Web Design and Accessibility

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Show Notes
Today's podcast Episode 014 entitled Web Design and Accessibility provides small business owners important information about making websites accessible to the widest possible audience, especially those persons with disabilities. Here's the outline for this podcast show:

• Definition of Website Accessibility
• Importance of Web Design and Accessibility
• Key Elements for Accessible Web Design
• Case Study of Screen Readers for the Blind
• Accessibility Testing of Small Business Websites
• Website quick tip of the day

0:00:00 Podcast Theme Music and Introduction
0:00:45 Main Topic - Web Design and Accessibility
0:12:58 Tip of the Day - SEO Value of Accessible Web Design
0:13:52 Podcast Outro Theme Music and Credits
0:14:22 End of Small Business Website Mailbag Podcast 014

Referenced links:
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 provide WAI standards for accessible web design
HiSoftware online accessibility testing allows verifying accessible web design
Test accessibility of this podcast here to confirm it Passed Automated Verification

Special Notes:
To assist listeners, the following list is included here to save you any inconvenience taking notes:

15 Key Elements for Accessible Web Design

1. Use Proper DocType Statement in Code
2. Use a Language Identifier Code
3. Use Descriptive Page Title Tags
4. Use Text Links vs Javascript
5. Use Title Tags to Clearly Define Links
6. Use Descriptive Alt Tags for Each Graphic
7. Use Relative Font Sizes in Ems or Percentage, not Fixed Pixels
8. Use H Series Tags for Headings and Subheadings
9. Use Label Tags in Form Elements of Online Forms
10. Use Summary Tags to Describe Data in Tables
11. Use Table Header Tags to Define Table Layout
12. Use a Search Box Function on Every Page (large sites anyway)
13. Use Separate Presentation and Content with CSS Style Sheets
14. Don't Use Links that Launch Browsers in a New Window
15. Avoid Spacer Shims or Invisible Graphics for Layout

Some of the elements may be unfamiliar or seem too technical, so you may want to review the above list with your web developer. Having pages render compatible to devices for disabled persons is not difficult, and may bring you revenue opportunities servicing this niche of potential customers by providing an accessible small business web design.

TAGS: advice accessibility podcast small business advice search engine optimization wai website design