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Re: Re[2]: Include default text?

for

From: Glenda
Date: Oct 21, 2004 2:50PM

Thanks JARED,

I definitely don't rely solely on Bobby to determine accessibility. I use
several steps to check the site. I'll look at the W3C icons too. This site
is on free and inexpensive AT, so this audience may care a wee bit more
about validation - not sure though. I also thought it might increase hits
with search engines.

Cheers,
Glenda

-----Original Message-----
From: Jared Smith [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ]
Sent: Thursday, October 21, 2004 1:32 PM
To: "WebAIM Discussion List"
Subject: [WebAIM] Re[2]: Include default text?



> So, can I legitimately use Bobby's AAA icon even though I get that one
> error??

Personally, if you have met all of the WCAG priorities, then you are
WCAG compliant. As far as Bobby's icon - it really doesn't mean
anything except that Bobby was able to evaluate a FEW of the WCAG
priorities and found no obvious errors. Nearly all of the priorities
cannot be verified with ANY automated validator. For this reason, the
Bobby icon has become a bit of misnomer with accessibility. The Bobby
site states that you must also perform the manual checks it lists
before posting the icon.

For example, a study I heard of found that around 80% (if I recall
correctly) of US Government Web sites that display the Bobby icon don't
even pass Bobby 508. There's a real danger in assuming that passing
Bobby (or validator X) means that you are accessible, when in fact
Bobby or any other validation program can only check a FEW of the
necessary checkpoints. I think Bobby checks 4 of the 16 Section 508
Checkpoints, and of those, a human check is still necessary to ensure
accessibility. Bobby can check that alt text is present and will say
that your page is accessible if you have alt text, but it can't check
to ensure that the text is equivalent and appropriate, as is required
by the accessibility standards. The posting of the Bobby (or whatever)
icon tends to reinforce the false idea that Bobby compliance standards compliance = accessibility, which is often far from true.

Still, if you have done the manual checking, feel that you are
compliant, and want to share this with your site visitors (most of
whom could probably care less), then go ahead and post the icon. You
might also look at the official W3C icons -
http://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG1-Conformance

Jared Smith
WebAIM (Web Accessibility In Mind)
Center for Persons with Disabilities
Utah State University

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