We can all pretend that we're helping others by making web sites and software accessible, but we are really making them better for our future selves. Learn some fundamentals of accessibility and how it can benefit you (whether future you from aging or you after something else limits your abilities). We'll review simple testing techniques, basic features and enhancements, coming trends, and where to get help. This isn't intended to be a deep dive into ARIA, but more of an overall primer for those who aren't sure where to start nor how it helps them.

1. Selfish Accessibility
Presented by Adrian Roselli for ACE! Conference

2. About Adrian Roselli
• Co-written four books.
• Technical editor
for two books.
• Written over fifty
articles, most recently
for .net Magazine and
Web Standards Sherpa.
Great bedtime reading!

3. About Adrian Roselli
• Member of W3C HTML Working Group, W3C
Accessibility Task Force, five W3C Community
Groups.
• Building for the web since 1994.
• Founder, owner at Algonquin Studios
(AlgonquinStudios.com).
• Learn more at AdrianRoselli.com.
• Avoid on Twitter @aardrian.
I warned you.

4. What is a11y?
• A numeronym for “accessibility”:
• The first and last letter (accessibility),
• The number of characters omitted (a11y).
• Prominent on Twitter (character restrictions):
• #a11y
• Examples:
• l10n → localization
• i18n → internationalization
Ain’t language funsies?

5. Accessibility Gets No Respect
In fairness, Sherwin Williams needs to come up with a lot of color names...
“Cyberspace” (gray)
“Online” (blue)
“Lime Rickey” (green)

6. Accessibility Gets No Respect
…however I think the team could have done better than this.

7. What We’ll Cover
• Boring Statistics
• Be Selfish
• Some Techniques
• Basic Tests
• Questions (ongoing!)
Work with me, people.

8. Boring Statistics
1 of 5 sections.

9. Any Disability
• In the United States:
• 10.4% aged 21-64 years old,
• 25% aged 65-74 years old,
• 50% aged 75+.
• Includes:
• Visual
• Hearing
• Mobility
• Cognitive
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs282/en/
http://www.disabilitystatistics.org/reports/2012/English/HTML/report2012.cfm?fips=2000000&html_year=2012

10. Vision Impairments
• 285 million worldwide:
• 39 million are blind,
• 246 million have low vision,
• 82% of people living with blindness are aged 50
and above.
• 1.8% of Americans aged 21-64.
• 4.0% of Americans aged 65-74.
• 9.8% of Americans aged 75+.
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs282/en/
http://www.disabilitystatistics.org/reports/2012/English/HTML/report2012.cfm?fips=2000000&html_year=2012

11. Hearing Impairments
• 360 million people worldwide have disabling
hearing loss.
• 17% (36 million) of American adults report
some degree of hearing loss:
• 18% aged 45-64 years old,
• 30% aged 65-74 years old,
• 47% aged 75+ years old.
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs300/en/
https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/statistics/Pages/quick.aspx

12. Mobility Impairments
• In the United States:
• 5.5% aged 21-64 years old.
• 15.6% aged 65-74 years old.
• 32.9% aged 75+.
http://www.disabilitystatistics.org/reports/2012/English/HTML/report2012.cfm?fips=2000000&html_year=2012

13. Cognitive Impairments
• Dyslexia,
• Dyscalculia,
• Memory issues,
• Distractions (ADD, ADHD),
• In the United States:
• 4.3% aged 21-64 years old.
• 5.4% aged 65-74 years old.
• 14.4% aged 75+.
http://www.disabilitystatistics.org/reports/2012/English/HTML/report2012.cfm?fips=2000000&html_year=2012&subButton=Get+HTML

14. Be Selfish
2 of 5 sections.

15. WebAIM’s Hierarchy for Motivating
Accessibility Change
http://webaim.org/blog/motivating-accessibility-change/

16. My Hierarchy for Motivating
Accessibility Change
Is better, no?

17. Getting Older
• Affects (nearly) everyone,
• Carries risks and side effects,
• Is not for the young.
I’m still experimenting with it.

18. Rising Damp on Flickr.

19. Darren Baldwin on Flickr.

20. Accidents
• Broken limbs,
• Eye injuries,
• Hearing injuries,
• Head trauma.
All of these have happened to me, multiple times.

21. Rev Stan on Flickr.

22. Let Ideas Compete on Flickr.

23. Fluffy Steve on Flickr.

24. Paul Townsend on Flickr.

25. But I’m Invincible!
• Multi-tasking,
• Sunlight,
• Eating at your desk,
• No headphones handy,
• Content is not in your native language.
The sun is trying to kill me.

26. https://twitter.com/aardrian/statuses/388733408576159744

27. Mariëlle on Flickr.

28. barockschloss on Flickr.

29. Seb on Flickr.

30. A.Davy on Flickr.

31. Steve Rhodes on Flickr.

32. SuperFantastic on Flickr.

33. World Bank Photo Collection on Flickr.

34. Lars Kristian Flem on Flickr.

35. Tech Support
• Think of your family!
• Think of your time spent helping them!
• Think of the wasted holidays!
This is why we hate the holidays.

36. Robert Simmons on Flickr.

37. The Message
• Supporting accessibility now helps to serve
future you.
Do or do not.

38. The Message
• Supporting accessibility now helps to serve
future you.
• Supporting accessibility now helps injured
you, encumbered you.
There is no try.

39. The Message
• Supporting accessibility now helps to serve
future you.
• Supporting accessibility now helps injured
you, encumbered you.
• Getting younger developers to buy in helps
future you – if you teach them well.
Always pass on what you have learned.

40. Some Techniques
3 of 5 sections.

41. User Stories
• Components:
• User,
• Outcome,
• Value.
• Writing:
• As user, I want outcome.
• As user, I want outcome so that value.
• In order to get value as user, I want outcome.
How to Write User Stories for Web Accessibility

42. Selfish User Stories
• As a user on a sun-lit patio, I want to be able
to read the content and see the controls.
Add beer and as a user I may have trouble focusing.

43. Selfish User Stories
• As a user in bed with a sleeping spouse, I want
to watch a training video in silence so that I
can get caught up at work.
As a user who doesn’t want to get punched for having slacked off at work.

44. Selfish User Stories
• In order to click links as a user with no elbow
room in coach class with a tiny trackpad, I
want click areas to be large enough and
adequately spaced.
As a user in coach class who also paid too much for the drink he’s spilling on his keyboard.

45. Selfish User Stories
• As a user distracted by the TV, I want clear
headings and labels so that I don’t lose my
place.
As a user who really should be finishing his work in the office.

46. User Stories
• Physical Impairment
• As a keyboard-only user, I want to be able to use
the entire application.
This includes seeing what has focus and not getting lost in off-screen elements.

47. User Stories
• Physical Impairment
• As a keyboard-only user, I want to be able to use
the entire application.
• As a keyboard-only user, I want to navigate a
product list with the tab key so that I can find the
right option.
Arrow keys are acceptable as well, making sure that it is clear to the user.

48. User Stories
• Physical Impairment
• As a keyboard-only user, I want to be able to use
the entire application.
• As a keyboard-only user, I want to navigate a
product list with the tab key so that I can find the
right option.
• In order to click links as a limited-mobility user, I
want click areas to be large enough and
adequately spaced.
Else I may click the wrong item and have to hit the back button, which can be time consuming.

49. User Stories
• Visual Impairment
• As a color blind user, I want to be able to see links
in page content.
Underlines are important, but users also like to know what they clicked already.

50. User Stories
• Visual Impairment
• As a color blind user, I want to be able to see links
in page content.
• As a low-vision user, I want to zoom the page so
that I can read the content.
Without the text overlapping itself or every other item on the page.

51. User Stories
• Visual Impairment
• As a color blind user, I want to be able to see links
in page content.
• As a low-vision user, I want to zoom the page so
that I can read the content.
• In order to use the site as a blind user, I want to
use a screen reader to navigate.
Good headings, clear structure, landmark roles to jump around the page.

52. User Stories
• Hearing Impairment
• As a low-hearing user, I want to be able to access
transcripts.
From a clear link, not through some acrobatics to find them.

53. User Stories
• Hearing Impairment
• As a low-hearing user, I want to be able to access
transcripts.
• As a low-hearing user, I want access to closed
captions so that I can use training videos.
Timed to match the video is important.

54. User Stories
• Hearing Impairment
• As a low-hearing user, I want to be able to access
transcripts.
• As a low-hearing user, I want access to closed
captions so that I can use training videos.
• In order to participate in a webinar as a deaf user,
I want real-time captioning or transcripts.
This can be tricky, since you’ll need to have a resource typing in real-time.

55. User Stories
• Cognitive Impairment
• As a user with a vestibular disorder, I want to be
able to disable parallax scrolling.
But you don’t just use it for no reason, right?

56. User Stories
• Cognitive Impairment
• As a user with a vestibular disorder, I want to be
able to disable parallax scrolling.
• As a user with dyscalculia, I want distinct number
fields for each block of digits in a credit card
number so that I can purchase a product.
You can auto-detect card type. Do the same for expiration date.

57. User Stories
• Cognitive Impairment
• As a user with a vestibular disorder, I want to be
able to disable parallax scrolling.
• As a user with dyscalculia, I want distinct number
fields for each block of digits in a credit card
number so that I can purchase a product.
• In order to not get confused on pages with long
text passages as a user with dyslexia, I want
control over text size, spacing, and/or alignment.
At the very least, turn of justified text.

58. Personas
Adrian
• Works when he should be relaxing, relaxes
when he should be working.
• Lives between motorcycles.
• Works late at night with the TV on.
• Uses sub-titles in Netflix.
• Keeps all screens as dark as possible.
That photo is from official ID.

59. Personas
Book Excerpt: A Web for Everyone, by Sarah Horton, Whitney Quesenbery

60. Manifesto for Accessible UX
• Coming Soon! (The Paciello Group)
• Looking to these examples:
• Lean UX Manifesto
• Manifesto for Agile Software Development
• UK Gov. Data Services Design Principles
Watch this space: http://www.paciellogroup.com/blog/2014/08/developing-a-manifesto-for-accessible-ux/

61. Accessible Design Maturity Continuum
• Coming Soon! (The Paciello Group)
• Variation on Jess McMullin’s Rough Design
Maturity Continuum:
1. No Conscious Design,
2. Style,
3. Function and Form,
4. Problem Solving,
5. Framing.
Watch this space: http://www.paciellogroup.com/blog/2014/06/accessibility-maturity-continuum/

62. Basic Tests
4 of 5 sections.

63. Click on Field Labels
• When you click label text next to a text box,
does the cursor appear in the field?
• When you click label text next to a radio /
checkbox, does it get toggled?
• When you click label text next to a select
menu, does it get focus?
http://www.karlgroves.com/2013/09/05/the-6-simplest-web-accessibility-tests-anyone-can-do/

65. Unplug Your Mouse
• Turn off your trackpad, stick, trackball, etc.
• Can you interact with all controls (links,
menus, forms) with only the keyboard?
• Can you tell which item has focus?
• Does the tab order match your expectation?
http://www.karlgroves.com/2013/09/05/the-6-simplest-web-accessibility-tests-anyone-can-do/

67. Turn off Images
• Can you still make sense of the page?
• Is content missing?
• Can you still use the site?
• Is your alt text useful?
http://www.karlgroves.com/2013/09/05/the-6-simplest-web-accessibility-tests-anyone-can-do/

70. Turn on High Contrast Mode
• Windows only.
• Background images and colors are replaced.
• Text colors are replaced.
• Does this make your site unusable?
http://www.karlgroves.com/2013/09/05/the-6-simplest-web-accessibility-tests-anyone-can-do/
http://blog.adrianroselli.com/2012/08/css-background-images-high-contrast-mode.html

73. Turn off CSS
• Does important content or functionality
disappear?
• Do error messages or other items that rely on
visual cues make sense?
• Is content still in a reasonable order?
• Do any styles (colors, text effects, etc.)
remain?
http://www.karlgroves.com/2013/09/05/the-6-simplest-web-accessibility-tests-anyone-can-do/

75. Test for Colorblindness/Contrast
• Is there enough contrast?
• Are hyperlinks, menus, etc. still visible?
• Tools:
• Chrome Color Contrast Analyzer
• Lea Verou’s Contrast Ratio
• WebAIM Color Contrast Checker
• CheckMyColours.com
http://www.inpixelitrust.fr/blog/en/tips-create-accessible-color-palette/
http://alistapart.com/blog/post/easy-color-contrast-testing

76. Protanopia

77. Deuteranopia

78. Tritanopia

79. Look for Captions & Transcripts
• Do video/audio clips have text alternatives?
• Are links to closed-captions or transcripts built
into the player or separate text links?
• Is there an audio description available?
• Tools:
• Media Access Australia YouTube captioning tutorial,
Vimeo captioning tutorial,
• Tiffany Brown’s WebVTT tutorial,
• DIY Resources for Closed Captioning and Transcription
from 3 Play Media.
http://webaim.org/techniques/captions/

80. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zCqN_cCLnnk

81. Hyperlinks!
• Is there any “click here,” “more,” “link to…”?
http://www.sitepoint.com/15-rules-making-accessible-links/

82. Hyperlinks!
• Is there any “click here,” “more,” “link to…”?
• Are you using all-caps, URLs, emoticons?
http://www.sitepoint.com/15-rules-making-accessible-links/

83. Hyperlinks!
• Is there any “click here,” “more,” “link to…”?
• Are you using all-caps, URLs, emoticons?
• Do you warn before opening new windows?
http://www.sitepoint.com/15-rules-making-accessible-links/

84. Hyperlinks!
• Is there any “click here,” “more,” “link to…”?
• Are you using all-caps, URLs, emoticons?
• Do you warn before opening new windows?
• Do links to downloads provide helpful info?
http://www.sitepoint.com/15-rules-making-accessible-links/

85. Hyperlinks!
• Is there any “click here,” “more,” “link to…”?
• Are you using all-caps, URLs, emoticons?
• Do you warn before opening new windows?
• Do links to downloads provide helpful info?
• Are you using pagination links?
http://www.sitepoint.com/15-rules-making-accessible-links/

86. Hyperlinks!
• Is there any “click here,” “more,” “link to…”?
• Are you using all-caps, URLs, emoticons?
• Do you warn before opening new windows?
• Do links to downloads provide helpful info?
• Are you using pagination links?
• Are your links underlined (or otherwise obvious)?
http://www.sitepoint.com/15-rules-making-accessible-links/

87. Hyperlinks!
• Is there any “click here,” “more,” “link to…”?
• Are you using all-caps, URLs, emoticons?
• Do you warn before opening new windows?
• Do links to downloads provide helpful info?
• Are you using pagination links?
• Are your links underlined (or otherwise obvious)?
• Is there alt text for image links?
http://www.sitepoint.com/15-rules-making-accessible-links/

88. Hyperlinks!
• Is there any “click here,” “more,” “link to…”?
• Are you using all-caps, URLs, emoticons?
• Do you warn before opening new windows?
• Do links to downloads provide helpful info?
• Are you using pagination links?
• Are your links underlined (or otherwise obvious)?
• Is there alt text for image links?
• Is the link text consistent?
http://www.sitepoint.com/15-rules-making-accessible-links/

89. http://blog.adrianroselli.com/2014/03/i-dont-care-what-google-did-just-keep.html

90. Questions
5 of 5 sections.

91. Resources
• Web Accessibility and Older People:
Meeting the Needs of Ageing Web Users
http://www.w3.org/WAI/older-users/Overview.php
• Easy Checks - A First Review of Web Accessibility
http://www.w3.org/WAI/eval/preliminary
• How People with Disabilities Use the Web:
Overview
http://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/people-use-
web/Overview.html
In addition to the gems I’ve sprinkled throughout.

92. Resources
• 2.11 ARIA Role, State, and Property Quick
Reference
http://www.w3.org/TR/aria-in-html/#aria-role-
state-and-property-quick-reference
• 2.12 Definitions of States and Properties (all
aria-* attributes)
http://www.w3.org/TR/aria-in-html/#definitions-of-
states-and-properties-all-aria--attributes
In addition to the gems I’ve sprinkled throughout.

93. Resources
• a11yTips
http://dboudreau.tumblr.com/
• Designing For The Elderly: Ways Older People Use
Digital Technology Differently
http://www.smashingmagazine.com/2015/02/05/designing-
digital-technology-for-the-elderly/
• How to Write User Stories for Web Accessibility
http://www.interactiveaccessibility.com/blog/how-write-
user-stories-accessibility-requirements
• Book Excerpt: A Web for Everyone
http://uxmag.com/articles/book-excerpt-a-web-for-everyone
In addition to the gems I’ve sprinkled throughout.

94. Selfish Accessibility
Presented by Adrian Roselli for ACE! Conference
My thanks and apologies.
Slides from this talk will be available at rosel.li/ACE