How to Use Drupal 7 to Meet Your Accessibility Goals

How to Use Drupal 7 to Meet Your

Accessibility GoalsWorking effectively to eliminate barriers!

by Mike Gifford

Accessibility Goals

● Barrier free / universal design● Are our goals achievable?● More than lip service● Web Content Accessibility Guidelines● Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines● Section 508 (Refresh)

Continual Improvement

● The Internet is constantly evolving● Always work to identify new barriers● Be open to feedback from your users● Schedule regular accessibility reviews● Best Practices are

changing● Don't expect to get it

right immediately

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Planning for Accessibility

● Accessibility is complicated● Leverage expertise● Where possible eliminate unknowns● Re-use where you can● Contribute back● POUR

○ Perceivable; ○ Operable; ○ Understandable; ○ Robust.

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What Drupal 7 Gives You

● Accessibility Best Practices Codified● Core enhancements that propagate● A transparent process for improvement● International

community of experts

● Core can be administered by people with disabilities

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The Tech Details

● Skip to Main added to Core themes● Accessible alternative to drag/drop● Additional semantic markup

(breadcrumbs/lists)● Improved colour contrast● Added limited Accessible

Rich Internet Applications (ARIA) support

Hidden Elements

As an alternative to CSS display:none or visibility:hidden consider● .element-invisible (screen reader)● .element-invisible.element-focusable

(keyboard only user)● .element-hidden

(nobody)

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Form Elements

● All form elements by default associate the title as a label linked to input

● Developer control of label placement to set before, after or invisible

● Forms Application Programming Interface (API) - used by complex interactive modules

● More headers added to User Interface (UI) to improve screen reader navigation

Known Problems

● Fieldsets (dates/phone numbers)● Inaccurate use of legacy HTML● Error messages● Published status● Data tables● Threaded comments● Internationalization● Modal Dialogs

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Best Practices

● Regularly use automated tools like WebAIM's WAVE Toolbar

● Train content owners about accessibility● Get an external audit from a professional● Also, ask your users● Contribute your

findings back to the community

What's Next

● Improving Drupal 7 Themes/Modules● Work on Drupal 8 Core (HTML5 &

Responsive Themes) ● Building the community of accessibility

advocates - we need you!● ATAG 2.0 & Section 508

(Refreshed)● Drupal 7 Web Experience

Toolkit Distribution

Questions

● Twitter: @mgifford● Email: [email protected]● http://openconcept.ca● http://drupal.org/about/accessibility● http://groups.drupal.org/accessibility● http://definitivedrupal.org● http://github.com/wet-boew/wet-boew-drupal