LINDA LINGLE
GOVERNOR

Hawaii State seal

STATE OF HAWAII
DEPARTMENT OF ACCOUNTING
AND GENERAL SERVICES
P.O. BOX 119
HONOLULU, HAWAII 96810-0119

RUSS K. SAITO
Comptroller

KATHERINE H. THOMASON
Deputy Comptroller
     

Replica of Memo

March 20, 2003
TO:

Data Processing Coordinators
FROM: Russ K. Saito State Comptroller
SUBJECT: Technical Guidelines on Web Site Accessibility

The technical guidelines in this bulletin are intended to ease access to State web sites. Because State government web sites are used to disseminate information to the public, the State should design web sites which are accessible to persons with disabilities, as well as modify existing web sites for such access.

Please analyze your department's current web pages to determine if they comply with the technical guidelines in the bulletin. In addition, please apply these guidelines when designing new web pages.

If you have any questions concerning the interpretation or application of these guidelines. please call the Public Information Access Section, Information and Communication Services Division at 586-1940.

Attachments


WEB SITE ACCESSIBILITY
TECHNICAL GUIDELINES

  1. a. A text equivalent for every non-text element shall be provided (e. g., via "alt", "longdesc", or in element content).

  2. Equivalent alternatives for any multimedia presentation shall be provided, and when possible, synchronized with the presentation.

  3. Web pages shall be designed so that all information required for navigation or meaning is not dependent on the ability to identify specific colors.

  4. Documents shall be organized so they are readable without requiring an associated style sheet.

  5. Redundant text links shall be provided for each active region of a server-side image map.

  6. Client-side image maps shall be used whenever possible in place of server-side image maps.

  7. Row and column headers shall be identified for data tables.

  8. Markup shall be used to associate data cells and header cells for data tables that have two or more logical levels of row or column headers.

  9. Frames shall be titled with text that facilitates frame identification and navigation.

  10. Pages shall be designed to avoid causing the screen to flicker with a frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz.

  11. A text-only page, with equivalent information or functionality, shall be provided to make a web site comply with the provisions of this part, when compliance cannot be accomplished in any other way. The content of the text-only page shall be updated whenever the primary page changes.

  12. When pages utilize scripting languages to display content, or to create interface elements? The information provided by the script shall be identified with functional text that can be read by assistive technology.

  13. When a web page requires that an applet, plug-in or other application be present on the client system to interpret page content, the page must provide a link to a plug-in or applet.

  14. Where electronic forms are designed to be completed on-line, the form shall allow people using assistive technology to access the information, field elements, and functionality required for completion and submission of the form, including all directions and cues. Where compliance is not practical, an alternative method of assistance shall be provided.

  15. A method shall be provided that permits users to skip repetitive navigation links.

  16. When a timed response is required, the user shall be alerted and given sufficient time to indicate more time is required.