* Cross reference numbers are in the form x.y, where x corresponds with a WAI checklist category, and y is for internal purposes only
 

Priority 1: A Web content developer must satisfy this checkpoint.

Priority 2: A Web content developer should satisfy this checkpoint.

Priority 3: A Web content developer may satisfy this checkpoint.

Priority 1: A Web content developer must satisfy this checkpoint.
 
 
 

ELEMENT	attribute	Explanation	Cross Reference *
A	href	HREF="javascript: " not allowed. If Javascript is turned off, you will have a dead link.	6.3
APPLET		Insert description between APPLET and /APPLET tag	1.2
BLINK		Absolutely, positively forbidden, because you can't stop it; use animated gifs which stop after a certain length of time instead.	7.2
FRAME	title	Always title your frames.	1.3, 12.1
	src	The source for a frame should always be an HTML document	6.2
IMG	alt	Specify alt text for every image, even filler images (alt = " ")	1.1
NOSCRIPT		Describe action or replace functionality of script in between the NOSCRIPT and /NOSCRIPT tag	1.4
SPAN	lang	lang=" " to surround text in another language	4.1
TABLE		Use to present data in tabular format	5.1
TD	headers	For complex tables, use the headers attribute to associate an element of data with the appropriate header which has been identified in the id attribute of a SPAN element.	5.3
TH		Use this tag for row headers and column headers.	5.2

2.1 Don't use color to convey information unless the information is also clear from the markup and/or text.

6.1 When using style sheets, test to see how the document looks on a browser (like wuinfo) without the usage of style sheets. It should look and be logically OK in both cases. If not, you will need to provide an alternative document for browsers that do not interpret style sheets.

7.1 When creating flickering animated gifs, keep this in mind: People with photosensitive epilepsy can have seizures triggered by flickering or flashing in the 4 to 59 flashes per second (Hertz) range with a peak sensitivity at 20 flashes per second as well as quick changes from dark to light (like strobe lights).

8.1 Provide alternatives to applets and scripts that require interaction.

9.1 Design pages so that they can be navigated through a keyboard interface. Avoid "Click Here" links. Use descriptive links that tell user what will happen when they select the link.

11.4 Your LAST resort should be to create a separate accessible version of a document. Do this only after all other alternatives have been investigated.

14.1 Follow these guidelines:

Strive for clear and accurate headings and link descriptions.

Review every heading, outline, and menu to see if the crucial words mean exactly what is intended, and if there are more common words that would convey the same meaning.

State the topic of the sentence or paragraph at the beginning of the sentence or paragraph.

Limit each paragraph to one main idea.

Avoid idiomatic language, technical jargon, and other unfamiliar vocabulary and expressions.

Avoid specialized meanings of familiar vocabulary, unless explanations are provided.

Avoid the passive voice.

Avoid complex sentence structures.

Make link phrases terse yet meaningful enough so they make sense when read out of context, alone or as part of a series of links.

Spell-check each page of your web site.

Avoid ALL CAPS except for acronyms.

Validation:

Use validation tools on: http://www.w3.org/WAI/wcag-curric/sam119-0.htm
 

Priority 2: A Web content developer should satisfy this checkpoint.

Certain tags and attributes are deprecated, which means they will eventually go away.

For those tags and attributes that are deprecated and for which there are style sheet alternatives, always check to see how your page looks in the UNIX and PC versions of Communicator 4.0+ and Internet Explorer 5.0+. If you cannot get the style sheet property to work in all of these browsers, you may have to use a deprecated tag or attribute.
 

ELEMENT	Attribute	Explanation	Cross Reference*
A		Let users know that, when they select a link, it will open up in a new window, by using a link label like the following: Visit The Wonderful World of Sponge (Please note: this link will open the page in a new browser window.)	10.1
A	title	Use the title attribute to define the levels of a site map, for example: <A HREF="a.htm" TITLE="level 1">Welcome Page</A>	13.3
BASEFONT		Deprecated; use style sheet font properties instead	11.3
BLOCKQUOTE		Use only for quotes, not to indent text	3.2
BODY	text, link, alink, vlink, bgcolor, background	text, link, alink, vlink, bgcolor, background attributes are deprecated; use style sheet properties instead!	11.3
CENTER		Deprecated; use text-align in style sheet	11.3
DIR		Do not use; it is deprecated	11.3
DL		Use to provide definitions, not to indent text	3.6
DOCTYPE		First line of your HTML file if your coding meets the requirements of a particular grammar	3.1
FONT		Deprecated; use style sheet font properties instead.	11.3
FORM		For forms, be consistent in the placing of labels and controls. For example, always place the label immediately to the right of the control. Or always place the label immediately above the control.	10.2
FORM	id	assigns a name to the form	12.4
FORM		Use LABEL tag (see below)	12.4
FRAME	longdesc	Use the longdesc attribute for complicated framesets	12.2
H1 through H6		Do not use to control the size of the text; nest properly	3.4, 3.5
IMG	src	if src is an animated gif, provide a way for it to stop animating	7.3
ISINDEX		Deprecated; do not use	11.3
LABEL		Use this tag to label FORM input cells even though Netscape will ignore it; someday it won't ignore it	12.4
NOFRAMES		Use this tag at the end of each FRAMESET	6.4
P	style	Style="margin-left:10%" to indent text	3.7
U		Deprecated; avoid using; use EM instead	11.3
UL		Use only for listing items, not to indent text; list hyperlinks in a vertical list with this tag.	3.3
STRIKE (or S)		Deprecated; avoid using	11.3
TABLE, TD, TH, TD	bgcolor	bgcolor attribute is deprecated; use style sheet background-color property instead	11.3
TH		Do not use this tag to change the style of the text (to make it bold, for example)	5.5
Any list element	start, value	start= value= attributes are deprecated; do not use	11.3

2.2 Ensure that foreground and background color combinations provide sufficient contrast when viewed by someone having color deficits or when viewed on a black and white screen. Avoid placing these colors together: red, green, brown, grey, purple.

2.3 Patterned backgrounds must not be used behind text or important graphics.

2.4 In images such as bar charts and maps, use patterns instead of color.

5.4 Do not use tables for layout unless the table makes sense when linearized. Check to see if it linearizes well by using "wuinfo" on oldacc.

7.4 If your page is being continually updated, inform the user that they should reload the page often (rather than by doing it for them).

9.2 Use application-level event triggers rather than user interaction-level triggers (onfocus, onblur, onselect). If you must use device-dependent attributes, specify redundant input mechanisms, e.g., "onmousedown" with "onkeydown".

11.1 Don't hesitate to use the new features included in W3C Recommendations (like new HTML 4.0 elements) even if common browsers don't presently support them. They won't mess up the page, but when browsers do support them, you will already be one step ahead in the accessibility arena.

11.2 See User Agent Support for Accessibility at:

http://www.w3.org/WAI/Resources/WAI-UA-Support.

11.3 Alignment attributes in most elements (align, valign, clear, nowrap) are deprecated; replace with style sheet properties. Note: within tables, only align is deprecated for the overall placement of the table on a page, and of the caption if any.

11.3 Spacing attributes: hspace, vspace, compact, type are deprecated. Avoid, if possible.

11.3 attributes face and size are deprecated. Avoid, if possible.

12.3 use nested lists where appropriate; use headings to structure documents; use table of contents for large documents, with links back up to top of table of contents; avoid using a large table for one document, break into smaller tables. Unix Communicator handles large tables poorly.

13.1 Use META tags to describe your site. See source for http://www.washburn.edu/sample.html

13.2 For larger sub sites, provide a site map, or a table of contents. Table of content entries should correspond to the title of the target pages to reduce confusion. Use the title attribute of the A tag to define the levels of the site map.

13.3 Be consistent with navigation mechanisms.

Priority 3: A Web content developer may satisfy this checkpoint.
 

ELEMENT	Attribute	Explanation	Cross Reference*
ABBR		indicates an abbreviated form (e.g., WWW, HTTP, URI, Mass., etc.)	4.1
ACRONYM		indicates an acronym (e.g., WAC, radar, etc.).	4.1
FORM		Design forms logically so that tabbing leads logically through the fields or links. (until the time when both major browsers can handle the tabindex and accesskey attributes).	9.3
HTML	lang	lang=en.us to show that our documents are written in English
MAP		This tag can be used to group related navigational links together.	13.7
TABLE	summary	summarize what table includes in words	5.6
TABLE		If you have the need to lay out a table with parallel, word-wrapped columns, consider using the table linearizer at http://jigsaw.w3.org:8000/tablin to create a non-linearized version, and link to it in the upper left-hand corner of the screen.	10.3
TH	abbr	to abbreviate header cell labels	5.7

1.2 Provide redundant text links for client side image map active regions.

4.3 When using abbreviations or acronyms in a sentence, be sure to indicate this in the HTML using ABBR and ACRONYM. In the near future, browsers will take advantage of this.

10.4 When analyzing how to take a document and put it on the web, consider alternatives to a table with parallel, word-wrapped columns.

10.5 Include non-link, printable characters (surrounded by spaces) between adjacent links.

13.4 Use navigation bars (with ALT text of course!) where appropriate.

13.5 Provide a mechanism for a user to skip navigation bars on each page.

13.8 Provide for alternative methods of searching and explain how they work.

13.9 Front-load links, decreasing what must be read before you get to the link. Example:

Visit the Wonderful World of Sponge, if you have a moment, and if

you are so inclined.

Sea Cucumbers Galore is another interesting invertebrate site to visit.

Starfish and Lobsters and Crabs, Oh My! is the absolute best site.

13.10 Provide information about document collections. Use footprints, or indicate page x out of y, in a series of documents.

14.2 Use pictures, sound and text to complement each other.

14.3 Create a presentation that is consistent across pages.