Metropolitan State University

ICS 225 Web Design and Development

 

Critique:           4

Concept:          Accessibility

Due:                 Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Points:             30 points

  

Assignment:

Test web pages from three websites using the automatic checking program, Web Xact found at http://webxact.watchfire.com/ to evaluate the way accessibilty is handled.  Take one web page from each of:

  • your own website
  • a page taken from the interior of the www.metrostate.edu website
  • a commercial site (.com) of your choice

 

For each of the three different sites (8 points each):

  • Give the URL of the site to be evaluated. 
  • Use the Web Xact tool found at http://webxact.watchfire.com/ to evaluate the way accessibilty is handled.  Enter the URL of a web page.  Be sure to include the full path name since Web Xact is picky about the URLs given to it.  When the results are displayed, click on the Accessibility tab.    (If Web Xact times out you may need to try again when the site or the Internet is less busy.)
  • Describe and explain the types of accessibility problems detected, commenting on the Priority 1, 2 and 3 errors as reported by Web Xact.
  • Suggest steps for rectifying the problems you've identified with the web pages.
  • Attempt to navigate by using the keyboard alone.  That is do not use the mouse.  Comment on your ability to navigate.
  • Disable JavaScript in your browser.  Comment on any changes in your ability to navigate

 

Summary (6 points)

  • From a business standpoint, why is accessibility important?
  • From a legal standpoint, why is accessibility important?
  • Overall, what is the state of web accessibility on the Internet?  Explain your answer.

 

Hand In:

·         Hand in a typed, single-spaced report of minimum length two pages (a minimum of 1400 words).  Use 12 pt Times Roman font or 10 pt Arial font with 1-inch margin.

 

EXTRA CREDIT #1 (5 points)

  • Download the Lynx browser and evaluate the appearance, navigation and general accessibility of your own site when viewed using Lynx.  Minimum length one-half page.

 

EXTRA CREDIT #2 (5 points)

Evaluate the navigation on the metrostate.edu website.  Minimum length one page. 

Note:  If you choose to submit this extra credit,

  • Put it on a separate page (attached to the rest of your assignment)
  • Do not put your name on this page
  • This page will be given to the Metro State web master.