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| Guideline | MWeb implementation |
|---|---|
| Provide content that, when presented to the user, conveys essentially the same function or purpose as auditory or visual content | (1) In most cases, MWeb automatically includes "alt" tags for graphical buttons. (2) When thumbnails of your images are displayed, they are given alt tags of "Click to see image". (3) You have the option to add alt tags to media icons so that screen-readers for the visually impaired can read these tags to the user. (4) MWeb cannot add "alt" tags to graphics you include using the MWeb Interface Management System; you are responsible for these. (5) You are responsible for "alt" tags for images in pages not generated by MWeb, such as the Splash Screen and Sitemap. |
| Ensure that text and graphics are understandable when viewed without color | The visual design of your MWeb site is entirely in your hands. |
| Mark up documents with the proper structural elements. Control presentation with style sheets rather than with presentation elements and attributes | MWeb defines a style for each logical element in each display, so that formatting is linked to the structure and separated from the content. In 2006 we began converting to standard headings like <H1> and <H2> to make the structure clearer. Both tables and divs are used both for page layout and for presentation of data. Frames are not used. Every page has a doctype. You are responsible for specifying relative sizes for fonts, if this is a priority. |
| Use markup that facilitates pronunciation or interpretation of abbreviated or foreign text | We do not consider this guideline relevant, as MWeb's content is primarily fields from your internal databases. One would not expect a painting title in French to be marked up with the codes for that language, but you may add either a language code or markup codes to your database if you feel strongly about this. However, it would be an enormous task and might interfere with other uses of the data. |
| Ensure that tables have necessary markup to be transformed by accessible browsers and other user agents | Because CSS is not implemented well in all browsers, sometimes tables are necessary to achieve a complex layout that will work in all browsers. MWeb's tables do make sense when linearized, which makes them allowable under the guidelines. Currently MWeb does not implement the "summary" attribute of the table element. |
| Ensure that pages are accessible even when newer technologies are not supported or are turned off | MWeb implements most of the checkpoints in this guideline, except that JavaScript is essential to use MWeb. Although simple text pages with links, such as the Systems Planning website you are now in, can be developed without JavaScript, MWeb has many complex features that rely on the dynamic interactive capabilities that only JavaScript can provide.
MWeb's normal menus do not use JavaScript. However, if you choose to have a menu with dropdown elements, mixed graphical and text elements, or other complexities, we will implement this using a proprietary menuing tool which uses JavaScript; JavaScript menus are considered non-accessible. |
| Ensure that moving, blinking, scrolling, or auto-updating objects or pages may be paused or stopped. | We do not recommend any of these effects. They are rarely needed or used in the kind of websites MWeb provides. It is your decision if you choose to use these in a Splash Screen or some other page that is not strictly speaking part of MWeb. |
| Ensure that user interfaces for embedded objects follow principles of accessible design | MWeb can include links to Flash movies, dynamic images, and other embedded objects. As these are part of your data rather than part of MWeb, how they are implemented is your responsibility. |
| Use features that enable activation of page elements via a variety of input devices | We are working on improving MWeb's use of the tab key and keyboard shortcuts. |
| Do not cause popup windows to appear and do not change the current window without informing the user | MWeb uses popup windows only to display media and documents linked to a Primary Record, for images in certain browsers, and for display of non-MWeb pages such as site maps. The user is informed of this by the new window's appearing on top of the previous window and receiving the focus. |
| Use W3C technologies (HTML, CSS, etc.) | MWeb uses HTML, CSS, and JavaScript exclusively. Flash, PDF, Shockwave, PostScript, RTF, Word documents, 3-D images, and other technologies may be linked to or added to pages, but these are not part of MWeb but part of your data. MWeb avoids deprecated W3C techniques such as the font element. |
| Provide context and orientation information to help users understand complex pages or elements | MWeb supports titles and labels of all kinds to identify and explain each display. |
| Provide clear and consistent navigation mechanisms -- orientation information, navigation bars, a site map, etc. | MWeb's displays are all generated based on a template you design. Thus all pages normally contain exactly the same menu and have a consistent layout. The menu can indicate by color, font, or other means which page the user is currently on. MWeb can link to a site map if you wish to develop one. |
| Ensure that documents are clear and simple | MWeb will implement any design you wish, so this is your responsibility. We do recommend simple, clutter-free designs for the benefit of all users. |
Systems Planning
