. This would mean that all occurrences of the item within the site has at least met the minimum expected requirements.

Standards Equivalents between the U.S. Government's Section 508 and the W3C's WAI:

Compliance with the Priority 1 checkpoints 'should' guarantee compliance with the Section 508 standards.

A few exceptions may apply, like WCAG's priority 2 checkpoint 6.9.2 which compares to the hardware, device-independent functionality requirements of Section 508. Meaning, all content is equally accessible regardless of the input device (keyboard, mouse, or other).

Before you begin please provide a few pieces of information:

Evaluator's name:

Evaluator's e-mail address:

URL being evaluated:

E-Mail address(es) to receive the resulting report:
(comma separated, no spaces, example: address1,address2)

Priority 1 Checkpoints

In general.	5	4	3	2	1	0	N/A
Provide text equivalents for ALL non-text elements, including but not limited to: sounds, ascii art, images, image map regions, frames, scripts, video, animation, applets, and programmatic objects. (6.1.1)
Ensure that all information conveyed with color is also available without color, i.e. context or markup. (6.2.1)
Clearly identify the 'natural' language of a document, and any changes in the 'natural' language of a document's text. (6.4.1) (6.4.3)
For pages that use a Style Sheet or presentation markup, ensure that the contents of each page remains ordered and structured without that markup. (6.6.1)
Ensure that changes in dynamic content includes changes in text equivalents for that dynamic content. (6.6.2)
Avoid any blinking or updating of the screen that causes flicker. (6.7.1)
Until user agents provide the ability to stop the refresh, do not use periodically auto-refreshing pages. (This includes auto-redirect pages.) (6.7.4)
Use language that is as simple as possible, while appropriate for the site's content. (6.14.1)

If you use images and image maps.	5	4	3	2	1	0	N/A
Provide a text equivalent for each active region of an image map. (6.1.2)
Ues client-side image maps instead of server-side images maps when ever possible. (6.9.1)
Replace ASCII art with an image or describe the ASCII art and offer a means (e.g., a link) to skip over it. [Priority 1 or Priority 2 depending on the importance of the information (e.g., a chart).] (6.13.10)
Provide a long description (longdesc) of each graphic, script, or applet that conveys important information. (7.2)

If you use tables.	5	4	3	2	1	0	N/A
For data tables, identify headers for rows and columns. (6.5.1)
For data tables that have more than one row and/or more than one column of header cells, use markup to associate data cells and header cells. (6.5.2)

If you use frames.	5	4	3	2	1	0	N/A
Title each frame so that users can keep track of frames by title. (6.12.1)

If you use applets and scripts.	5	4	3	2	1	0	N/A
Provide text equivalents for all applets and other programmatic objects. (6.6.3)
For scripts that present important information or functionality, provide an alternative, equivalent presentation or mechanism. (6.6.4)

If you use multimedia.	5	4	3	2	1	0	N/A
For any audio or video files, provide a text transcript of all words (spoken, sung, or displayed) and all significant sounds. (6.1.1)
For audio associated with video, synchronize the text transcript with the video. (6.1.4)
For movies, provide auditory descriptions that are synchronized with the original audio. (6.1.4)
For short animations such as "animated GIFs," provide a text equivalent and a long description if needed. (6.1.4)
Where sounds are played automatically, provide controls for that sound, and provide visual notification and transcripts. [Priority 1 or Priority 2 depending on the importance of the sound.]

If all else fails.	5	4	3	2	1	0	N/A
If, after best efforts, you can not avoid using a non-WAI technology or any WAI technology in an accessible way, provide a link to an alternative page that uses WAI technologies, is accessible, has equivalent information, and is updated as often as the inaccessible (original) page. (6.11.4)

Priority 2 Checkpoints

In general.	5	4	3	2	1	0	N/A
Use foreground and background color combinations that provide sufficient contrast when viewed by someone with color deficits or when viewed on a black and white screen. (6.2.2)
Where possible, use a markup language to mark up content rather than using images. (6.3.1)
Encode and nest code properly. (6.3.2)
Use a Style Sheet to control layout and presentation. (6.3.3)
Use relative rather than absolute units in markup language attribute values and Style Sheet property values. (6.3.4)
Use proper Document Object Model (DOM) contextual structure elements for all markup. (6.3.5)
Encode list structure and list items properly. (6.3.6)
Mark up quotations. Do not use quotation markup for formatting effects such as indentation. (6.3.7)
Do not use auto-refreshing (or auto-redirecting) pages in place of more accessible methods. (6.7.4)
If WAI technologies are used (e.g. XHTML, HTML, XML, SMIL, MathML, etc.), use the latest WAI specification whenever possible. (6.11.1)
If WAI technologies are used, avoid deprecated language features whenever possible. (6.11.2)
Divide large blocks of information into more manageable groups where natural and appropriate. (6.12.3)
Wherever possible, make link phrases as terse as possible yet as meaningful as possible when read on their own or in succession. (6.13.1)
Use metadata to add semantic information to pages and sites. (6.13.2)
Offer a site map or table of contents that makes the structure of a web site apparent and facilitates navigation. (6.13.3)
Use a clear, consistent navigation structure. (6.13.4)

If you use images and image maps.	5	4	3	2	1	0	N/A
Use individual button controls in a form rather than simulating a set of buttons with an image map. (W3C)

If you use tables.	5	4	3	2	1	0	N/A
Provide a linear text alternative (on the current page or some other) for all tables that lay out text in parallel, word-wrapped columns. (6.5.3)
Avoid using tables for layout. If a table is used for layout, do not use any structural markup for the purpose of visual formatting. (6.5.3)

If you use frames.	5	4	3	2	1	0	N/A
Describe the purpose of frames and how frames relate to each other if it is not obvious by frame titles alone. (6.12.2)

If you use forms.	5	4	3	2	1	0	N/A
Group form controls and choices into more manageable groups. (6.12.3)
Use implicitly associated labels for all form controls, and ensure that the label is properly positioned. (6.12.4)

If you use applets and scripts.	5	4	3	2	1	0	N/A
For applets and programmatic objects, when possible provide an alternative function or presentation in a format other than an applet. (6.6.4)
Avoid movement in pages, but if it must be used, provide a mechanism to allow users to freeze motion or updates in applets and scripts. (6.7.3)
Where possible, make programmatic elements, such as scripts and applets, directly accessible or compatible with assistive technologies [Priority 1 if information or functionality is important and not presented elsewhere, otherwise Priority 2.] (6.8.1)
If possible, ensure that all elements that have their own interface are operable independent of a specific device, i.e. operable by keyboard and mouse. (6.9.2)
For scripts, specify logical event handlers rather than device-dependent event handlers. (6.9.3)
Do not cause pop-ups or other windows to appear and do not change the current window without informing the user. (6.10.1)

If you use multimedia.	5	4	3	2	1	0	N/A
Provide a text version of the auditory description that is collated with the text transcript (captions) of the primary audio track. (W3C)

Priority 3 Checkpoints

In general.	5	4	3	2	1	0	N/A
Specify the expansion of abbreviations and acronyms. (6.4.2)
Create a logical tab order through links, form controls, and objects. (6.9.4)
Provide keyboard shortcuts to links, including those in client-side image maps, form controls, and groups of form controls. (6.9.5)
Include non-link, printable characters (surrounded by spaces) between adjacent links. (6.10.5)
Indicate the content type of the link target, especially when linking to resources that are not WAI technologies. (6.11)
Provide information so that users may receive documents according to their preferences (e.g., language, content type, etc.) (6.11.3)
Offer navigation bars to highlight and give access to the navigation structure. (6.13.5)
Provide a description of the general layout of the site, the access features used, and how to use them. (6.9.5)
Offer different types of searches for different skill levels and preferences. (6.13.7)
Place distinguishing information at the beginning of headings, paragraphs, lists, etc. (6.13.8)
Group related links, identify the group (for user agents), and provide a mechanism to bypass the group (until user agents provide this mechanism). (6.13.6)
Create a consistent style of presentation between pages. (6.14.3)
For servers: If a resource is served in various formats or languages, use content negotiation to determine the format or language preferred by the user.

If you use tables.	5	4	3	2	1	0	N/A
Provide summaries for tables. (6.5.5)
Provide abbreviations for header labels. (6.5.6)

If you use forms.	5	4	3	2	1	0	N/A
Include default, place-holding characters in edit boxes and text areas. (6.10.4)

Comments regarding the site reviewed:
(what's good and what needs work)

PS: This page conforms to these accessibility rules and is a good example of implementation. You might also note that this checklist will work just as well in printed form.