Software has made it much easier for the average person to create a Web page in just a few clicks. But that doesn't always mean the code is valid or accessible.
What do we mean by valid and accessible code?
Valid code means the code behind your page conforms to accepted standards (which are created by the World Wide Web Consortium: http://www.w3.org/).
Valid pages are more likely to look nice across different versions of browsers. They are also much less likely to "break" or look funny, when a browser is upgraded.
Accessible pages are understandable to people using an adaptive technology, like a blind person using a screen reader to look at a page. Accessible pages will make sense to a person using adaptive technology, while inaccessible pages can be confusing.
The following resources are designed to help you construct pages that are both valid and accessible.
Developer Toolbar Extension for Firefox: This toolbar is designed to help anyone who builds Web pages understand their pages better. One of its many helpful features is its built-in HTML validator and accessibility tester, which let you check your page in just two easy clicks. To use this toolbar, you must be using the Firefox browser.
http://chrispederick.com/work/webdeveloper/
Accessibility Suite for W3C/WCAG, V1.0.1 (for DreamweaverMX): A set of tools designed to help you create accessible pages in DreamweaverMX. This download is free and works within Dreamweaver.
http://www.adobe.com...
W3C Markup Validation Service: This site tells you if your site conforms to Web standards and if your code is valid. It also lets you upload pages and code that is not yet posted online. It can also check your Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), your RSS/Atom feed, and your links.
http://validator.w3.org/
Cynthia Says Portal Tester: This site tells you if your site conforms to the 508 Accessibility standard. For more on that standard, see: http://www.lagcc.cuny.edu/osd/laws/glossary.htm#508 and http://www.section508.gov/.
http://www.contentquality.com/fulloptions.asp
WAVE 3.5 Accessibility Tool (development version): This site also tests the accessibility of a page, but lets you set up specific parameters you'd like to test. The feedback is very easy to understand, with graphics overlaying your page to show you what is (and of course, isn't) accessible.
http://dev.wave.webaim.org/index.jsp
Disability Laws: An overview of various disability laws, including Section 508, from our own Office For Students with Disabilities.
http://www.lagcc.cuny.edu/osd/laws/504.htm
Accessibility Resource Center: Comprehensive overview of all kinds of accessibility issues, from Adobe, the makers of Dreamweaver and Acrobat. Tons of information, especially helpful for people working with Adobe products.
http://www.adobe.com/accessibility/index.html
Compiled by Steven Ovadia and Remi Castonguay; 8/10/06