Cómo escribir un buen texto alternativo

En Considerations when writing alt text se dan algunos consejos para escribir un buen texto alternativo.

Formularios de búsqueda no accesibles

En Unlabelled search fields se explica cómo etiquetar correctamente un formulario de búsqueda para que sea accesible.

La típica implementación como la siguiente está mal:

<input type="search" placeholder="…">
<button type="submit">
Search
</button>

Algunas alternativas son:

<input aria-labelledby="searchtext" type="search" placeholder="…">
<button type="submit" id="searchtext">
Search
</button>

O también:

<input type="text" name="search" aria-label="Search">
<button type="submit">Search</button>

En el artículo también se repasan las implementaciones de BBC, Medium, Google, Twitter y otros sitios web populares.

El sitio web de Domino's Pizza tiene que ser accesible en EEUU

En BIG WIN FOR WEB ACCESSIBILITY IN DOMINO’S PIZZA CASE podemos leer:

the ADA applied to Domino’s website and app because the Act mandates that places of public accommodation, like Domino’s, provide auxiliary aids and services to make visual materials available to individuals who are blind.

El juicio contra Domino's Pizza.

Versión texto, NO, NUNCA

Es bastante sorprendente que todavía haya gente que ofrezca una "versión texto" o "versión solo texto" como solución para la accesibilidad de un sitio web. Pensaba que ya nunca más me encontraría con ello, pero me equivoqué.

La Universidad Miguel Hernández:

Tiene en el pie de página un enlace Versión texto que muestra esta página:

Podemos ver que el URL de esa página es https://www.umh.es/acc/, supongo que "acc" debe ser por "accesible".

Denuncias por falta de accesibilidad web en EEUU en el año 2018

En 2018 ADA Web Accessibility Lawsuit Recap Report han publicado un resumen de las denuncias por falta de accesibilidad web que ha habido en EEUU durante el año 2018.

Se contabilizan 2285 denuncias, un incremento del 181% sobre las 814 presentadas en el año 2017:

The UsableNet research team has been tracking 2018 federally filed ADA web accessibility-related lawsuits. In 2018, we tracked 2285 lawsuits—up 181% over 2017 which had 814.

Igualito, igualito, igualito que en España.

Existe un patrón de los sitios web denunciados, principalmente están relacionados con el comercio, los servicios de alimentación, viajes y hospitales, banca y finanzas, entretenimiento y diversión y autoservicio (máquinas tipo cajero automático):

Although many industries are involved across the cases, six stand out for the additional attention they get. Retail, food service, travel/hospitality, banking/financial, entertainment and leisure, and self-service, have the majority of cases, reflecting a general pattern over 2017 and 2018 toward these types of organizations.

¿Qué herramienta de evaluación de la accesibilidad web debería usar?

En Which accessibility testing tool should you use? proponen:

Browser extensions (I’m using Chrome for the purposes of this post)
WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation ToolLighthouseaXe browser extensionWCAG Accessibility Audit Developer UISiteImprove Accessibility Checker
Other tools
Tenon.io (free and paid plans available)

Crear un sitio web accesible alternativo no es una buena solución

Lo de crear un sitio web "versión solo texto" pensaba que era algo que había pasado a la historia, pero parece que no es así...

En Airline Fined for Separate Disabled-Accessible Website podemos leer que la compañía aérea SAS ha sido sancionada con una multa de $200,000 porque creó una versión accesible separada de su sitio web principal:

Offering a separate website for those with disabilities does not comply with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) website accessibility requirements, the agency made clear with a $200,000 fine to the Scandinavian Airlines System (SAS).

The DOT established website accessibility requirements that require any U.S. or foreign air carrier that has a website and that operates at least one aircraft seating more than 60 passengers to ensure that its public-facing webpages on its primary website are accessible to individuals with disabilities. Set forth at 14 CFR Part 382, the rule had two phases of implementation.

By December 12, 2015, covered entities needed to ensure that core travel information and services on the airline’s primary website met the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 Level AA Standard. Airlines had until December 12, 2016, to achieve compliance for all remaining webpages on the primary site.

But in February 2017, the DOT’s Office of Aviation Enforcement and Proceedings discovered that SAS’ primary website was not accessible to persons with disabilities. Instead, the airline created an “assistive version” of its primary website at a separate and distinct URL.

This separate site violated the DOT rule, the agency said.

“In the preamble to the rule the Department explained that to create a separate accessible website would ‘likely perpetuate the problem of unequal access as carriers allot fewer resources than needed over time to properly maintain the second site,’” according to the DOT consent order with SAS. “The Department also stated that it is a ‘well-established principle of disability non-discrimination law that separate or different aids, benefits or services can only be provided to individuals with disabilities (or a class of such individuals) when necessary to provide aids, benefits or service that are as effective as those provided to others.’”

SAS’ failure to comply also constituted unfair and deceptive practices and an unfair method of competition, the agency said.

In response, SAS argued it “held a good faith belief” that the assistive version of its website was a conforming alternate version that brought its primary site into compliance, pointing the finger at a third-party vendor that “assured” the airline the alternative site met the requirements of the DOT rule. SAS no longer has an alternative separate website designed for individuals with disabilities, and its primary website is accessible.

The DOT Enforcement Office and SAS reached an agreement over the charges. While the airline did not admit to the violations asserted by the agency, it agreed to cease and desist from future similar violations and pay a compromise civil penalty of $200,000. Of the total amount, $100,000 was due immediately, with the remaining $100,000 due and payable if SAS violates the consent order within one year.

“This compromise assessment is appropriate considering the nature and extent of the violations described herein and serves the public interest,” according to the consent order. “It represents a strong deterrent to future similar unlawful practices by SAS and other carriers.”

Beyoncé denunciada por falta de accesibilidad web

En Beyoncé's Parkwood Entertainment sued over website accessibility podemos leer:

A class action lawsuit claims that Beyoncé’s official website violates the Americans With Disabilities Act (1990) by denying visually impaired users equal access to its products and services, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Web accessibility requires photos to be coded with alt-text so that screen-readers used by visually impaired users can speak the alternative text. Dan Shaked, attorney for plaintiff Mary Conner, said: “There are many important pictures on beyonce.com that lack a text equivalent … As a result, Plaintiff and blind beyonce.com customers are unable to determine what is on the website, browse the website or investigate and/or make purchases.”

The Guardian has contacted representatives for Beyoncé for comment.

Conner is described in the suit as having “no vision whatsoever”. Shaked describes music as “the one and only form of entertainment that truly presents an even playing field between the visually impaired and the sighted”. Conner’s hopes of attending a Beyoncé concert were restricted by her lack of access to the website, the suit claims.

The complaint lists further issues including the lack of accessible drop-down menus and navigation links, and the inability to navigate using a keyboard instead of a mouse.

The proposed lawsuit includes “all legally blind individuals in the United States who have attempted to access Beyonce.com and as a result have been denied access to the enjoyment of goods and services offered by Beyonce.com, during the relevant statutory period.”

Conner seeks a court injunction that would require Beyoncé’s company to make the site accessible to blind and visually impaired customers in accordance with ADA rules, and is pursuing damages for those who have “been subject to unlawful discrimination”.

La accesibilidad empieza con un buen uso de HTML

En HTML: A good basis for accessibility se explica:

A great deal of web content can be made accessible just by making sure the correct HTML elements are used for the correct purpose at all times. This article looks in detail at how HTML can be used to ensure maximum accessibility.

Semantic HTML doesn't take longer to write than non-semantic (bad) markup if you do it consistently from the start of your project, and it also has other benefits beyond accessibility:

1. Easier to develop with — as mentioned above, you get some functionality for free, plus it is arguably easier to understand.
2. Better on mobile — semantic HTML is arguably lighter in file size than non-semantic spaghetti code, and easier to make responsive.
3. Good for SEO — search engines give more importance to keywords inside headings, links, etc., than keywords included in non-semantic <div>s, etc., so your documents will be more findable by customers.

Experiencias en desarrollos tecnológicos accesibles: Experiencia Ecuador

Conferencia impartida en la III Jornada de Accesibilidad Digital organizada por el Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica (TEC) del 25 al 28 de octubre de 2016 en San José (Costa Rica):