Web Accessibility - How Ebase Xi meets the W3C Guidelines

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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.

WCAG 1.0

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

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

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.

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.

See W3C techniques - headers.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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:

  • Pop-up help
  • Save/restore feature windows
  • Upload command window
  • Windows displayed with the display command. Certain file types will always be displayed in a popup window.

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

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

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

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

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.