Validation Tools

How Can I Check if a Web Page is Accessible?

There are a number of things that one can do to inspect the accessibility of a web page that are relatively simple and don't require the purchase of additional software. Contrarily, vendors have recognized the market for software tools that check web pages for accessibility. These tools are called validators or validation tools. Free validation tools are available to anyone that wishes to use them. This page presents the WAVE and Bobby; two free, commonly used validation tools. There are many other tools ranging in complexity that a designer can locate. Consult with your technical staff or DoIT if you need assistance.

Manual Validation Techniques (simple and cheap, yet effective)

A skilled designer can inspect many aspects of a web page without viewing the code.

• Inspect the page with image viewing turned off
• View the page with the style sheet disconnected
• Turn your mouse upside down and navigate the page
• Examine your web page using a free validation tool such as the WAVE or Bobby
• Print your page using a black and white printer

These techniques don't inspect a page for all of the accessibility issues that could arise. However, they work well for common mistakes such as omitted alternative representation text.

Disabling Browser Image Viewing

The purpose for disabling browser image viewing is to quickly identify whether images have been marked with alt-text. When image viewing is disabled, all images are displayed with a placeholder. If the designer has assigned alt-text, that text is also displayed in the placeholder. This method is a quick way to gather an idea of images that are missing alt-text.

The process to disable image viewing is a bit different across browsers. The directions in this section are applicable to Internet Explorer 5.x.

Internet Explorer 5.x

1. Select Tools from the menu bar. Choose Internet Options.
2. Click the option tab labeled as Advanced
3. Locate the category titled as Multimedia. Deselect the Show Pictures option.
4. Select the button labeled as Apply. Click the button labeled as OK.

Back to manual techniques list

Disconnecting a Style Sheet

Standard D requires that all web pages that use style sheets are readable without the style sheet. Readability of a web page without a style sheet is very easy to test if the web page uses an external style sheet. You need only to temporarily break the link that connects the web page to the style sheet.

1. Locate the style sheet in your computer's directory.
2. Temporarily change the name of the stylesheet file.
3. Load the web page in your browser and inspect its readability.

Be sure to change the filename of the stylesheet back to its original name within your computer's directory.

Note: Change the stylesheet file name from outside of your web editing software. Most web editing software will change the code that refers to the stylesheet if the filename is changed. This will negate the change in the name suggested in the steps.

Back to manual techniques list

Navigate the Web Page without Using the Mouse

If you have never used this technique, it may be a challenge.

1. Place your insertion point in the URL line of your web browser. (Use your mouse if you need to do this step.)
2. Press the tab key. Locate the destination of this action. Your browser will navigate from the URL line to the first hyperlink or form field on the page. Look for a small gray outline around an image or hyperlink. If there are form fields, look for the flashing cursor.
3. Continue pressing the tab key. Can you access all of the links and the form field elements without using the mouse?

Back to manual techniques list

Examine your web page using a free validation tool such as the WAVE or Bobby

Both the WAVE and Bobby are free tools that you can access via the web. Neither requires much of a learning curve.

The WAVE is available from: http://wave.webaim.org/index.jsp.
Bobby is available from: http://bobby.watchfire.com/bobby/html/en/index.jsp.

Both tools follow the same series of user steps:

1. Enter the URL of your web page into a form field.
2. Submit the request to evaluate.
3. Read the resulting report. You will need to understand the Section 508 standards before the report is of any value to you.

Back to manual techniques list

Print your Web Page to a Black and White Printer

Concerned about readability of your page? This is a good way to test contrast of colors among other things.

Back to manual techniques list

Back to top of the page