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Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT)

Section 1194.22 Web-based Internet information and applications -
Detail Voluntary Product Accessibility Template

Criteria

Supporting Features

Remarks and explanations

(a) A text equivalent for every non-text element shall be provided (e.g., via "alt", "longdesc", or in element content). Estrada automatically provides "alt" tags for all of the images presented within the sites content. When authors add images or media to the media library, Estrada requires authors to provide a plain-text description for each image and other items in the media library. In this way, a text alternative is always provided for visitors to the site. Estrada urges that template developers make sure that all graphics in the template also include "alt" tags to provide a description of the image for visually impaired visitors to the Web site. Also, developers are told to avoid the use of image maps and large, elaborate graphics that present information that could be conveyed textually.
(b) Equivalent alternatives for any multimedia presentation shall be synchronized with the presentation. Estrada automatically provides "alt" tags for all multimedia items presented within the sites content. When authors add multimedia presentations to the media library, Estrada requires authors to provide a plain-text description for each item in the media library. In this way, a text alternative is always provided for visitors to the site.  
(c) Web pages shall be designed so that all information conveyed with color is also available without color, for example from context or markup. This requirement is handled when developing the template, which controls the display of all pages within the site. Once the developer has programmed the template so that it meet this and all other accessibility standards, all pages within the site will automatically conform to the pre-set standards, helping to ensure ongoing 508 compliance. The Estrada Template Developers Manual instructs template designers, Make sure that color is the secondary carrier of information on your template by following these guidelines: Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998 established standards for electronic and information technology so that individuals with disabilities can use them. All U.S. federal agencies must bring their web sites and other electronic information into compliance with Section 508 by June 21, 2001.

If you want to highlight certain portion of text, do not do so with color. Instead, use bold, italics, or different font sizes. Also, highlighting a paragraph of text can be accomplished by using titles or other preceding or succeeding descriptive textual information.

In graphics, make sure to use high contrast between any information that is presented on the graphic and its context. The best way to test this is to print your graphic on a black-and-white printer and see if anything is difficult to read.

If use of high-contrast colors is unavoidable, make sure to duplicate information conveyed by graphics with text title or "longdesc" tag. Of the two methods, the text title is the preferred.

(d) Documents shall be organized so they are readable without requiring an associated style sheet. This requirement is handled when developing the template, which controls the display of all pages within the site. Once the developer has programmed the template so that it meet this and all other accessibility standards, all pages within the site will automatically conform to the pre-set standards, helping to ensure ongoing 508 compliance. The Estrada Template Developers Manual instructs template designers, when designing a template, to make sure to test the template with content in it and style sheets rendering turned off to be sure that it remains readable.
(e) Redundant text links shall be provided for each active region of a server-side image map. This requirement is handled when developing the template, which controls the display of all pages within the site. Once the developer has programmed the template so that it meet this and all other accessibility standards, all pages within the site will automatically conform to the pre-set standards, helping to ensure ongoing 508 compliance. The Estrada Template Developers Manual instructs template designers, Do not use server-side image maps in your template design. Server-side image maps are obsolete. Instead, avoid using image maps altogether by breaking them up into text links or several image links.
(f) Client-side image maps shall be provided instead of server-side image maps except where the regions cannot be defined with an available geometric shape. This requirement is handled when developing the template, which controls the display of all pages within the site. Once the developer has programmed the template so that it meet this and all other accessibility standards, all pages within the site will automatically conform to the pre-set standards, helping to ensure ongoing 508 compliance. The Estrada Template Developers Manual instructs template designers, If the use of server-side map is unavoidable, duplicate its regions as a list of text links. Text links should precede the map in the reading order of the page.
(g) Row and column headers shall be identified for data tables. Once the template developer has programmed the template(s) so that they meet this and all other accessibility standards, all pages within the site will automatically conform to the pre-set standards, ensuring ongoing 508 compliance. The Estrada Template Developers Manual instructs template designers, Do not use tables for layout in template design. Use CSS absolute positioning instead. Absolute positioning is a safe and easy way to design elements on the page without needing to use tables as supporting structures. CSS will also allow you to order the elements of layout in any way possible. For example, all supporting graphics can be placed on the page last, thus ensuring that readers do not stumble through them while scanning content.

If the use of tables in unavoidable, make sure that the tables are identified as "supporting structures" in "longdesc" and "label" attributes. Estrada will also automatically handle tables in the content.
(h) 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. This requirement is handled when developing the template, which controls the display of all pages within the site. Once the developer has programmed the template so that it meet this and all other accessibility standards, all pages within the site will automatically conform to the pre-set standards, helping to ensure ongoing 508 compliance. The Estrada Template Developers Manual instructs template designers, Don't use nested tables (tables within tables) in template design.
(i) Frames shall be titled with text that facilitates frame identification and navigation Template Developers are instructed by Estrada materials and trainers never to use frames. Once the template developer has programmed the template(s) so that they meet this and all other accessibility standards, all pages within the site will automatically conform to the pre-set standards, ensuring ongoing 508 compliance. The Estrada Template Developers Manual instructs template designers, No design need justifies the use of frames. Frames are the most confusing element for assistive technology and should be avoided at all costs.
(j) Pages shall be designed to avoid causing the screen to flicker with a frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz. This requirement is handled when developing the template, which controls the display of all pages within the site. Once the developer has programmed the template so that it meet this and all other accessibility standards, all pages within the site will automatically conform to the pre-set standards, helping to ensure ongoing 508 compliance. The Estrada Template Developers Manual instructs template designers, Don't use "blink" tag or any kind of dynamic elements on the page to prevent the possibility of flickering.
(k) 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. Use of a text-only alternative page should not be necessary given that correctly developed templates will enable all pages within an Estrada site to be universally accessible. The Estrada Template Developers Manual instructs template designers, When 508-compliant template design is not possible through any other means, create a separate 508-compliant template, with simplified text-only navigation.
(l) 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. Template Developers are instructed by Estrada materials and trainers not to use client-side scripting. Once the template developer has programmed the template(s) so that they meet this and all other accessibility standards, all pages within the site will automatically conform to the pre-set standards, helping to ensure ongoing 508 compliance The Estrada Template Developers Manual instructs template designers, Don't use client-side scripting for template design. If the use of scripting is unavoidable, make sure to test the template to ensure that the template functions with the scripting turned off.
(m) 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 that complies with §1194.21(a) through (l). Template Developers are instructed by Estrada materials and trainers to avoid applets or plug-ins. Once the template developer has programmed the template(s) so that they meet this and all other accessibility standards, all pages within the site will automatically conform to the pre-set standards, ensuring ongoing 508 compliance The Estrada Template Developers Manual instructs template designers, Avoid using applets or plug-ins on the template or page. If the use is unavoidable, make sure that client-side application being used complies with §1194.21(a) through (l).
(n) When 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. Estrada provides form functionality as part of its features, so this guideline is addressed. Estrada automatically adds labels and descriptors required for completion and submission of the form, including all directions and cues.  
(o) A method shall be provided that permits users to skip repetitive navigation links. Once the template developer has programmed the template(s) so that they meet this and all other accessibility standards, all pages within the site will automatically conform to the pre-set standards, helping to ensure ongoing 508 compliance. The Estrada Template Developers Manual instructs template designers, Instead of providing such method, make sure that through the use of absolute positioning, the reading order of the template is correct. Absolute positioning avoids the problem of repetitive links altogether.
(p) When a timed response is required, the user shall be alerted and given sufficient time to indicate more time is required.   In your template development, avoid the need for timed response. If the use of timed response is unavoidable, consult with Estrada technology developers to create and implement the appropriate model.









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