Why Create Accessible Websites

• California State law (California Government Code § 11135-11139.8) requires that all material presented on course websites meet accessibility guidelines.



• Students with visual impairments and learning disabilities will often rely on text-to-speech screen readers. Screen readers convert the text on the screen to audible speech. Supplying alternate text allows screen readers to access important information about graphic images. Blinking or scrolling text will also cause problems for screen readers and should be avoided.



• Meeting accessibility guidelines will generally result in a website that can be properly viewed from a variety of popular web browsers.



• Flickering images and flashing designs can cause seizures in people with certain neurological disorders.



• Supplying captioning as a narration to accompany videos allows visually impaired students access to the information presented visually. When captioning is unavailable, providing descriptive text equivalents to videos can be useful.



• For students with limited or no hand control, using a mouse can be difficult. It may be impossible for them to "click" on a tiny area to access information.



• Inconsistent or disorganized navigation and page layout may be disorienting and confusing to any user.