Aspen Falls Website Analysis
WEB ACCESSIBILITY
Recommendations for the Aspen Falls Website
By Deborah Davidson
September 21, 2014
The city of Aspen Falls asked the author to review its website and make recommendations for making it more accessible to those with disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act recognizes a broad array of people with disabilities and provides standards for creating web sites that are accessible to them. In California, 10% of the population reports some type of disability. In ages 65 or older, this increases to 37%. (U.S. Census Bureau 2010). This report discusses the results and recommendations of that review.
DESIGN FOR COLOR BLINDNESS
Color blindness varies in degree of severity from difficulty distinguishing brightness levels to seeing everything as shades of gray.1 Studies indicate that 7% of the American male population has difficulty distinguishing red …show more content…
However, the footer used on the secondary pages uses a red-green color scheme. Because this color combination is the most problematic, it is recommended that the footer be redesigned using a different color combination. Finally, all uses of color to communicate a message need an alternate method provided. For example, the budget page uses red text when indicating negative numbers. This page should also include parentheses and a negative number sign, for example, (-144.29). Otherwise, color blind people will not be able to distinguish between negative and positive numbers.
PROVIDE TEXT EQUIVALENTS FOR ALL NON-TEXT ELEMENTS
The Access Board, a Federal agency that writes standards for accessibility, defines a non-text element as “an image, graphic, audio clip, or other feature that conveys meaning through a picture or sound.” A text equivalent means the city should “add words to represent the purpose of a non-text element.” (United States Access Board
Recommendations for the Aspen Falls Website
By Deborah Davidson
September 21, 2014
The city of Aspen Falls asked the author to review its website and make recommendations for making it more accessible to those with disabilities. The Americans with Disabilities Act recognizes a broad array of people with disabilities and provides standards for creating web sites that are accessible to them. In California, 10% of the population reports some type of disability. In ages 65 or older, this increases to 37%. (U.S. Census Bureau 2010). This report discusses the results and recommendations of that review.
DESIGN FOR COLOR BLINDNESS
Color blindness varies in degree of severity from difficulty distinguishing brightness levels to seeing everything as shades of gray.1 Studies indicate that 7% of the American male population has difficulty distinguishing red …show more content…
However, the footer used on the secondary pages uses a red-green color scheme. Because this color combination is the most problematic, it is recommended that the footer be redesigned using a different color combination. Finally, all uses of color to communicate a message need an alternate method provided. For example, the budget page uses red text when indicating negative numbers. This page should also include parentheses and a negative number sign, for example, (-144.29). Otherwise, color blind people will not be able to distinguish between negative and positive numbers.
PROVIDE TEXT EQUIVALENTS FOR ALL NON-TEXT ELEMENTS
The Access Board, a Federal agency that writes standards for accessibility, defines a non-text element as “an image, graphic, audio clip, or other feature that conveys meaning through a picture or sound.” A text equivalent means the city should “add words to represent the purpose of a non-text element.” (United States Access Board