The following advice can be used to create fully accessible web pages. You can check your completed pages with WebXAct, AChecker, Cynthia Says, or WAVE. Type your URL into the box and make sure that "Section 508" is selected.

Guidelines

1. Web Accessibility Link: Each university Web site must contain an "Accessibility" link to http://www.utexas.edu/web/guidelines/accessibility.html. This page includes the University's Web Accessibility Guidelines and contact information for the University's Accessibility Coordinator.
2. A text equivalent for every non-text element (audio tracks, images, etc.) should be provided.
   • Every image, Java applet, Flash file, video file, audio file, plug-in, etc. should have an alt description.
   • Complex graphics (graphs, charts, etc.) should be accompanied by detailed text descriptions.
   • Alt descriptions for images used as links should note the link destination.
   • Decorative graphics with no other function should have empty alt descriptions (alt= ""), but should not be missing alt descriptions.
3. When multimedia presentations (such as video with audio) are available on a web page, the audio portion must be captioned and the captions must be synchronized with the presentation.
4. Web pages should be designed so that all information conveyed with color is also available without color, either from context or tags. Contrast between foreground and background should be distinct.
5. Documents should be organized so they are readable without a style sheet.
   • Style sheets may be used for color, indentation and other presentation effects, but the document should be still understandable (even if less visually appealing) when the style sheet is turned off.
6. Client-side image maps shall be provided instead of server-side image maps except where the regions cannot be defined with an available geometric shape.
   • Standard HTML client-side image maps should be used, and appropriate alt tags provided for images as well as hot spots.
7. Redundant text links should be provided for each active region of a server-side image map.
   • Separate text links should be provided outside of the server-side image map to access the same content that the image map hot spots access.
8. Row and column headers should be identified for data tables.
   • Tables used strictly for layout purposes should not have header rows or columns.
   • Data tables should have column and row headers appropriately identified (using the <th> tag)
9. Markup (html tags) should be used to associate data cells and header cells for data tables that have two or more logical levels of row or column headers.
   • Table cells should be associated with the appropriate headers (i.e. with the id, headers, scope and/or axis HTML attributes).
10. Frames titles should indicate frame content and navigation.
    • Each frame should have a title that helps the user understand the frame's purpose.
11. Pages should be designed to avoid causing the screen to flicker with a frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz, reducing the risk of optically-induced seizures.
    • Flashing or flickering elements are usually added through technologies such as animated gif's, Java applets, or third-party plug-ins or applications.
12. When pages use scripting languages to display content, or to create interface elements, the information provided by the script should be identified with functional text that can be read by assistive technology.
    • All scripts (e.g. Javascript pop-up menus) should be either directly accessible to assistive technologies (keyboard accessibility is a good measure of this), or an alternative method of accessing equivalent functionality should be provided (e.g. a standard HTML link).
13. When a web page requires that an applet, plug-in or other application be present on the client system to interpret page content, the page should provide a link to an appropriately accessible applet, plugin, or other application.
14. When electronic forms are designed to be completed on-line, the form should allow people using assistive technology to access the information, field elements, and functionality required for completion and submission of the form, including all directions and cues.
    • All form controls must have text labels adjacent to them.
    • Form elements should have labels associated with them in the markup.
    • Dynamic HTML scripting of the form should not interfere with assistive technologies.
15. A method should be provided that permits users to skip repetitive navigation links.
16. When a timed response is required, the user should be alerted and given sufficient time to indicate to the system that more time is required. Web pages can be designed with scripts so that the web page disappears or "expires" if a response is not received within a specified amount of time. For this reason, when a timed response is required, the user will be alerted via a prompt and given sufficient time to indicate whether additional time is needed.
17. A text-only page, with equivalent information or functionality, should be provided to make a web site comply with the provisions of these standards, when compliance cannot be accomplished in any other way. The content of the text-only page will be updated whenever the primary page changes.