Web Accessibility: Web Standards and Regulatory Compliance

by Andrew Kirkpatrick, Bob Regan, Cynthia Waddell, et al.

Book Overview

Web Developers and Designers: This book teaches them how to use their chosen technologies to create and validate accessible content, including XHTML, CSS, JavaScript, PDFs, and Flash. That covers a very large potential audience.

Business managers: This book teaches them what impact web accessibility will have on their businesses; also a large potential audience.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1590596382
• ISBN13: 9781590596388
• Release Date: July 2006
• Publisher: Apress
• Length: 696 Pages
• Weight: 2.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.9" x 7.5" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Web Accessibility - It's all in one place!

Web Accessibility: Web Standards and Regulatory Compliance is the perfect reference for any site development team. Everything you've wanted to know about Accessibility and the Web is here in a single text. Each member of the team will find necessary information and practical solutions in one or more of the thorough discussions here. For the designer/developer who works alone, Web Accessibility: Web Standards and Regulatory Compliance is the all-in-one reference with the most up-to-date information and techniques. Thanks to the clear organization, two tables of contents, and index, all information is easy to find as well. For those of us who like background and theory, the book contains lively discussions of accessibility standards, of the intent of the standards, and suggestions for using the standards. For me, though, the heart of the text is in the practical discussions and how-to guides in order to improve accessibility of every common web technology -- from PDF to Flash, from javascript to data forms. In addition, we finds clear descriptions of the law and web accessibility. Importantly, these discussions are international in scope. The collective experience of the authors of this text is impressive. These are the experts to whom we've turned to assist us with accessible design and development for years. In this text, we have a collection of the most knowledgeable voices on the subject of accessibility, who speak from a real-world perspective. They share freely their best techniques, so that we can create the "best possible experience for the greatest number of visitors." For me, Web Accessibility: Web Standards and Regularory Compliance is a must-have.

Must-Have Book for Accessible Technology

Web Accessibility: Web Standards and Regulatory Compliance, written by eleven experts and released in July of 2006 by friends of Ed, is one of very few books about web accessibility. It is also the best. The writers include luminaries and pioneers in accessibility - Jim Thatcher, Cynthia Waddell; and technical experts - Christian Heilmann and Andrew Kirkpatrick, to name a few. The book is an overview of accessible best practices in web technology, and the legal landscape it inhabits. It was compiled with several target audiences in mind. Certainly, it is intended for developers - newcomers as well as veterans. This is the group that most needs to understand the technology, and unfortunately, seems to "get it" the least. Another audience is the managers and administrators; that group that should be most adverse to risk and whose responsibility is to keep their government and corporate employers out of the courts and headlines (like those that have embarrassed [Target retailer]). Covered in some detail are the ADA section 504 and section 508 requirements, and in lesser detail international laws. The technical information is very current. There is a chapter on accessible JavaScript (most would consider that term an oxymoron) even though it has only recently seen coverage in articles and blogs online. Likewise, there is good information on making Flash content accessible. A book assembled as a compendium of contributions begs to be updated frequently. The next release, for example, could add much needed chapters on AJAX and Web 2.0, podcasting, and learning management technologies. Regardless, all practitioners of accessibility will find this book valuable.

A must-have for all Web professionals

It's excellent to have one more book on the subject of accessibility to refer people to. And this is not just another book on the subject - Web Accessibility: Web Standards and Regulatory Compliance is, despite the awkward title, an excellent and very well-written book that explains the various aspects of Web accessibility. The book is based on Constructing Accessible Websites, which was published in 2002. That is four years ago - a very long time in the fields of design, development, and accessibility for the Web, so a lot has happened since then. The book's authors explain modern and up-to-date accessibility tools, techniques, and technology, as well as other aspects such as laws and regulations in various parts of the world, and how content published in formats such as Flash and PDF can be made as accessible as possible. There are 650 pages in this book, so when I started reading it I was a little worried that it would be too much to get through in a reasonable amount of time. It turned out that I had no reason to worry about that since the book is written in a clear and easy-to-understand language that makes it very hard to put down. This is a must-have, even if you already have a good grasp on Web accessibility.

Classic accessibility guide, updated at last

Reading Web Accessibility: Web Standards and Regulatory Compliance is like attending a five-day conference on web accessibility, featuring almost every master of the subject now writing in English. The authors include a passionate user advocate who helps the W3C craft its internationally recognized accessibility standards; a web developer who guided Macromedia in its efforts to bring accessibility to Flash; and the accessibility expert who lent her name to the leading web service that tests for accessible site development. The book is deep and vast. It covers aspects of accessibility you might not even have known were possible. There's big-picture stuff, and hands-on, dirty code. There are smart, insightful tips on working with users, and there is detailed information about complying with accessibility laws. It's a concept book and a code book, a book filled with detailed guidelines, and also one that encourages you to think for yourself as you interpret those guidelines. I bought the first edition of this book and have given it to clients and colleagues. The new edition is even more useful. If you want your site to be accessible, you need this book.

Thorough Covering of Web Accessibility

Web Accessibility: Web Standards and Regulatory Compliance was one of the more hefty books I have read in the past few months, weighing in at approximately 648 pages. The book spanned many different topics (accessible javascript, CSS, accessible PDF, accessible Flash, etc). This book was not a CSS Mastery, DOM Scripting, or The Flash Bible - but it covered each topic in relation to accessibility. Each chapter did a great job of covering all of the basics as well as giving extra resources if you wanted to find out more. The book was split up into three parts: * Part 1: The Impact of Web Accessibility was initially a tough section to get through. This is a very important section, and sets the foundation for the rest of the book, but I was initially overwhelmed by all of the terms presented (some of which I was unfamiliar with related to standards). This section was full of great information, as well as links to discover even more information. * Part 2: Implementing Accessible Websites covers a broad range of topics (listed above). This was the lengthiest part of the book, but well worth the read. Much of what was discussed in these chapters has been discussed in other books I have read lately. Each chapter goes in-depth on creating accessible websites and using the technology at hand. The chapter related to assistive devices confirmed what Nathan Smith said, "I mean, I always thought browser differences were bad, but compared to the many screen reader quirks, wow." Overall, it discusses best practices for web development. * Part 3: Accessibility Law and Policy wraps up the entire book. This section covers the legal information in an array of different countries as they relate to websites. Again, I was worried that this section might be dry - but I found it easy to read and learned much. Most of this book could be summed up by Cynthia Waddell at the end of Chapter 16 where she states: "The economic, political, and ethical benefits far outweigh the cost of this effort. The cost of being inaccessible - missing the boat on the coming age of thin clients, failing to serve our most needful citizens and employees, and legal liability - can be incalculable. This millennium offers unprecedented opportunities for efficient, effective governance. The Internet should be accessible to all. It is the right thing to do." This book is a must have for any serious web developer. Don't be intimated by the size, it is well worth the read (and chock full of extra resources).