| There are two related tests that you should conduct | | | | disabilities because they do not comply with the |
| before engaging a web designer to ascertain | | | | standards. At least, if your pages are compliant, you |
| whether the work they do complies with the | | | | are one step closer to ensuring they are accessible. |
| prevailing web standards developed by the World | | | | Another good reason for ensuring that your web |
| Wide Web Consortium (W3C). | | | | pages are compliant is to ensure you get better |
| The tests are simple and easy to conduct and use | | | | search engine placement. People are not the only |
| the W3C's own tools. | | | | things to access your web pages. Web search |
| Web Page Construction | | | | engines also access them in order to index them. |
| Web pages are constructed using hypertext mark-up | | | | Clearly, it helps these engines immensely if they can |
| language (HTML) and cascading style sheets (CSS). | | | | understand the pages, which can only reliably happen |
| HTML describes the content of a web page, while | | | | if they comply with the relevant standards. |
| CSS stipulates how it should be displayed. (Not all | | | | Consequently, if your pages do not comply properly, |
| web pages use CSS, but most now do.) | | | | they may not be so favorably placed on the likes of |
| The two W3C tests check whether the HTML and | | | | Google and the other search engines. |
| the CSS components comply with the internationally | | | | In essence, by accepting non-compliant pages from |
| recognised standards. | | | | your web designer, you reduce your target audience. |
| Web pages are viewed using web browsers, such as | | | | You reduce your audience because your content is |
| Microsoft Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox. Just | | | | less likely to be indexed properly and you reduce |
| because a web page can be displayed in one of | | | | your audience by potentially excluding some of them |
| these web browsers does not mean that it is | | | | because they can't access your pages properly. |
| compliant. In fact, most web browsers are very | | | | Worse still, in some jurisdictions, you may have to |
| good at guessing what the designer intended, even if | | | | face the consequences of having unfairly |
| they haven't abided by the rules! | | | | discriminated against people with disabilities. |
| The problem is that by deviating from these rules, | | | | How Can I Test My Pages? |
| the designer introduces a degree of subjectivity into | | | | Hopefully, this article has persuaded you that you've |
| the equation about how the page should actually be | | | | got nothing to lose by insisting that your web pages |
| rendered. It would be much better if the design | | | | are designed to be compliant with the standards. |
| complied with the standards, so barring bugs in the | | | | It does seem sensible to select a web designer who |
| browsers themselves, the page should look the same | | | | appreciates the importance of these standards and |
| regardless of the browser being used. | | | | who demonstrates their commitment to them by |
| Problems with Non-Compliance | | | | ensuring their own site complies. |
| It might be argued that it is rather academic whether | | | | The W3C provide two easy to use tools to test |
| a web page complies with the acknowledged | | | | compliance with the various standards for HTML and |
| standards if it displays as expected in the popular | | | | CSS, which you can readily use to assess your |
| web browsers. However, you should think again | | | | designer's technical skill and to ensure that your site |
| before accepting this position. | | | | complies with the standards when it is delivered. |
| Firstly, just because a non-compliant page renders in | | | | All you need to do is visit the tools' respective web |
| some browsers does not mean it will render in all | | | | pages (given below) and type in the address of a |
| browsers. This clearly means you run the risk that | | | | web page you want to test (or better still just copy |
| the web pages you have paid for will not render | | | | and paste it from the browser's address bar). Simply |
| correctly for some people, excluding some of your | | | | then just click the "Check" button to run the tests. If |
| potential audience, and perhaps damaging your brand | | | | the results come back green then the page complies. |
| at the same time. | | | | If it comes back red then there are compliance |
| Furthermore, many jurisdictions have implemented | | | | issues. The report will detail the errors. |
| laws to make the web accessible to people with | | | | Obviously, one or two errors per page may be down |
| disabilities, such as the Disability Discrimination Act | | | | to careless slips, but large numbers of errors will |
| 1995 in the United Kingdom. Failure to comply with | | | | clearly indicate that the designer isn't sticking to the |
| these laws can have serious consequences. | | | | standards. |
| The problem is that many of the specialist browsers | | | | I'll leave you to conclude what to make of those |
| that allow people with disabilities to access web | | | | web designers who advertise that their sites comply |
| pages rely on them being compliant. You could well | | | | when they manifestly don't and what to do if you |
| run foul of these disability discrimination laws if your | | | | find your site doesn't comply when you've been told |
| web pages are not accessible to people with | | | | it does. |