Implementing Accessibility Into ASPASP.Net Applications

1
Implementing Accessibility Into ASP/ASP.Net
Applications

• Lainie MartinBobbie Koelling
• MO Department of Elementary and Secondary
  Education (DESE)

2
Why Accessibility?

• In the 2000 U.S. census, nearly 20 of the
  population reported a disability of some type.
  Yes, 20. That is 1 in 5 people. Though a large
  portion of this 20 may be attributed to age
  related processes, the implications are
  enormous.
• http//www.webaim.org/

3
Our Assignment

• In 2003/04, with the help of staff
  interns/application developers, we reviewed and
  fixed a majority of our approximately 500
  asp/asp.net Webpages
• We had to work through various issues, especially
  with the more complex data tables and asp.net
  controls.
• Further our use of standards-based coding
  (Cascading Style Sheets)

4
Example Application MSIP Report Writer

• System used for staff to conduct on-site Missouri
  School Improvement Program Reviews
• What did we do?
• Added Skip Navigation
• Removed all font tags and controlled with style
  sheet (CSS)
• Added labels for each field and used hidden
  labels for more complicated tables
• Checked alternative text on images

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Skip Navigation
6
Table with row and column header
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Table with row and column header
8
Review Handout

• DESEs ADA Quickguide

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ASP .Net

• Cannot attach a for property to
  control
• and are not the same
• idlblSchoolNoName runat"server"
• 
  
• runat"server" autopostback"True

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ASP .Net - Repeater Controls (unbound)

• Repeater controls can be a bit more difficult
  since they dynamically create their id at
  runtime.
• Search
  Text
• vb code behind file
• Protected WithEvents txtBox As HtmlInputControl

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ASP .Net - Repeater Controls (bound)

• vb.net code behind file
• Protected WithEvents rpt As Repeater
• Private Sub rpt_DataBind(ByVal s As Object,
  ByVal e As repeaterItemEventArgs) Handles
  rpt.ItemDataBound
• Dim objItemType As ListItemType
  CType(e.Item.ItemType, ListItemType)
• If objItemType ListItemType.Item Or
  objItemType ListItemType.AlternatingItem Then
• Dim txtBox As TextBox CType(e.Item.FindControl
  ("txtBox"), TextBox)
• Dim litFor As Literal CType(e.Item.FindControl
  ("litFor "), Literal)
• litFor.Text LABEL NAME
• End If

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Dreamweaver MX Accessibility
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FrontPage 2003 Accessibility
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Visual Studio .Net 2005 (Whidbey)

• Available Q1 05
• ASP.NET Server Control will now generate Section
  508 compliant markup by default
• Option you can set at page/site level to turn off
  up-level client scripting for accessibility
  compliance reasons. 
• Built-in compliance checking tool that can
  automatically validate for both 508 and WCAG
  (level 1 and 2) compliance

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Mozilla Firefox with Developer Toolbar
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Links

• Creating Accessible Content with Macromedia
  Dreamweaver MX 2004 http//www.macromedia.com/mac
  romedia/accessibility/mx/dw/
• Dreamweaver 508 Accessibility Suite Extension
• http//www.usablenet.com/frontend/508as_entry.jsp
  
• Mozilla Firefox Browser http//www.mozilla.org/pro
  ducts/firefox/

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Links

• Accessibility Toolbar for Internet Explorer
• http//www.nils.org.au/ais/web/resources/toolbar/
  update.html
• 508compliant.com accessibility tools
• http//www.508compliant.com/tools.htm
• GREAT Web Accessibility discussion forum
  (listserv)
• http//www.webaim.org/gettinghelp/

18
Thank you for Attending!

• Lainie Martin
• lainie.martin_at_dese.mo.gov
• Bobbie Koelling
• bobbiesue.koelling_at_dese.mo.gov