Chapter 24 Accessibility 1217 plish this task, Web developers can use the alt attribute of the img and input tags to include a textual equivalent for every image or graphic included on a site. Web developers who do not use the altattribute to provide text equivalents increase the difficulties that people with visual impairments experience in navigating the Web. Specialized user agents (or accessibility aids), such as screen readers (programs that allow users to hear all text that is displayed on their screens) and braille displays (devices that receive data from screen-reading software and then output the data as braille), enable people with visual impairments to access text-based information that normally is displayed on the screen. A user agent visually interprets Web-page source code and translates it into a format that is accessible to people with various disabilities. Web browsers, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape Communicator, and the screen readers mentioned throughout this chapter are examples of user agents. Similarly, Web pages that do not provide text equivalents for video and audio clips are difficult for people with visual and hearing impairments to access. Screen readers cannot interpret images, movies and most other non-XHTML content from these Web pages. However, by providing multimedia-based information in a variety of ways (e.g., using the alt attribute or providing in-line descriptions of images), Web designers can help maximize the accessibility of their sites content. Web designers should provide useful and appropriate text equivalents in the alt attribute for use by nonvisual user agents. For example, if the alt attribute describes a sales-growth chart, it should provide a brief summary of the data, but should not describe the data in the chart. Instead, a complete description of the chart s data should be included in the longdesc (long description) attribute, which is intended to augment the alt attribute s description. The longdescattribute contains a link to a Web page describing the image or multimedia content. Currently, most Web browsers do not support the longdesc attribute. An alternative to the longdesc attribute is D-link, which provides descriptive text about graphs and charts. More information on D-links can be obtained at the CORDA Technologies Web site (www.corda.com). The use of a screen reader to facilitate Web-site navigation can be time-consuming and frustrating, because screen readers cannot interpret pictures and other graphical content. The inclusion of a link at the top of each Web page providing direct access to the page s content could allow disabled users to bypass long lists of navigation links and other irrelevant or inaccessible content. This jump can save time and eliminate frustration for individuals with visual impairments. Emacspeak (www.cs.cornell.edu/home/raman/emacspeak/emacspeak. html) is a screen interface that improves the quality of Internet access for individuals with visual disabilities by translating text to voice data. The open-source product also implements auditory icons that play various sounds. Emacspeak can be customized with Linux operating systems and provides support for the IBM ViaVoice speech engine. In March 2001, We Media introduced another user agent, the WeMedia Browser, which allows people with vision impairments and cognitive disabilities (such as dyslexia) to use the Internet more conveniently. The WeMedia Browser enhances traditional browser capabilities by providing oversized buttons and keystroke commands that assist in navigation. The browser reads text that the user selects, allowing the user to control the speed and volume at which the browser reads the contents of the Web page. The WeMedia Browser free download is available at www.wemedia.com.
Please visit our professional web hosting services to find out about cheap and reliable webhost service that will surely answer all your demands.

1216 Accessibility Chapter 24 uals with disabilities to work in a vast array of new fields. This is partly because the Internet provides a medium through which disabled people can telecommute to jobs and interact easily with others without traveling. Such technologies as voice activation, visual enhancers and auditory aids create additional employment opportunities. For example, people with visual impairments can use computer monitors with enlarged text, and people with physical impairments can use head pointers with on-screen keyboards. In the remaining sections of this chapter, we explore various organizations, techniques, products and services that help provide computer and Internet access to people with disabilities. 24.3 Web Accessibility Initiative Currently, most Web sites are considered to be either partially or totally inaccessible to people with visual, learning or mobility impairments. Total accessibility is difficult to achieve, because of the variety of disabilities that must be accommodated and because of problems resulting from language barriers and hardware and software inconsistencies. However, a high level of accessibility is attainable. As more people with disabilities begin to use the Internet, it is imperative that Web-site designers increase the accessibility of their sites. Although computer and Web accessibility is the focus of some recent legislation, standards organizations also see the need for industry recommendations. In an attempt to address issues of accessibility, the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) launched the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI ) in April 1997. To learn more about the WAI or to read its mission statement, visit www.w3.org/WAI. This chapter explains various techniques used to develop accessible Web sites. In 1999, the WAI published the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 1.0 to help businesses determine whether their Web sites are universally accessible. The WCAG 1.0 (available at www.w3.org/TR/WCAG10) uses checkpoints to list specific accessibility requirements. Each checkpoint is accompanied by a corresponding priority rating that indicates the requirement s level of importance. Priority-one checkpoints are goals that must be met to ensure accessibility; we focus on these points in this chapter. Priority-two checkpoints, though not essential, are highly recommended. If these checkpoints are not satisfied, people with certain disabilities will experience difficulty accessing Web sites. Prioritythree checkpoints slightly improve accessibility. At the time of publication, the WAI was working on WCAG 2.0; a working draft of this publication can be found at www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20. A single checkpoint in the WCAG 2.0 Working Draft might encompass several checkpoints from WCAG 1.0. Once WCAG 2.0 has been reviewed and published by the W3C, its checkpoints will supersede those of WCAG 1.0. Furthermore, the new version can be applied to a wider range of markup languages (i.e., XML, WML, etc.) and content types than can its predecessor. The WAI also presents a supplemental checklist of quick tips, which reinforce ten important points relating to accessible Web site design. More information on the WAI Quick Tips can be found at www.w3.org/WAI/References/Quicktips. 24.4 Providing Alternatives for Images One important WAI requirement specifies that every image on a Web page should be accompanied by a textual description that clearly defines the purpose of the image. To accom
Searching for affordable and proven webhost to host and run your servlet applications? Go to Linux Web Hosting services and you will find it.

Chapter 24 Accessibility 1215 Act Purpose Individuals with Disabilities The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act stipulates that Education Act of 1997 education materials in schools must be made accessible to children with disabilities. Rehabilitation Act Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act states that college sponsored activities receiving federal funding cannot discriminate against individuals with disabilities. Section 508 mandates that all government institutions receiving federal funding must design their Web sites so that they are accessible to individuals with disabilities. Businesses that sell services to the government also must abide by this act. Fig. 24.1 Fig. 24.Fig. 24.FF1ig. 24.1ig.1Acts designed to improve Internet and computer accessibility for people 24. with disabilities. (Part 2 of 2.) Fig. 24.2 Fig. 24.Fig. 24.FF2ig. 24.2ig.2We Media s home page. (Courtesy of WeMedia, Inc.) 24. As these laws and resources exemplify, computer and Internet accessibility for individuals with disabilities is quickly becoming a reality. Such accessibility enables individ
From our experience, we are can tell you that you can find a reliable and cheap webhost service at Java Web Hosting services.

1214 Accessibility Chapter 24 the inability to use a keyboard or a mouse) and learning disabilities. In today s computing environment, such impediments prevent many users from taking full advantage of applications and Web content. The design of applications and sites to meet the needs of individuals with disabilities should be a priority for all software companies and e-businesses. People affected by disabilities represent a significant portion of the population, and legal ramifications could exist for companies that discriminate by failing to provide adequate and universal access to their resources. In this chapter, we explore the World Wide Web Consortium s Web Accessibility Initiative and its guidelines and review various laws regarding the availability of computing and Internet resources to people with disabilities. We also highlight companies that have developed systems, products and services that meet the needs of this demographic. As students use C# and its related technologies to design applications and Web sites, they should keep in mind the accessibility requirements and recommendations that we discuss in this chapter. 24.2 Regulations and Resources Over the past several years, the United States has taken legislative steps to ensure that people with disabilities are given the tools they need to use computers and access the Web. A wide variety of legislation, including the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, governs the provision of computer and Web accessibility (Fig. 24.1). These laws have inspired significant legal action. For example, according to the ADA, companies are required to offer equal access to individuals with visual problems. The National Federation for the Blind (NFB) cited this law in a 1999 suit against AOL, responding to the company s failure to make its services available to individuals with disabilities. There are 54 million Americans with disabilities, and these individuals represent an estimated $1 trillion in annual purchasing power. In addition to legislation, many organizations and resources focus on assisting individuals with disabilities to access computers and the Internet. WeMedia.com (Fig. 24.2) is a Web site that provides news, information, products and services to the millions of people with disabilities and to their families, friends and caregivers. Act Purpose Americans with Disabilities Act The ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, state and local government, public accommodations, commercial facilities, transportation and telecommunications. Telecommunications Act of 1996 The Telecommunications Act of 1996 contains two amendments to Section 255 and Section 251(a)(2) of the Communications Act of 1934. These amendments require that communication devices, such as cell phones, telephones and pagers, be accessible to individuals with disabilities. Fig. 24.1 Fig. 24.Fig. 24.FF1ig. 24.1ig.1Acts designed to improve Internet and computer accessibility for people 24. with disabilities. (Part 1 of 2.)
We recommend cheap and reliable webhost to host and run your web applications: Coldfusion Web Hosting services.

Chapter 24 Accessibility 1213 Outline 24.1 Introduction 24.2 Regulations and Resources 24.3 Web Accessibility Initiative 24.4 Providing Alternatives for Images 24.5 Maximizing Readability by Focusing on Structure 24.6 Accessibility in Visual Studio .NET 24.6.1 Enlarging Toolbar Icons 24.6.2 Enlarging the Text 24.6.3 Modifying the Toolbox 24.6.4 Modifying the Keyboard 24.6.5 Rearranging Windows 24.7 Accessibility in C# 24.8 Accessibility in XHTML Tables 24.9 Accessibility in XHTML Frames 24.10 Accessibility in XML 24.11 Using Voice Synthesis and Recognition with VoiceXML 24.12 CallXML 24.13 JAWS for Windows 24.14 Other Accessibility Tools 24.15 Accessibility in Microsoft Windows 2000 24.15.1 Tools for People with Visual Impairments 24.15.2 Tools for People with Hearing Impairments 24.15.3 Tools for Users Who Have Difficulty Using the Keyboard 24.15.4 Microsoft Narrator 24.15.5 Microsoft On-Screen Keyboard 24.15.6 Accessibility Features in Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 24.16 Internet and World Wide Web Resources Summary Terminology Self-Review Exercises Answers to Self-Review Exercises Exercises 24.1 Introduction Throughout this book, we discuss the creation of C# applications. Later chapters also introduce the development of Web-based content using Web Forms, ASP .NET, XHTML and XML. In this chapter, we explore the topic of accessibility, which refers to the level of usability that an application or Web site provides to people with various disabilities. Disabilities that might affect an individual s computer or Internet usage are common; they include visual impairments, hearing impairments, other physical injuries (such as
We recommend high quality webhost to host and run your jsp application: christian web host services.

24 Accessibility Objectives To introduce the World Wide Web Consortium s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 (WCAG 1.0). To understand how to use the alt attribute of the HTML tag to describe images to people with visual impairments, mobile-Web-device users and others unable to view images. To understand how to make tables more accessible to page readers. To understand how to verify that XHTML tags are used properly and to ensure that Web pages can be viewed on any type of display or reader. To understand how VoiceXML and CallXML are changing the way in which people with disabilities access information on the Web. To introduce the various accessibility aids offered in Windows 2000. Tis the good reader that makes the good book… Ralph Waldo Emerson I once was lost, but now am found, Was blind, but now I see. John Newton
Go visit our java server pages services for a reliable, lowcost webhost to satisfy all your needs.