Web
Accessibility - How Ebase Xi meets the W3C Guidelines
See also: Web Accessibility Home
Ebase Xi enables the
creation of forms and web applications that meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)
1.0 produced by the World Wide Web Consortium - W3C. The following table
explains the meaning of the levels and how these relate to the priorities of
each guideline item.
Priority |
Standard level |
Meaning |
1 |
A |
These items must be satisfied.
Otherwise, one or more groups will find it impossible to use the form.
Satisfying this checkpoint is a basic requirement for some groups to be able
to use the form. |
2 |
AA |
These items should be
satisfied. Otherwise, one or more groups will find it difficult to access
information in the form. Satisfying this checkpoint will remove significant
barriers to using forms. |
3 |
AAA |
These items may be satisfied.
Otherwise, one or more groups will find it somewhat difficult to access
information in the form. Satisfying this checkpoint will improve access
forms. |
Ebase Xi meets all priority
1 and 2 requirements and nearly all priority 3 requirements.
The following chart summarizes
the items in the WCAG 1.0 standard, and details how Ebase Xi meets each
requirement. If explicit action is required by the Ebase Xi designer, this is
also detailed in the Ebase Xi designer action required column..
WCAG Item |
Priority |
Description |
How implemented
in Ebase Xi |
Ebase Xi
designer action required |
Guideline 1. Provide equivalent alternatives to
auditory and visual content |
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1.1 |
1 |
Provide a text equivalent for every
non-text element |
A multi-lingual alternative text can be specified for all images. |
Ensure that an alternate text is supplied for all images.
For images included in additional content e.g. included HTML or JSPs, ensure that an alternative text is always provided. |
1.2 |
1 |
Provide redundant text links for each
active region of a server-side image map |
Not applicable |
None |
1.3 |
1 |
Until
user agents can automatically read aloud the text equivalent of a visual
track, provide an auditory description of the important information of the
visual track of a multimedia presentation |
Not applicable |
None |
1.4 |
1 |
For any time-based multimedia
presentation (e.g., a movie or animation), synchronize equivalent
alternatives (e.g., captions or auditory descriptions of the visual track)
with the presentation |
Not applicable |
None |
1.5 |
3 |
Until
user agents render text equivalents for client-side image map links,
provide redundant text links for each active region of a client-side image
map |
Not applicable |
None |
Guideline 2. Don't rely on color alone |
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2.1 |
1 |
Ensure that all information conveyed
with color is also available without color |
Organizations can create non color
presentation template/style sheet combinations and either use these
permanently, or include a button on a form to switch template. In addition alternate style sheets can be used – giving the user the option of switching to a non-color style sheet. Note: not all browsers currently offer support for alternate style sheets. |
Decide whether to
provide non color options. |
2.2 |
2 |
Ensure that foreground and background
color combinations provide sufficient contrast when viewed by someone having
color deficits or when viewed on a black and white screen |
None |
Ensure color combinations meet the standard.
|
Guideline 3. Use markup and style sheets and do so
properly. |
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3.1 |
2 |
When an appropriate markup language
exists, use markup rather than images to convey information |
Not applicable |
Do not use images that just contain text e.g. do not use an image like
- either use a more graphical image or a
button with the words 'next page'. |
3.2 |
2 |
Create documents that validate to
published formal grammars |
Ebase Xi generated HTML conforms to the HTML 4.01 standard. |
Ensure that additional content e.g. included HTML or JSPs, meets the HTML
4.01 standard. |
3.3 |
2 |
Use style sheets to control layout
and presentation |
Ebase Xi uses style sheets if the client browser has support for style
sheets. |
Ensure that additional content e.g. included HTML or JSPs, also uses style sheets for markup. |
3.4 |
2 |
Use relative rather than absolute
units in markup language attribute values and style sheet property values |
No action. |
Do not specify absolute units e.g. 'pt' or 'cm' in presentation
templates or in additional included content. |
3.5 |
2 |
Use header elements to convey
document structure and use them according to specification |
Not applicable |
If header tags are used or in additional included content e.g. H1, H2 etc, ensure these are used correctly. |
3.6 |
2 |
Mark up lists and list items properly |
Not applicable |
If HTML list elements are included in additional content, refer to W3C techniques - lists. |
3.7 |
2 |
Mark up quotations |
Not applicable |
None |
Guideline 4.
Clarify natural language use. |
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4.1 |
1 |
Clearly identify changes in the
natural language of a document's text and any text
equivalents |
Not applicable |
None |
4.2 |
3 |
Specify the expansion of each
abbreviation or acronym in a document where it first occurs |
Not applicable |
None |
4.3 |
3 |
Identify the primary natural language
of a document |
The language is identified in the HTML tag. |
None |
Guideline 5. Create tables that transform gracefully |
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5.1 |
1 |
For data tables, identify row and
column headers |
Ebase Xi identifies table column headers using <TH> tags and
table row data using <TD> tags. |
None |
5.2 |
1 |
For data tables that have two or more
logical levels of row or column headers, use markup to associate data cells
and header cells |
Not applicable |
None |
5.3 |
2 |
Do not use tables for layout unless the
table makes sense when linearized |
Ebase Xi uses tables for layout and these do make sense when linearized. |
None |
5.4 |
2 |
If a table is used for layout, do not
use any structural markup for the purpose of visual formatting |
Not applicable |
None |
5.5 |
3 |
Provide summaries for tables |
The table title text is also used as the summary text. |
None |
5.6 |
3 |
Provide abbreviations for header
labels |
This guideline has not been implemented. |
None |
Guideline 6: Ensure that pages featuring new
technologies transform gracefully |
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6.1 |
1 |
Organize documents so they may be
read without style sheets |
Ebase Xi dynamically disables style sheets when it encounters a
browser that does not support them. |
See item 3.3 |
6.2 |
1 |
Ensure that equivalents for dynamic
content are updated when the dynamic content changes |
Not applicable |
None |
6.3 |
1 |
Ensure that pages are usable when
scripts, applets, or other programmatic objects are turned off or not
supported |
Ebase Xi has the ability to operate with Javascript
enabled or disabled and client browsers with Javascript
disabled are detected automatically (see Web Accessibility - use of Javascript). |
Ensure that additional content e.g. included HTML or JSPs, also do not use Javascript
if it is disabled (see Ebase Xi External
Interface) |
6.4 |
2 |
For scripts and applets, ensure that
event handlers are input device-independent |
Ebase Xi uses either application level events or uses both onClick and onKeyPress events
together thus supporting both mouse and keyboard use. |
None |
6.5 |
2 |
Ensure that dynamic content is
accessible or provide an alternative presentation or page |
Not applicable |
None |
Guideline 7: Ensure user control of time-sensitive content changes |
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7.1 |
1 |
Until
user agents allow users to control flickering, avoid causing the screen
to flicker |
Not applicable |
None |
7.2 |
2 |
Until
user agents allow users to control blinking, avoid causing content to
blink |
Not applicable |
None |
7.3 |
2 |
Until
user agents allow users to freeze moving content, avoid movement in pages |
Not applicable |
None |
7.4 |
2 |
Until
user agents provide the ability to stop the refresh, do not create
periodically auto-refreshing pages |
Not applicable |
None |
7.5 |
2 |
Until
user agents provide the ability to stop auto-redirect, do not use markup
to redirect pages automatically |
All URL redirects e.g. CALL URL and GOTO URL commands are performed
via the server. |
None |
Guideline 8: Ensure direct accessibility of embedded
user interfaces |
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8.1 |
1 |
Make programmatic elements such as
scripts and applets directly accessible or compatible with assistive
technologies |
See item 6.3 |
None |
Guideline 9: Design for device-independence |
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9.1 |
1 |
Provide client-side image maps
instead of server-side image maps except where the regions cannot be defined with
an available geometric shape |
Not applicable |
None |
9.2 |
2 |
Ensure that any element that has its
own interface can be operated in a device-independent manner |
All elements presented on a page e.g. checkboxes, radio buttons, dropdown
lists, image links etc. can be activated either with a mouse or via the
keyboard. |
Ensure that additional content e.g. included HTML or JSPs, also follows this guideline. |
9.3 |
2 |
For scripts, specify logical event handlers
rather than device-dependent event handlers |
See 9.2 |
See 9.2 |
9.4 |
3 |
Create a logical tab order through
links, form controls, and objects |
The tab order generated starts at the top of the page and includes all
enterable fields, help buttons and images in the order they are presented. If
the page includes a multi-column layout, the tab order will process the
left-hand column from top to bottom before moving to the right-hand column. |
None |
9.5 |
3 |
Provide keyboard shortcuts to
important links (including those in client-side
image maps), form controls, and groups of form controls |
This has not been implemented. |
None |
Guideline 10: Use interim solutions |
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10.1 |
2 |
Until
user agents allow users to turn off spawned windows, do not cause pop-ups
or other windows to appear and do not change the current window without
informing the user |
Ebase Xi provides a global option to disable the pop-up of additional browser windows. If this option is activated, 'pop-up' windows are displayed in the orginating window. This applies to the following Ebase Xi features:
Popup windows can also be enabled or disabled programatically. |
Consider whether to activate the global feature to disable popups. If not, clearly identify all buttons or images
that will result in a pop-up window so the user is aware of what will happen. |
10.2 |
2 |
Until
user agents support explicit associations between labels and form
controls, for all form controls with implicitly associated labels, ensure
that the label is properly positioned |
Ebase Xi field labels are positioned immediately to the left of the
form field to which they relate. |
None |
10.3 |
3 |
Until
user agents (including assistive technologies) render side-by-side text
correctly, provide a linear text alternative (on the current page or some
other) for all
tables that lay out text in parallel, word-wrapped columns |
This has not been implemented. It addresses a very old problem. |
None |
10.4 |
3 |
Until
user agents handle empty controls correctly, include default, place-holding
characters in edit boxes and text areas |
Not implemented |
This can be implemented by specifying a default value for all fields
displayed in edit boxes or text areas. |
10.5 |
3 |
Until
user agents (including assistive technologies) render adjacent links
distinctly, include non-link, printable characters (surrounded by spaces)
between adjacent links |
Not applicable |
None |
Guideline 11: Use W3C technologies and guidelines |
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11.1 |
2 |
Use W3C technologies when they are
available and appropriate for a task and use the latest versions when
supported |
Ebase Xi is based on the use of W3C technologies e.g. HTML, style sheets etc. However, Ebase Xi uses the Adobe PDF document format to create high quality, printable documents. This is not a W3C technology but is a de facto web standard. In addition, Ebase Xi is capable of displaying any document that can
be displayed in a browser, using the display command e.g. documents of
type doc, xls, tif etc. |
None |
11.2 |
2 |
Avoid deprecated features of W3C
technologies |
No deprecated features are used |
Ensure that all HTML tags included in any additional content e.g.
included HTML or JSPs, are in the HTML 4.01
specification. |
11.3 |
3 |
Provide information so that users may
receive documents according to their preferences (e.g., language, content
type, etc.) |
Ebase Xi is multi-lingual and forms can be displayed in any language. |
None |
11.4 |
1 |
If, after
best efforts, you cannot create an accessible
page, provide a link to an alternative page that uses W3C technologies, is
accessible, has equivalent
information (or functionality), and is updated as often as the inaccessible
(original) page |
Not applicable |
None |
Guideline 12: Provide context and orientation information |
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12.1 |
1 |
Title each frame to facilitate frame
identification and navigation |
Ebase Xi provides the ability to enter a title text |
The title text must always be provided |
12.2 |
2 |
Describe the purpose of frames and how
frames relate to each other if it is not obvious by frame titles alone |
Not applicable |
None |
12.3 |
2 |
Divide large blocks of information
into more manageable groups where natural and appropriate |
Ebase Xi provides the ability to group related fields together |
Group related fields when applicable |
12.4 |
2 |
Associate labels explicitly with
their controls |
If a label text is supplied, the label is always associated with the
form control using the label for HTML tag. |
None |
Guideline 13: Provide clear navigation mechanisms |
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13.1 |
2 |
Clearly identify the target of each
link |
Ebase Xi provides the ability to designate a field as a hyperlink. |
If hyperlinks are used, the function performed by clicking the link
should be clear from the hyperlink text. |
13.2 |
2 |
Provide metadata to add semantic
information to pages and sites |
Ebase Xi provides a generic facility for adding metadata. Metadata can
be added both globally - to all forms - and to individual forms. |
Configure global metadata and metadata for each form. |
13.3 |
2 |
Provide information about the general
layout of a site (e.g., a site map or table of contents). |
Not applicable |
None |
13.4 |
2 |
Use navigation mechanisms in a
consistent manner |
Ebase Xi provides a number of options for navigating between pages. |
Do not mix navigation styles within a form e.g. do not mix page
navigation buttons and page navigation images. |
13.5 |
3 |
Provide navigation bars to highlight
and give access to the navigation mechanism |
Not applicable |
None |
13.6 |
3 |
Group related links, identify the
group (for user agents), and, until
user agents do so, provide a way to bypass the group |
Not applicable |
None |
13.7 |
3 |
If search functions are provided,
enable different types of searches for different skill levels and preferences |
Not applicable |
None |
13.8 |
3 |
Place distinguishing information at
the beginning of headings, paragraphs, lists, etc |
Not applicable |
See item 14.1 |
13.9 |
3 |
Provide information about document
collections (i.e., documents comprising multiple pages.). |
A page standard progress tracker is provided with Ebase Xi. This can
be enhanced as required. |
Provide information at the start of each form on the number of pages
to be completed, and progress information as the user completes the form. |
13.10 |
3 |
Provide a means to skip over
multi-line ASCII art |
Not applicable |
None |
Guideline 14: Ensure that documents are clear and simple |
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14.1 |
1 |
Use the clearest and simplest
language appropriate for a site's content |
Not applicable |
· Use clear and simple language · Put essential descriptive information at the start of each section
|
14.2 |
3 |
Supplement text with graphic or
auditory presentations where they will facilitate comprehension of the page |
Not applicable |
None |
14.3 |
3 |
Create a style of presentation that
is consistent across pages |
Ebase Xi presentation templates encourage the use of a consistent
presentational style. |
Use a consistent presentation style throughout each form e.g. do not change
header colors, font sizes, font types etc. |