Chapter 7. Universal Accessibility on the Web

When the topic of access to the Web for people with disabilities comes up, the discussion can often take on a very moral and righteous tone. This chapter is not going to lecture you on morality, or how to make the world a better place by adding a few attributes to your XHTML code. What we will discuss in this chapter is the realities that face many Web users, and how—by keeping a few simple issues in mind while developing your pages—you can improve your chances of disseminating the information you desire to as many people as possible.

This chapter teaches you:

• How the Web can be inaccessible

• That accessibility can help traditional users, too

• About the Web Accessibility Initiative

• How to implement the Web Content Authoring Guidelines