Newsletter issue #12 - 1st March 2005
This issue
Hello and welcome to the March edition of the Webcredible newsletter!
In this issue:
- Feature article: Writing effective ALT text for images
- Top tip: Don't forget screen magnifier users!
- Useful program: Greeker
- Top link: ArticleCity
- New articles in February
- Webcredible news in February
Enjoy!
Feature article: Writing effective ALT text for images
Anyone who knows anything about web accessibility knows that images need alternative, or ALT, text assigned to them. This is because screen readers can't understand images, but rather read aloud the alternative text assigned to them. Simply inserting ALT text isn't necessarily enough to ensure accessible images - the text must also be effectively written. Find out how to achieve this in this month's feature article...
Read this article in full at www.webcredible.co.uk/user-friendly-resources/web-accessibility/image-alt-text.shtml.
Top tip: Don't forget screen magnifier users!
So much emphasis is placed on blind users utilising screen readers, that screen magnifier users often get forgotten about when planning accessible websites. There are a number of criterion that should be adhered to when planning for screen magnifier users, so here are a few to get you started:
- Don't embed text within images Text embedded within images can become blurry and pixelated when viewed in screen magnifiers, and therefore completely illegible. It's not usually necessary to embed text within images anymore, as most presentational effects can now be achieved with CSS. If you absolutely have to embed text within images then make sure that the image is of high quality.
- Scrolling/flashing text Scrolling or flashing text is generally known for offering poor usability, as it means that users can't read the text in their own time. This is doubly true for screen magnifier users who read web pages at a slower rate - chances are that they won't have time to read the text at all before it disappears.
- Clear and descriptive headings Headings are really useful for everyone as they let us know what's contained in the section below. Screen magnifier users can only see a small fraction of the screen at any one time, so clear and descriptive headings greatly aid these users when navigating through any web page.
Useful program: Greeker
Greeker is great for carrying out a quick, crude test of on-page usability. Simply enter the URL of your website and it will automatically translate the content into Greek whilst maintaining the appearance of the page. Next, show this Greek version to a friend or colleague and ask them what they think is the navigation, the content etc. Your website should be so intuitive that they can guess this even though they can't understand the words. One word of warning, don't try this with someone who speaks Greek!
You can download this handy program from www.awarecenter.org/greeker.
Top link: ArticleCity
ArticleCity is an article bank, containing articles about pretty much anything, including web design and development. Anyone can submit articles for free, all of which are available for republishing. Interesting web-related articles are regularly published which you can place on your site. Additionally, you can publish your own articles there, featuring an author bio and a link back to your website, which is good for your credibility and search engine rankings.
Check it out at www.articlecity.com.
New articles in February
- Keywords phrases in linking text
- Why track your visitor's behaviour
- Ten ways to improve the usability of your ecommerce site
Read these and many other articles at www.webcredible.co.uk/user-friendly-resources.
Webcredible news in February
- Disability Discrimination Act article updated
- Webcredible featured in Observer on Sunday
- Additional March training course dates announced
Read these news stories in full at www.webcredible.co.uk/about-us/latest-news.shtml.
Training courses
Our early March courses have sold out now so the next courses with available places will take place in our training centre in Aldgate, London in late March:
- Web accessibility training - Tuesday 22nd March. To receive a £60 discount on the course, for more information and to reserve your place before it fills up please consult our web accessibility training page.
- Advanced CSS training - Thursday 24th March. To receive a £60 discount on the course, for more information and to reserve your place before it fills up please consult our Advanced CSS training page.
Web accessibility & CSS support packages
We now offer a range of accessibility and CSS support packages, offering you access to one of our accessibility consultants anytime you like. Please read more about this innovative service in our web accessibility and CSS help section.
About Webcredible
Based in London, UK, Webcredible is a user experience consultancy. Tailor-made usability, accessibility & design solutions include:
- User-centered design
- Accessible web design
- CMS services
- Usability
- Accessibility
- Training
- Website review lite
Please contact us on 0870 242 6095 or info at webcredible.co.uk, or consult www.webcredible.co.uk for further information.