Most of these are fairly quick and easy steps you can take to increase the accessibility of your web site. Keep in mind that these are just a sample of accessibility recommendations. The resources below offer much more extensive information.
- Provide descriptive alt attribute text on non-decorative images. Add descriptive title attribute text on links when further description or explanation is needed.
- Put all style information in the CSS file. Separating the presentation from the content of a page allows the greatest variety of devices to access and sensibly render the content. (This goes for JavaScript files, as well.)
- Use semantic markup. For example:
- Order your headers correctly (don't skip from h1 to h3).
- Use <p></p> on paragraphs and only on paragraphs (not for spacing—that's what your CSS file is for).
- Restrict the use of tables to tabular material. If you must use tables for layout, ensure that the text makes sense when read linearly.
- Put navigation menus (and other catalogues of items) in lists. Then style the lists in the CSS file (see Max Design's Listmatic and Listutorial for a taste of what is possible.)
- Bold face and italics are stylistic effects; indicate them in the CSS file, not on the page. When text is meant to be emphasized, use <em> and <strong>.
- Provide an alternate, accessible page when using scripts, frames or dynamic content that may make the content inaccessible.
- Add a "skip navigation" link at the top of the HTML page. If you don't like the look, hide the link with a text-indent:-5000px style rule in the CSS file.
- Make sure your design allows people to resize text.
- Use an image replacement technique for text graphics. A list of techniques can be found on Dave Shea's Mezzoblue.
- Use color to enhance communication, not diminish it. For example, black-on-white text is easier to read than gray-on-white. Links of noticeably different color are more easily spotted—but don't rely on color, underline links as well.
- Provide a site map.
- Validate your code using one of the many free accessibility tools: Webxact (used to be Bobby), Wave, Cynthia, and W3C's Markup Validation Service.
- Declare your DOCTYPE. It may look like gibberish, but it allows your code to validate and tells browsers how to render your code.