Nov 4, 2002K. Smale - Section 5081 Section 508 What it means for you, the HEASARC and LHEA web developer

Nov 4, 2002K. Smale - Section 5082 What, Why, When? Section 508 is a Federal Law that provides equal access to information –Part of the Americans with Disabilities Act Vision-impaired, hearing-impaired Motor-control difficulties Required of all government agencies Compliance deadline is December 21, 2002 Non-compliance can result in block of port 80

Nov 4, 2002K. Smale - Section 5083 “It’s the Law” (references) –Section 508 & NASA –Section 508: Making Your Site Compliant webmaster.gsfc.nasa.gov/access/508-rules.html

Nov 4, 2002K. Smale - Section 5084 LHEA Status 37 unique web servers (+2 dozen aliases) –Estimate ~ 30,000 static web pages 14 of 37 are currently compliant 6 waivers requested: 5 -dev and 1 mirror ~ 17 servers still need fixing (including LHEAWWW and HEASARC) Dozens of developers of various skill levels

Nov 4, 2002K. Smale - Section 5085 LHEA status (continued) Section 508 Plans submitted in April 2002 – from Main problems: –Image alt tags missing –Multimedia synchronizations needed –Data table headers need –Links to plugins for PDF, PS, Word files needed –Forms not accessible to assistive technology –Skip navigation link needed

Nov 4, 2002K. Smale - Section 5086 Assistive Technology Screen readers for the vision-impaired –Navigation solely by tab, control and arrow keys (no mouse!) –All links read preferentially Audio transcriptions (closed captioning) for video for the hearing-impaired Tab/control/arrow key used for motor- control-impaired

Nov 4, 2002K. Smale - Section 5087 Fixing your site: ALT TAGS

Nov 4, 2002K. Smale - Section 5088 Fixing your site: ALT TAGS (continued) Image map area tags need alt tags too! But then don’t forget to put the alt tag on your image map graphic

Nov 4, 2002K. Smale - Section 5089 Fixing your site: MULTIMEDIA Captions should be synchronized with the video –At the very least, a transcript of any audio and a description of the video should be written in a text file linked near the multimedia MAGpie (freeware) or QuickTime PRO ($29) can synchronize text to your audio

Nov 4, 2002K. Smale - Section Fixing your site: DATA TABLES Table row and column headers need tags instead of regular tags –Written in bold face and centered –Read with a different voice inflection –Each row will be read with the proper headers Name: Karen Smale, Code: 660.1, Phone: Name: Penn Sylvania, Code: 660, Phone:

Nov 4, 2002K. Smale - Section Fixing your site: PLUGINS For every PDF, PS, Word, Shockwave, Flash, etc. file, you must provide a link to section 508 compliant software. –PDF: Adobe Acrobat Reader –Word: MS has free downloadable readers –PS: Unknown - probably not compliant Try not to make PS files or images from textual viewgraphs! Leave as PPT or PDF.

Nov 4, 2002K. Smale - Section Fixing your site: FORMS Need to associate each form element (text area, radio button, etc.) with a label –Enables a larger “clickable area” –Links a purpose with the button or text area Search the HEASARC site:

Nov 4, 2002K. Smale - Section Fixing your site: SKIP NAVIGATION Allows visually-impaired users with screen readers to skip past repetitive navigation links Should be first thing on your page, before the navigation bar skip to content [navigation links are here] Latest News

Nov 4, 2002K. Smale - Section All the Section 508 rules Provide text equivalent for images Equivalent alternatives for multimedia (synchronous!) Color should not be the only way of conveying information Turn style sheets off - does it still work, is it still readable? Server-side image maps need redundant text links Client-side image maps need area alt tags Data tables need for header rows Multi-logic table row or column headers need to be identified Frames need titles (‘top’ or ‘left’ is not useful, use ‘content’ or ‘navigation’)

Nov 4, 2002K. Smale - Section Section 508 Rules (continued) No flickering (don’t use animations that flicker between 2 and 55 Hz) Text-only pages: if you can’t comply with these rules, make a text- only page (but update it!) Turn JavaScript off - does it still work, can you still navigate? PDF, PS, Word, shockwave, flash? Provide a link to a plugin or applet Forms must have LABEL element for those using assistive technology Provide a way to skip repetitive navigation links If timed response is required for filling out a form, provide a way to extend the time allowed

Nov 4, 2002K. Smale - Section Some useful references Checklist & how-to: – HEASARC checklist, how-to, and examples –heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/heasarc/Style_Guide/sec508.html –heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/heasarc/Style_Guide/sec508rules.html Test your site: –bobby.watchfire.com – Check LHEA & HEASARC site status: –

Nov 4, 2002K. Smale - Section When you think you’re compliant Read through all the rules - did you address all the items? Check some pages at –Be aware: Bobby doesn’t check for everything! Checks that an alt tag exists (not whether it’s useful) Checks that forms are compliant Checks frames for titles Doesn’t check for, multimedia synchros, skip navigation links, links to plugins… that’s your responsibility

Nov 4, 2002K. Smale - Section Think you’re compliant? (continued) Karen Smale ( ) and have your entire site checked Submit your updated Section 508 plan Add link to an Accessibility Statement, e.g.

Nov 4, 2002K. Smale - Section And Remember All new web pages must be Section 508 compliant when they go public. Random checking will occur (by me and the GSFC CIO’s office). Assistive technologies may change - requirements may change in the future.

Nov 4, 2002K. Smale - Section Good HTML & NASA policy Don’t link “click here” NASA policy rules (privacy and security statements, contact info for curator, NASA responsible official, links to GSFC homepage, NASA logo [and no others!], meta tags, XML, etc.):

Nov 4, 2002K. Smale - Section Thank you! Questions? –Call me at – me at –Visit me in Building 6, Room S119