Web site creation for Writers - page 6 - a few last tidbits on accessibility

I have not forgotten my project, or my own webpage. Late at night, will find me sitting in the dark, fixing the graphics that will be on my index page. This is when I have gotten home for the hospital, and now the rehab, with my mom. First she went to the hospital with three infections. She had double pneumonia, walking pneumonia and an unidentified one. Now, she is in a rehab taking antibiotics for the last infection and getting some therapy.

Once I have gotten my graphics ready, then the putting together part comes. I have designed what I want my, index to look like. The very first page of your website will be titled index. When you upload to your web page, you will have a page (depending on how you lay it out) that shows all the files on the server. Right now, I must have over five hundred graphics in there. I am a visual artist, selling potter, painting and fairies, so that has been the focus of my site. It will all be deleted soon.

Some final quick issues on accessibility:

1. Pop-ups can interfere with navigation. So, there again is where you have to inform the viewer that if they click on a link or area of a window, that it will either open a new window or give you a pop-up. For people with readers, it can be very disorienting.

2. Make links clear. Website visitors will find it easier for your visitors to find what they are looking for if the links are consistent throughout your whole site. If you place them along the bottom, do it on every page. It is most common to look for links along the left side of a webpage. Whichever you choose, just use it on each page. It makes it easier on you too really. Design it once, copy it, paste it to each page and you are set.

MY HINT: Depending on your WYSIWYG website designer, they will have shortcuts to do it. Things that take time to learn, often have me using the secrets I have learned over time. Once I get the background and links of my first webpage (INDEX) done, I then use that same page and name it for every other page I will have on my website.

In case that is confusing. I am just renaming that first page over and over, and will end up with how many ever pages my website will have, right away. Every one of them will have some type of a conistency. Whether it is a banner or background, I want people to know they are till on My Site. And, I do not have to redo the links every page that way. Then, I go back and specialize each individual page. More of that later.

That said, numerous times I have had to go back and make a correction and then redo it, but if I was more careful about checking it to begin with and designing it, I would not use up that extra time.

Okay, back to links. You have a name for a link and the alternate text. Do not use "click here" as link text. A screen reader reads that text to let the disabled viewer know just what they will find if they click on that spot, just as the visual should tell your non-disabled viewer. It should be something like "view the Text only version of this site, here." or "for information about healthy lunches, click here."

One last point on links: An arrow can often convey, more easily, what you want then a button.

3. Despite the abundance of graphics on blogs, the web and my site, the internet is mainly about words. Use clear and simple language for your target audience. I believe I once read that a sixth grade reader was considered average; but I may be wrong. Obviously, if your site is for scientists, it will contain a different language than if it is "Science for non-scientists."

Remember, your audience also consists of those with cognitive disabilities and those whose first language differs from that of the web page.

While the internet is about words, graphics can be an invaluable alternative to help with comprehension of the page. If the information is more easily conveyed visually, then use the graph or chart or photo. Just make sure the alternate text is clear and don't forget you will also have a text only version of your site.