Web Content Accessibility
Visually Impaired
Visual Impairments and Our Website
When people think of visual disabilities and the issues created for both the disabled user and the website developer they most often think in terms of:
- blindness - full or partial impairments.
- low-vision - impaired vision (damaged, diseased, or aged eyes).
- color-blindness - up to 10% of the world's population experiences some form of color vision deficiency.
What do we do on our website to address these issues? While the solutions for each may be somewhat different, overall we use the following methods/solutions:
- Our pages contain "Skip to Main Page Content" (Skip Navigation) links. Anyone that visits one of our web pages while utilizing a screen reader or audio browser should initially be presented with the ability to skip past our upper page or side navigational links directly to the main content for that page. Users should not have to endure repetitive navigation links on each page and should save tremendous time and effort as they browse for links or information that is truly important to them.
- We do our best to always supply appropriate alternative text for images that screen readers or audio browsers can utilize.
- We are currently making changes to our website's text sizing controls that should allow users appropriate resizing of text in the browser as they deem necessary (and as allowed for by their specific browser).
- We try to always have spreadsheet data displayed in HTML tables, not graphics. For charts or other typically graphically-displayed data, we usually provide long image descriptions or nearby text/links to alternative (textual) versions of the same data.
- In general, our web pages are organized such that page elements can be read without CSS stylesheets and in a logical order (even with PDAs or cell phones). We are moving to CSS layouts and away from page layouts that use HTML tables. This also aids sighted users and provides for cleaner printed pages as well.
- We strive to use higher contrast separations between text and background colors in our web applications and web page designs (low-vision, damaged, or aged eyes require good contrast between page elements).
- We strive to avoid the use of framed page contents all together, but sometimes their use is necessary. We understand that frames can at times cause issues for navigating, viewing, and printing of web pages and their contents. If we believe frames are necessary for a page we will try to provide alternative means of viewing the same content whenever possible.
- When using image maps, we use client-side mapping and provide alternative identification for mapped (linked) areas of the graphic, while often providing nearby textual links to the same linked destinations.
- We analyze and use various tools to make sure charts and presentation graphics display proper content and information even for those with visual color deficiencies (color blindness).
- If we present information by way of a visual displayed presentation (PowerPoint, Flash, etc.), we also try to provide alternative sources for the same information or links to HTML conversion processes (for PDFs primarily).
- We are working to "design in" keyboard shortcuts for many of the navigational features normally accessed in a visual manner.
- There are many additional solutions we use as well but the previous elements in this list cover most of the basic ones. If you need more information please feel free to contact us.
Questions? Concerns? Want to Report Problems?
Please contact our ADF&G Webmaster if you have questions, concerns, or wish to report web content accessibility issues.
See also:
ADF&G does not necessarily endorse any of the following external sites and includes these links only as a reference.
- WebAIM Article on Visual Disabilities - external link
- An Introduction to Vision and Visual Disabilities - external link
- How People with Disabilities Use the Web - external link