Customer loginSnap Web Accessibility Guidelines - 508
Document last modified May 2005, © Snap Surveys , www.snapsurveys.com
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1. Introduction
This document is concerned with the web accessibility guidelines which form part of Section 508. The guidelines can be found at http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/guide/1194.22.htm.
Snap web questionnaires implement the basic guidelines. In addition Snap can produce a special ‘plain text version.’ This version, when used with all of the available options, includes a wide range of additional accessibility features.
This document comprises:
2. Snap Accessibility Options
A summary of the accessibility options available when producing Snap web questionnaires and how each affects accessibility.
3. Section 508 web Guidelines
The Section 508 web accessibility guidelines, listed with summaries of how Snap supports each checkpoint.
2. Snap Accessibility Options
A summary of the accessibility options available when producing Snap web questionnaires and how each affects accessibility.
Inserted Objects
Snap allows various objects to be inserted into the text of questionnaires and some of these have implications for usability.
Images
Authors can provide ‘alt text’ for any Inserted images. This text appears as a tooltip over the image and can be read aloud by screen readers to help people who cannot see the image. (checkpoint )
Authors should endeavour to provide meaningful text for all images which they insert.
Care should be taken to ensure that images are of sufficient contrast and that no blinking, flashing or movement be introduced (checkpoint (j))
Images can sometimes be used to make content easier to understand.
Html Web Links
Authors can insert web links into web questionnaires. They should ensure that the link text is easy to understand.
The static versions of Snap web questionnaires always open links in the same window, as some screen readers and browsers have difficulty navigating effectively when new windows are opened without the respondent being aware that this has happened. However dynamic surveys must open links in a new window due to the way that they work.
Custom Html
Virtually any HTML can be inserted into Snap questionnaires as custom HTML objects. These can be used to implement some accessibility features, such as to mark up changes in language or to denote acronyms.
Care must be taken when using custom HTML as it is possible to introduce features which cause accessibility problems in this way.
Plain Text Version
Normal and Plain versions
Snap can optionally produce two versions of each web questionnaire.
The normal version fully implements all dynamic content of a questionnaire. Whilst satisfying all of the requirements of section 508, they are not as wholly accessible as they might be. In particular the use of scripting to provide dynamic content prevents them from functioning with accessibility tools which do not support scripting.
Checkpoint (k) specifically recommends producing a more accessible version of a web page.
The plain text version has many options which can increase accessibility, but cannot support many of the advanced features of Snap dynamic questionnaires.
The two versions are built at the same time and hyperlinks can be added to navigate between the two versions.
The plain version of a survey is named by using the access name followed by ‘_t’, for example if the main version is called ‘survey.htm’, then the plain version will be called ‘survey_t.htm’.
Dynamic Content
The normal version of Snap questionnaires will sometimes contain dynamic behaviour. Such behaviour includes allowing the use of multiple pages, the use of routing, ensuring that responses are given, ensuring that responses are valid, using code rotation, grid rotation and using text substitution of responses.
Such surveys sometimes cause problems for respondents with limited access and it is recommended that a plain text version is produced along side dynamic surveys.
Style Sheets
Using External style sheets
It is possible to produce external style sheets for use with Snap's web questionnaires. They can be produced for all versions, or they can be produced just for the plain text version.
Style sheets allow respondents to reformat the questionnaire in a style which is easier for them to read or navigate.
Style sheets are always updated when new versions of the web questionnaire are produced, and care should be taken to upload the latest version of all files to the host web site.
A style sheet is produced for each of the normal and plain versions, and share the name of the main file, e.g they might be called ‘survey.css’ and ‘survey_t.css’ respectively.
Plain Text Options
Link to file
When both plain and normal versions are produced, web links can be added to the top of each file to allow navigation between versions.
A link to the plain text version from the normal version is recommended for the highest levels of accessibility.
The link text which is chosen should be clear and unambiguous.
Use no colour
It is possible to automatically remove all colour from the plain text version.
Whilst it is perfectly possible to produce accessible web pages that use colour, some authors may prefer to produce a colourless version when their main design has low contrast, or is otherwise difficult to read because of the colour scheme.
Use no images
It is possible to automatically remove all images from the plain text version.
Some authors may prefer to remove images from the accessible version of a questionnaire when patterned backgrounds make a page harder to read, or when animated GIFs cause problematic visual effects (checkpoint (j)).
Note that the use of images normally causes no accessibility problems, and the use of graphics is even recommended in cases when they add to understanding, provided that text alternatives are provided (checkpoint (a)).
Use strict rules
The plain text version of web questionnaires in Snap can have a set of strict accessibility rules applied.
The use of all of these rules ensures maximum accessibility for the plain text version.
Some of the rules fundamentally modify the appearance of the questionnaire, whilst others increase the size of the file produced. For these reasons the rules are not available for the normal version.
The strict rules are described in more detail in the following section.
Using Strict Rules
Position labels correctly
This rule ensures that checkboxes are arranged in a single column, and that the code labels are placed to the right of the checkbox. Similarly labels for open response controls are constrained to be either to the left or above their control.
This rule helps screen readers to correctly associate each label with the correct control in situations where there is no support for explicit labelling. Note that Snap always associates labels explicitly using the <label for=> mechanism (checkpoint (n)).
Expand grids
Grid questions containing multiple-choice questions can be difficult for screen readers to navigate. In particular it is not possible to associate a unique label with every control in the grid (checkpoint (n)).
Expanding grids causes such questions to be reformatted so that the checkboxes for each question are displayed in a single column, with a code label shown for each one and with each question one below the other.
Some technologies can correctly navigate grid questions, albeit not as easily as expanded grids, and so, when the requirements of the respondent are known, some authors may prefer to maintain the shape of their grid questions.
Use <fieldset> around questions
The use of <fieldset> allows some screen readers to navigate more efficiently and to provide more useful information to respondents about each control.
Note that <fieldset> does change the appearance of published questionnaires, as most browsers render a <fieldset> with a prominent border.
The use of <fieldset> is not specifically required by section 508, but can help with form navigation (checkpoint (n))
Use <fieldset> around grid members
This option supplements the previous options to expand grids and to use <fieldset>.
Where grids are expanded it can become difficult to identify where each question in a grid ends and the following one begins. Adding further <fieldset> s around such grid members aids readability and accessibility, whilst providing more accurate groupings within the markup.
Note that <fieldset> can only be added to grid members if grids are expanded.
Don't use <font> tags
The tag <font> has widespread use in html to provide character formatting in web pages. Unfortunately <font> is a deprecated language feature and makes it harder for respondents to customise the appearance of the web page.
Note that if <font> is not used then no character formatting will be seen unless a style sheet is also produced. Such formatting includes typeface, text colour and text size. If style sheets are used then <font> will automatically not be used.
External style sheet
Style sheets allow web pages to be produced with formatting separated from content.
Without style sheets, some aspects of Snap web questionnaires must be rendered in an alternative way using markup which is not formally valid in HTML 4.
The use of style sheets also allows pages which do not rely upon deprecated markup such as <font> and allows respondents to customise the look of the web page more easily, which may aid them in terms of readability and navigation.
Note that if a style sheet is used for the normal version then one is automatically produced for the plain version, and that when style sheets are produced, the <font> tag is automatically not used.
Explicit tab order
Although Snap web questionnaires always have every link and control arranged in a logical order, it is still useful to ensure that controls are visited in the correct order by browsers and screen readers, by explicitly defining the tab order.
Use accesskey
Snap can optionally provide keyboard shortcuts (via accessKey) for the buttons on the plain text version of web questionnaires. The keys employed are alt+R for reset and alt+S for submit. The keys are highlighted on the tooltips when used.
Browser support for keyboard shortcuts on web links is poor and Keyboard shortcuts are not generally easy to use. Many screen readers and accessibility tools employ many alt-key combinations as the basis for their user interfaces, and many browsers use them to access menu items. These things mean that whenever keyboard shortcuts are used on web pages, there is a risk of them interfering in unexpected ways with accessibility tools and browsers.
Some authorities recommend the use of accessKey as an aid to navigation.
Open questions have placeholder text
It is said that some screen reader have trouble identifying edit controls unless they already contain some place-holding text
The default is to insert a space character into the control. Authors who choose to specify more verbose place-holding text should ensure that all open ended questions are large enough to hold the text. They should also be aware that such text might interfere with Snap's ability to detect questions which have not been answered when holecounts are calculated, and that such place-holding text must either be deleted or overtyped by the respondent, operations which some respondents may have difficulty in performing.
Many browsers and screen readers do successfully find edit controls in web pages, so some authors may not feel the need to use place-holding text.
Web language configuration
There is a program distributed with Snap called ‘web language configuration,’ which can be used to specify the natural language of the survey. The character set can also be specified where required.
Authors writing surveys in a language other than English will also want to use this program to provide translated text for the various error messages which might be generated by Snap web questionnaires.
3. Section 508 web Guidelines
The Section 508 web accessibility guidelines, listed with summaries of how Snap supports each checkpoint.
The letters assigned to each checkpoint are the same as those in § 1194.22 Web-based intranet and internet information and applications.
Symbols are used in these listings to denote:
Details of how Snap can support a checkpoint.
Details of how accesibility can be improved when certain options are selected within Snap.
Checkpoints which are not applicable for Snap web questionnaires.
Methods of supporting a checkpoint which rely upon care from the author as they compose and format their questionnaires.
(a) A text equivalent for every non-text element shall be provided. (1194.22(a))
Images are the only non-text elements directly supported by Snap. Snap provides alt text for all embedded images, which can be specified by authors.
Authors can employ other non-text elements in Snap web questionnaires, by inserting custom html fields. In these cases, care should be taken to provide the appropriate descriptive attributes.
(b) Equivalent alternatives for any multimedia presentation shall be synchronized with the presentation. (1194.22(b))
Snap doesn't directly support the use of multimedia content.
Authors using multimedia content, by inserting custom html fields or otherwise, should provide appropriately synchronised equivalents
(c) Web pages shall be designed so that all information conveyed with color is also available without color, for example from context or markup. (1194.22(c))
Snap does not employ colour as a means of providing information in web questionnaires.
Authors who assign meaning colours should ensure that the information is otherwise available
(d) Documents shall be organized so they are readable without requiring an associated style sheet. (1194.22(d))
When a style sheet is produced, the web questionnaires are still fully readable when the style sheet is inaccessible.
(e) Redundant text links shall be provided for each active region of a server-side image map. (1194.22(e))
Snap does not produce server-side image maps.
(f) Client-side image maps shall be provided instead of server-side image maps except where the regions cannot be defined with an available geometric shape. (1194.22(f))
Snap does not produce server-side image maps.
(g) Row and column headers shall be identified for data tables. (1194.22(g))
Grid questions in web questionnaires from Snap have their code labels and grid labels encased in <TH> elements and the ‘scope’ attribute is defined for these elements as appropriate.
(h) Markup shall be used to associate data cells and header cells for data tables that have two or more logical levels of row or column headers. (1194.22(h))
No such tables currently exist in Snap web questionnaires.
(i) Frames shall be titled with text that facilitates frame identification and navigation. (1194.22(i))
Multi page dynamic web questionnaire use a hidden frame to contain the question data and a visible frame to display the pages of the questionnaire. Titles are provided for these frames.
(j) Pages shall be designed to avoid causing the screen to flicker with a frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz. (1194.22(j))
Snap does not directly produce flickering or blinking effects, or any moving content.
Authors must be aware to avoid inserting animated GIF files, or other multimedia content, which cause flickering, blinking or movement effects.
(k) A text-only page, with equivalent information or functionality, shall be provided to make a web site comply with the provisions of these standards, when compliance cannot be accomplished in any other way. The content of the text-only page shall be updated whenever the primary page changes. (1194.22(k))
Snap can optionally produce a plain text accessible version of any web questionnaire. The two versions are produced together, along with any other files that are needed, and authors should ensure that if a survey is updated then the latest version of every file is uploaded to their web site as appropriate.
(l) When pages utilize scripting languages to display content, or to create interface elements, the information provided by the script shall be identified with functional text that can be read by assistive technology. (1194.22(l))
Scripting is only used by dynamic web questionnaires from snap. The scripting is used only to construct each page and validate its contents. As such all content produced by the script is just as accessible as if it was a page of static html.
When a plain text version of a Snap survey is produced together with a dynamic normal version, respondents without scripting are directed towards the plain text version.
No scripted interface elements are generated for Snap web questionnaires.
(m) When a web page requires that an applet, plug-in or other application be present on the client system to interpret page content, the page must provide a link to a plug-in or applet that complies with §1194.21(a) through (l). (1194.22(m))
No such objects exist in Snap web questionnaires.
Authors using non-text content, by inserting custom html fields or otherwise, should ensure full accessibility of the inserted object.
(n) When electronic forms are designed to be completed on-line, the form shall allow people using assistive technology to access the information, field elements, and functionality required for completion and submission of the form, including all directions and cues. (1194.22(n))
Snap explicitly associates labels with their controls wherever possible.
The plain text version of web questionnaires can optionally expand grids which ensures that there is a label for every control.
When producing the plain text version of web questionnaires, Snap can optionally ensure that all labels are suitably positioned.
The plain text version of Snap web questionnaires always constrain questions to display in single columns.
(o) A method shall be provided that permits users to skip repetitive navigation links. (1194.22(o))
Not applicable for Snap web questionnaires.
(p) When a timed response is required, the user shall be alerted and given sufficient time to indicate more time is required. (1194.22(p))
Not applicable for Snap web questionnaires.
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