WAI Quick Tips Reference Card

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Introduction

The following "Quick Tips" provide a reminder of some key concepts of accessible Web design. The Quick Tips are available on a vinyl business-card sized reference card. When using the Quick Tips cards, it is important to emphasize that these are not complete guidelines, but rather an introduction and a memory prompt for some key concepts of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.

Complete guidelines for accessible Web content are available at Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 as a W3C Recommendation, and include information critical to understanding and implementing the Quick Tips. There is also an easy-to-use Checklist, and a detailed document describing Techniques for implementing the Guidelines.

The Quick Tips were developed by the WAI Education and Outreach Working Group. Information on other activities and resources of W3C's Web Accessibility Initiative is available on the WAI home page.

How to order

NOTE.The Quick Tips text has been updated as of August, 1999, and is now reflected on this page. This text more closely aligns the Quick Tips with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 as finalized in May, 1999. If you ordered Quick Tip cards during July or August ,1999, you would have noticed a delay in receiving the cards. The new cards are now available, as of September 6, 1999, and we are filling remaining requests.

To order the Quick Tips reference card, send an e-mail to wai-quicktips@w3.org with the following information. Please note that we cannot guarantee either availability or rapid delivery of cards.

1. your name
2. your complete mailing address
3. quantity requested (10, 50, 100, or 500)
4. purpose (e.g., for what event, or for dissemination to what kind of network)
5. when you need to receive these by (if for a specific event)

For quantities over 500, please send information on your intended distribution plans, and we can discuss different options for getting you the cards.

QUICK TIPS TO MAKE ACCESSIBLE WEB SITES

For Complete Guidelines & Checklist: www.w3.org/WAI

• Images & animations. Use the alt attribute to describe the function of each visual.
• Image maps. Use client-side MAP and text for hotspots.
• Multimedia. Provide captioning and transcripts of audio, and descriptions of video.
• Hypertext links. Use text that makes sense when read out of context. For example, avoid "click here."
• Page organization. Use headings, lists, and consistent structure. Use CSS for layout and style where possible.
• Graphs & charts. Summarize or use the longdesc attribute.
• Scripts, applets, & plug-ins. Provide alternative content in case active features are inaccessible or unsupported.
• Frames. Use NOFRAMES and meaningful titles.
• Tables. Make line by line reading sensible. Summarize.
• Check your work. Validate. Use tools, checklist, and guidelines at www.w3.org/TR/WAI-WEBCONTENT.

Sample of Quick Tips appearance

Three versions of the Quick Tips card are available for reference:

• An image (a .gif file) showing how the Quick Tips appear when laid out on a business card (small size/print).
• A bigger image (another .gif file) showing how the Quick Tips business card layout look like (but less accurate)
• the color PostScript version, formatted in business-card size, of the previous image.

Last Updated September 10, 1999
Judy Brewer

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