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People want web sites that provide quick and easy access to the products and the information they're looking for. Clear navigation is important, as well as accessibility, which has become an important feature. When you follow accessibility standards, you make your web site more accessible to all users; not only for people with disabilities using assistive technologies, but also for those using limited technologies or the newer technologies, like voice-based computers.

Accessibility has other surprising benefits as well. Andy Hagans wrote this article for A List Apart (Nov.8, 2005), on how High Accessibility Is Effective Search Engine Optimization

One of the most sensible ways to improve usability and accessibility is to make choice available to users, so that most everyone has access to the information you want to share. Another option is to add features that downgrade gracefully in the computer platforms and browsers that do not support them. Or you can progressively enhance a website with the features they can support. It is my goal to make this a more usable and accessible web site. Please feel welcome to make any comments or suggestions to improve accessibility.

Navigation: All pages have rel=start (index.php), rel=contents (sitemap), rel=help (accessibility) and rel=author for text-only browsers.

W3C Standards: The coding on this website certifies as valid HTML5 or XHTML 1.0 Transitional and CSS3 as defined by the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium). The standards set forth by the W3C help maximize compatibility with different browsers. This website also conforms to Level A of the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0, including all Priority 1 checkpoints.

Skip to Content: You can skip over navigation links to go to the main content on each page.

Keyboard Accessibility: On most browsers, you can move from link to link down a page by pressing the TAB key, if you don't have a mouse.

Change Text Size: Most major browsers give you the option to change text size. The Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) has a page detailing how to change text size or colors.

Windows System Keyboard Shortcuts: About.com has information on
Keyboard Shortcuts - When You Can't or Don't Want to Use a Mouse.

The web standards in existence today are recommendations for not just web designers, but software developers and browser makers as well. The reason behind standards is to have some guarantee that the web sites will work as expected, regardless of connection, platform, browser or device. It means that your web site will still hold up when used with emerging technologies that follow the same standards.

Currently, standards compliance is a best practice that has many other benefits as well. Search engines and alternative devices like screen readers depend on the tags on your web pages to do their jobs. When you follow standards, you make their jobs easier. Search engines find your pages easier to index, and your site becomes accessible to more people.

• Digital Web Magazine has an article authored by Matt May of the W3C on Accessibility from the Ground Up.
• Usability.gov - The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has good information and links on creating usable, useful and accessible web sites.
• WebAIM: Web Accessibility in Mind
• The Paciello Group Blog - Your Accessibility Partner
• Microsoft - Accessibile Technologies Video Case Studies has videos of six professionals with various impairments using assistive technologies in their professions, with an introduction by Bill Gates.
• Web Standards Project

Some of the applications on this site require the following plug-ins:

Adobe Reader