Editor's Draft updated $Date: 2010/08/06 10:21:22 $ [changelog]
Status: This document is an in-progress Editor's Draft revision. The existing published version is at <http://www.w3.org/WAI/training/Overview.html>. Please send comments to wai-eo-editors@w3.org (a publicly archived list).
- Overview
- Topics
- Presentation Outlines
-
Workshop Outline
[Draft] Web Accessibility Workshop Outline
This page provides an example outline of a 3-day hands-on workshop on web accessibility. The workshop has been developed using the Presentation and Training Topics and includes a variety of individual sessions. Presenters and trainers may need to adapt this workshop depending on their actual audience.
See also: How to Make Your Presentations Accessible to All for guidance on ensuring that your training is accessible to all of your audience, including participants with disabilities.
Contents
Overview
Scenario: A 3-day hands-on workshop to inform about web accessibility and to teach developers how to implement accessibility requirements.
Target audience:
- All 3 days: Website developers and application programmers
- Days 1 and 2: Web authors and visual designers
- Day 1: Managers and decision makers (and others involved with the organization's website inclluding: public relations, marketing, policy, etc)
Learning objectives:
After the training, participants should be able to:
- Explain the importance of web accessibility for people with disabilities and older people
- List common barriers experienced by people with disabilities and older people
- Describe the business case that influences an organization's web accessibility efforts
In addition, authors and non-technical developers should be able to:
- Explain the role of the WAI guidelines and other components in achieving an accessible Web
- Apply basic principles of accessibility during the preparation of web content
- Carry out preliminary checks of websites for accessibility and communicate the results
Website developers and application programmers should additionally be able to:
- Utilize WCAG 2.0 and its supporting documents as a guide to implement accessible websites
- Apply WCAG 2.0 techniques to develop accessible layouts, forms, tables, and other content
- Evaluate websites for conformance with WCAG 2.0 and communicate the results
Schedule
Day 1 schedule
- 09:00 - 10:30 Session 1 - Introduction to web accessibility
- 10:30 - 11:00 Break
- 11:00 - 12:30 Session 2 - Components of web accessibility
- 12:30 - 13:30 Lunch
- 13:30 - 15:00 Session 3 - Managing web accessibility
- 15:00 - 15:30 Break
- 15:30 - 17:00 Session 4 - Accessible content authoring
Day 2 schedule
- 09:00 - 09:30 Session 1 - Working with WCAG 2.0
- 09:30 - 10:30 Session 2 - Accessible visual design and CSS
- 10:30 - 11:00 Break
- 11:00 - 11:45 Session 3 - Accessible images
- 11:45 - 12:30 Session 4 - Accessible multimedia
- 12:30 - 13:30 Lunch
- 13:30 - 15:00 Session 5 - Accessible page structure
- 15:00 - 15:30 Break
- 15:30 - 17:00 Session 6 - Accessible navigation and orientation
Day 3 schedule
- 09:30 - 11:00 Session 1 - Accessible tables
- 11:00 - 11:30 Break
- 11:30 - 12:30 Session 2 - Accessible forms
- 12:30 - 13:30 Lunch
- 13:30 - 15:00 Session 3 - Basics of accessible scripting and WAI-ARIA
- 15:00 - 15:30 Break
- 15:30 - 16:00 Session 4 - Principles of conformance evaluation
- 16:00 - 17:00 Session 5 - Workshop review and lessons learnt
Session Descriptions
Day 1 - Session 1: Introduction to web accessibility:
Target audience: Project managers and decision makers; corporate communications and marketing staff; content authors; website developers
Learning Objectives:
- Explain the importance of web accessibility for people with disabilities and older people
- List common barriers experienced by people with disabilities and older people
- Describe the benefits of web accessibility for people with and without disabilities
- Know about the W3C/WAI Guidelines as an international standard for web accessibility
Outline:
- Give an overview of web accessibility, describing what web accessibility is and why it's important
- Show videos of people with disabilities using the Web and discuss the barriers shown
- Present some demographic forecasts and information about changing abilities with age
- Discuss any relevant legislation or other policies relevant to the organization
- Talk about the carry-over benefits of universal design for people with and without disabilities
- Introduce various business benefits of web accessibility, highlighting some of the case studies
- Discuss the overlapping experiences of people with disabilities and mobile users
- Mention the WAI guidelines as the international standard for making the Web accessible
Related Presentation Modules:
- Introducing Web Accessibility
- How People with Disabilities Use the Web
- Business Case for Web Accessibility
- Web Accessibility and Older People
- Web Accessibility Policy and Legislation
- Accessibility and the Mobile Web
Day 1 - Session 2: Components of web accessibility
Target audience: Project managers; communications and marketing staff; content authors; website developers
Learning Objectives:
- Explain the components of web accessibility, including authoring tools and user agents
- Explain the role of the W3C/WAI Guidelines in providing a technical standard for accessibility
- Define the basic concepts of WCAG 2.0, its organizing principles, and supporting guidelines
- Describe the importance of authoring tools that support the production of accessible content
- Describe the benefits of involving people with disabilities throughout any web development
Outline:
- Conduct a hands-on experiential session showing the use of assistive technologies
- Introduce the components of web accessibility using Components of Web Accessibility presentation
- Introduce WCAG 2.0 using WCAG 2 at a Glance and discuss its four basic design principles
- Describe the benefits of WCAG 2.0 using Benefits of WCAG 2 presentation
- Discuss the importance of accessible authoring tools, including content management systems
- Discuss the benefits of involving users in all aspects of web projects from the beginning and throughout
- Distribute the Including People with Disabilities in Design Projects handout
Related Presentation Modules:
- Components of Web Accessibility
- Involving Users in Web Projects
- Introducing WCAG 2.0
- How People with Disabilities Use the Web
Day 1 - Session 3: Managing web accessibility
Target audience: Project managers; communications and marketing staff; content authors; website developers
Learning Objectives:
- Describe the steps needed to develop an implementation plan for web accessibility
- Describe the steps needed to develop organizational policies on web accessibility
- Describe the principles for selecting appropriate authoring and evaluation tools
- Conduct a preliminary check of websites for accessibility and communicate the results
Outline:
- Discuss the the development of a web accessibility implementation plan
- Discuss the requirements for an accessibility policy for the organization
- Discuss approaches to improving the accessibility of the organization's existing website
- Discuss the considerations in selecting authoring tools and CMS's
- Discuss the different types and selection of evaluation tools for checking web accessibility
- Demonstrate how to undertake a quick check for web accessibility
- Mention the importance of documenting a web accessibility check (e.g. Summarizing a preliminary review, BAD reports, Accessibility evaluation reporting template)
- Conduct a hands-on web accessibility quick check exercise
Related Presentation Modules:
- Improving the Accessibility of Existing Websites
- Web Accessibility Policy and Legislation
- Authoring Tool Accessibility and ATAG
- Quick Check for Web Accessibility
Day 1 - Session 4: Accessible content authoring
Target audience: Content authors; communications and marketing staff; website developers; project managers
Note: This session is just an introduction to the preparation of accessible web content. Additional and focused training may be required for web content authors.
Learning Objectives:
- Describe the accessibility requirements for text, including colors and presentation
- Author accessible web content, including text, links, and other page elements
Outline:
- Introduce the accessibility requirements for making web content readable and understandable (including reading level and clear links)
- Discuss the importance of good alt-text to describe the purpose of images (e.g. non-text content)
- Discuss the importance of proper page organization (e.g. headings, labels, and other relationships)
- Discuss the importance of visual presentation of text (e.g. color, contrast, visual presentation, etc)
- Conduct a hands-on exercise, for instance one of the following:
- re-writing material to make it more readable and understandable
- organizing/structuring page content
- writing appropriate alt-text for a variety of different images in different contexts
- visual presentation of the page
- Outline additional requirements for preparing accessible content, such as abbreviations and acronyms and jargon and unusual words
Related Presentation Modules:
Day 2 - Session 1: Working with WCAG 2.0
Target audience: web developers and application programmers; content authors; project managers
Learning Objectives:
- Explain the concepts of WCAG 2.0 and list its supporting documents
- Use WCAG 2.0 documents to support practical implementation and testing
- Explain the technical benefits of and improvements in WCAG 2.0
Outline:
- Introduce the WCAG 2.0 documents, including the How to Meet WCAG 2.0 customizable checklist
- Demonstrate the customizability and the usage of How to Meet WCAG 2.0 in different situations
- Explain the benefits of WCAG 2, especially in relation to testability and adaptability to situations
- Discuss the applicability of WCAG 2.0 to all web technologies, and introduce accessibility support
Related Presentation Modules:
Day 2 - Session 2: Accessible visual design and CSS
Target audience: web developers and application programmers; content authors
Learning Objectives:
- Embrace the differences between the Web and print media
- Know the accessibility requirements for visual web page design and how to test for them
- Incorporate accessibility requirements in the visual design and development of web pages
Outline:
- Introduce the adaptibility of the Web and differences from print media
- Discuss the accessibility aspects of the visual design of a website
- Discuss the importance of the use of color and contrast in accessible design
- Discuss the advisory techniques that enhance a site's readability, including the visual presentation
- Discuss the accessibility requirements for resizable text and flexible page layout
- Conduct an exercise, such as identifying pages with inaccessible visual design
- Introduce the issues associated with movement on web pages (e.g. scrolling text, animations, flashing/flickering)
Related Presentation Modules:
Day 2 - Session 3: Accessible images
Target audience: web developers and application programmers; content authors
Learning Objectives:
- Know the technical accessibility requirements for non-text material
- Implement and test appropriate text alternatives for a wide range of image-based content
Outline:
- Introduce the many different types of images and different contexts that require consideration for accessibility
- Discuss ways of providing access to access to data and longer descriptions for diagrams, graphs, photographs, etc
- Discuss the use of CSS to include decorative and formatting images
- Discuss the issues around images of text
- Conduct a hands-on exercise, for instance to improve the accessibility of some image-heavy pages
- Discuss additional image-related issues such as sensory experiences and use of CAPTCHA
Related Presentation Modules:
Day 2 - Session 4: Accessible multimedia
Target audience: web developers and application programmers; content authors
Learning Objectives:
- Know the accessibility requirements for multimedia media
- Implement and test appropriate accessible alternatives for multimedia materials
Outline:
- Introduce the need for accessible synchronized media (audio & video; recorded & real-time)
- Illustrate the accessibility issues with some media players and discuss the requirements for accessible user agents
- Discuss the various solutions for accessible pre-recorded media, including transcripts , captions, audio-description, and sign language
- Conduct a hands-on exercise, for instance captioning some video with an appropriate tool
- Discuss the issues and solution for live audio and live synchronized media (video)
- Mention the issues associated with accessible media players
Related Presentation Modules:
- Designing Accessible Websites with WCAG 2
- Conformance Evaluation for Web Accessibility
- Browser Accessibility and UAAG
Day 2 - Session 5: Accessible page structure
Target audience: web developers and application programmers; content authors
Learning Objectives:
- Know the necessity of information and relationships for understanding web page structure
- Implement and test semantic structure and links to aid understanding and navigation of web pages
Outline:
- Introduce the accessibility reasons for page information and structure
- Discuss the use of headings for organizing page content, and the use of correct heading levels
- Discuss the importance of lists in understanding and navigating web pages
- Discuss additional page navigation techniques such as 'skip links' and providing a table of contents
- Discuss the need to ensure that content is presented in a meaningful sequence with a sequential navigation order
- Conduct a hands-on exercise, for instance one of the following:
- identifying accessibility improvements for page structure required for some sites
- coding accessible page navigation, headings and lists from text files or page printouts
Related Presentation Modules:
Day 2 - Session 6: Accessible site navigation and orientation
Target audience :web developers and application programmers; content authors
Learning Objectives:
- Know the requirements for accessible website navigation and orientation
- Implement and test accessible navigation elements and provide meaningful navigation sequences and orientation features
Outline:
- Introduce the importance of providing multiple ways to locate a web page
- Discuss the importance of consistent navigation across a website
- Discuss the need for the purpose of links to be clear
- Discuss the provision of information about the user's current location
- Describe the importance of having page titles that describe the page's topic or purpose
- Conduct a hands-on exercise, for instance one of the following:
- identifying inaccessible navigation on some sites
- identifying orientation improvements for some sites
- Describe some of the known failures for creating links and menus such as scripts emulating links and scripted drop-down boxes
Related Presentation Modules:
Day 3 - Session 1: Accessible tables
Target audience: web developers and application programmers
Learning Objectives:
- Know the requirements for accessible data tables
- Implement and test accessible data tables
Outline:
- Introduce the concept of accessible tables requiring explicit information and relationships to aid understanding
- Discuss some of the known failures for presenting tables
- Discuss accessible table markup, including header cells with scope attributes, table titles and summaries
- Discuss advanced table markup for more complex tables, including cell association
- Illustrate table navigation techniques used by assistive technology users
- Conduct a hands-on exercise, for instance one of the following:
- coding some simple and complex tables
- evaluating some tables for accessibility and recommending improvements
- Discuss some advisory techniques for tables such as cell highlighting on hover
Related Presentation Modules:
Day 3 - Session 2: Accessible forms
Target audience: web developers and application programmers
Learning Objectives:
- Know the accessibility requirements for accessible forms
- Implement and test accessibility features of forms
Outline:
- Introduce the information and relationship requirements for basic form accessibility
- Discuss accessible form features such as labels and instructions, keyboard compatible controls, and required fields
- Discuss some of the known failures for forms such as automatic submission and issues with phone numbers
- Discuss some of the advisory techniques such as linear form design and warning users about changes of context
- Conduct a hands-on exercise, for instance one of the following:
- code some forms accessibly from printed versions
- evaluate some online forms for accessibility and recommend improvements
- Discuss advanced accessibility approaches for completing forms, including error correction suggestions, error prevention, context sensitive help, client-side validation, and re-authenticating
- Discuss adequate interaction time as an issue for form completion security
Related Presentation Modules:
Day 3 - Session 3: Basics of accessible scripting and WAI-ARIA
Target audience: web developers and application programmers
Learning Objectives:
- Know the requirements for accessible scripting
- Understand the additional accessibility provided by WAI-ARIA for rich internet applications
- Implement and test basic accessibility scripting features
Outline:
- Introduce the role of scripting in enhancing web pages, and the requirement for progressive enhancement
- Discuss the impact of scripting on embedded objects such as media players
- Discuss the accessibility issues with some scripting implementations, including device specific events, generic elements as interface controls, scripting elements to emulate links, and scripted drop-down boxes
- Discuss and selection of scripting techniques that satisfy WCAG 2.0 success criteria
- Conduct a hands-on exercise, for instance evaluate some pages with scripting for accessibility and recommend improvements
- Discuss the basic steps to make rich internet applications accessible
- Introduce WAI-ARIA identifying types of accessibility barriers in rich internet applications
- Discuss the use of libraries and toolkits that incorporate WAI-ARIA
Related Presentation Modules:
- Designing Accessible Websites with WCAG 2
- Accessible Rich Internet Applications
- Conformance Evaluation for Web Accessibility
Day 3 - Session 4: Principles of conformance evaluation
Target audience: web developers and application programmers
Learning Objectives:
- Define the concept of a conformance evaluation for websites and the role of testing with users
- Understand the concept of accessibility support and its applicability to the organization's website
Outline:
- Introduce the concept of website conformance testing as a formal extension of the testing done in previous sessions
- Discuss the process for conformance evaluation of websites for accessibility
- Discuss WCAG 2.0 conformance requirements and claims
- Discuss the selection of automated tools and their benefits and drawbacks
- Discuss how to combine testing with users with formal conformance evaluation methods
- Discuss the concept of accessibility supported within the organization, the country, the target-market, etc
Related Presentation Modules:
Day 3 - Session 5: Workshop review and lessons learnt
Target audience: web developers and application programmers
Session Objectives:
- Ensure participants have got the key messages from the workshop
Outline:
- General Q&A to elaborate on anything needing clarification
- Summarize the overall requirements for accessible web design and development
- Reiterate the value of using "How to Meet WCAG 2.0" as a gateway to WCAG 2.0
- Get participants to "write down something you learned in the last 2 days that you will incorporate in your work right away, or something that surprised you, or the most interesting thing you learned" and then share it with the group
- Discuss opportunities for follow-up, including the WAI-IG email list
Important Notes
Note: this is an initial workshop and a follow up may be appropriate for content authors as a quality assurance 'line of defence', working more with their content management system (CMS) or authoring tool on accessibility checking, and reinforcing their role in developing and publishing accessible content.
Additional notes for presenters for the technical sessions on days 2 and 3:
- Not all WCAG 2.0 success criteria are being presented and discussed in this workshop
- Describe the issues conceptually, the barriers that exist for people with disabilities and older people, the benefits to others like mobile users, benefits for SEO, etc
- Illustrate barriers with the Before and After Demonstration (BAD) site or pages from the organization's website (or a similar or competitor organization)
- Introduce the solutions (sufficient techniques) and how to find them in How to Meet WCAG 2.0, highlighting advisory techniques as 'best practice'
- Introduce appropriate evaluation techniques and tools for each issue
- Carry out an activity or exercise, possibly based on the (BAD) site or the organization's site (or a smilar or competitor's site), to reinforce the learning for some issues, with discussion of the solutions applied
- Allow time at the end of each session to sum up the requirements and clarify any issues arising from the session
- Finish days 1 & 2 with a brief 5 minute summary, and start days 2 & 3 with a brief summary of the previous day