SECTION 508 COMPLIANCE1.1 Background
1.2 Checklist of required changes.
1.3 Why are we doing this before it is required?
1.4 Website Accessibility Policy Draft 2.1 ALT Tags
2.2 What are ALT Tags?
2.3 What elements of my webpage require ALT Tags?
2.4 How do I apply an ALT tag to an image using Microsoft FrontPage?
2.5 How do I apply an ALT tag to an image using Netscape Composer?
2.6 How do I apply an ALT tag to an image in any HTML webpage?
2.7 How do I apply an ALT tag to image maps (hotspots) in Microsoft FrontPage?
2.8 How do I apply an ALT tag to image maps in any HTML webpage? 3.1 Font and Background Colors
3.2 Using color as a secondary indicator. 4.1 Page Titles
4.2 How do I add a title to my webpage using Microsoft FrontPage?
4.3 How do I add a title to my webpage using Netscape Composer?
4.4 How do I add a title to my webpage using any HTML editor?
4.5 Page titles in frames 5.1 Tables 6.1 Plug-ins
6.2 Where can I find plug-ins and links to plug-ins? 7.1 Additional Information
7.2 Where can I find more information about Section 508?
7.3 I cannot find the solution to my problems on this webpage, who do I contact?
1.1 BackgroundIn 1998 a FCC access board amended section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. This amendment issued a final accessibility standard for electronic and information technology. Any federal agency receiving federal funds must make access to and use of information/data that is comparable to that provided to the public who are not individuals with disabilities, unless an undue burden would be imposed on the agency. For more information, read section 7.2 Where can I find more information about Section 508. Back to Top 1.2 Checklist of Required Changes[FrontPage Save Results Component] Do you have ALT tags on all of your images? Learn More
Do you have ALT tags on all of your image maps? Learn More
Do you have easily readable colors and use color as a secondary indicator? Learn More
Do you have meaningful page titles on all of your pages, including frame pages? Learn More
Do your tables have a description and labels? Learn More
Do you provide links to all plug-ins necessary to view your webpage? Learn More Back to Top 1.3 Why are we doing this before it is required?The Board of Regents met to decide if the state institutions should start conforming to the Section 508 standards. Their decision was that they were not going to at this time. In the future the state may require state institutions to follow Section 508. ITS is anticipating this and is starting to get the ball rolling rather than attempting to rush the implementation in the future. Back to Top 1.4 Website Accessibility Policy DraftYou may view the current draft of the policy in PDF format. You may download Acrobat Reader here. Website Accessibility Policy Draft (PDF) In WORD format  Back to Top
2.1 ALT Tags2.2 What are ALT tags?ALT tags is short for alternative tags. ALT tags appear when you place your mouse over an image. They also appear when an image does not load or is not allowed to load. This provides a hint to a user reading from a text only browser or one on a slow connection. Screen readers also use the ALT tags when reading to the visually impaired. ALT tags are very easy to add to your pages. Back to Top 2.3 What elements of my webpage require ALT tags?ALT tags are required for all images, image maps, and any media. If you have an image that you are using for a spacer, you should put a blank ALT tag in. For more information on how to add ALT tags, see the sections below. Back to Top 2.4 How do I apply an ALT tag to an image using Microsoft Frontpage?1. First right click on the image you want to apply the alt tag to. Select Picture Properties. 
2. Next, in the Picture Properties menu select the General Tab. Enter the description of the image into the text box of the "Alternative representations" area.  3. Click OK Now the image will have a description when holding your mouse over it in a web browser. Back to Top
2.5 How do I apply an ALT tag to an image using Netscape Composer?
1. Right click on the image and select Image Properties  2. In the Image Properties dialog box, select the radio button next to Alternate Text:
3. Type your image description into the box  4. Click OK Back to Top
2.6 How do I apply an ALT tag to an image in any HTML webpage?
If you are knowledgeable in HTML, you can also add the ALT tag directly to your image tags. First open your webpage using notepad or any text editor. Alternatively, most webpage editors (FrontPage, Composer) have an HTML view. Next, find the image that you would like to add ALT text to. <IMG SRC="baseballplayer.jpg"> Just add an ALT tag after the SRC argument. <IMG SRC="baseballplayer.jpg" ALT="Baseball Player Rounding Third"> This is all there is to it. You can put the ALT argument anywhere after <IMG and before the closing >. Back to Top
2.7 How do I apply an ALT tag to image maps (hotspots) in Microsoft FrontPage?
1. Click the picture.
2. Right Click the hotspot you want to edit.
3. Select Picture Hotspot Properties  4. In the dialog box that appears select the ScreenTip button.
5. Enter your text in the box labeled Screentip Text
6. Click OK twice to return back to your document. Back to Top 2.8 How do I apply an ALT tag to image maps in any HTML webpage?Open your HTML document in a text editor or view it using the HTML view in Frontpage or Composer. Find the image map that you'd like to edit. <mapname="map1"> <area coords="1, 5, 10, 0" shape="rect" href="page.htm"> <area href="page.htm" coords="13,14,12,24" shape="poly"> </map> Much like when adding an ALT tag to an image in HTML, you will want to add the ALT and description somewhere after the <area and before the closing > as shown below. <mapname="map1"> <area ALT="Third Base" coords="1, 5, 10, 0" shape="rect" href="page.htm"> <area ALT="Player Rounding Third" href="page.htm" coords="13,14,12,24" shape="poly"> </map> Back to Top
3.1 Font and Background ColorsWhen selecting background and font color be sure to choose well contrasting colors. For example, do not put yellow text on light background instead try a red text or choose a different background color. Don't do THIS! Instead do THIS! This also applies to background images. If you have a background image that makes the text hard to read, consider choosing a neutral color background instead. Also avoid red on green and other colors that may make it hard for a visually color impaired person to read. Back to Top 3.2 Using color as a secondary indicator.Color should only be used as a secondary indicator. If you want to put emphasis on a word or phrase you should underline, bold, or apply both to the text. For example if you were giving instructions: Set the stove to 350º. Be careful, the burners may still be warm! Instead, you should use bold or underline to emphasize "Be careful, the burners may still be warm!" You may still use the color, but in this case it is now a secondary indicator. Set the stove to 350º. Be careful, the burners may still be warm! Back to Top
4.1 Page TitlesEach page should have a meaningful title. Most HTML editors will provide you with a default title. You should always change this to something that can describe the page. The reasoning is that if someone with a screen reader accesses the page, they will be able to decide to stay on that page by what is in the title. 4.2 How do I add a title to my webpage using Microsoft Frontpage?1. Right Click somewhere on a blank part of the webpage.
2. Choose Page Properties  3. In the Page Properties box that appears, enter your page title in the Title box.  4. Click OK Back to Top 4.3 How do I add a title to my webpage using Netscape Composer?1. Click on the Format menu and select Page Title and Properties.  2. In the Page Properties dialog box that appears, insert your page title in the Title box.  3. Click OK Back to Top 4.4 How do I add a title to my webpage using any HTML editor?First, open up your HTML file with a text editor or change your view in FrontPage or Composer to the HTML view. The title tag goes in between the <head> tag. You will find the <head> tag at the top of your HTML document. There will usually be some kind of <meta> tags inside the header also. <html> <head> <!-- meta tags --> </head> <body> We will want to add our title tags in between <head> and </head> <html> <head> <!-- meta tags --> <title>Welcome to the homepage for the Hardrockers Baseball Team</title> </head> <body> Back to Top 4.5 Page titles in framesSection 508 also requires that you put relevant titles in frame pages also. If you have a frames page with a links pane on the left, a header on the top, and a content area, you should put a relevant title on each. In this example you may want to put "Navigation for the Hardrockers Baseball Team homepage" on the links page. This will allow a user using a screen reader to bypass that pane if he is not interested in the information. Back to Top
5.1 TablesTables should include a relevant title as well as labels for rows and columns. An example is below: | RBI's, 2003 Season | | Player | March 10 | March 13 | March 24 | | Bob McBob | 1 | 3 | 1 | | T.C. Smith | 4 | 0 | 2 | | Homer Simpson | 0 | 0 | 5 |
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6.1 Plug-insIf you are using media that needs a plug-in, provide a link to download that plug-in. For example, many documents on campus are in PDF format. To view these documents you need Adobe Acrobat Reader. Just provide a link to the Adobe Acrobat download page somewhere near the link so users may download the plug-in. For more information on plug-ins see Section 6.2. Back to Top 6.2 Where can I find plug-ins and links to plug-ins?The best source to finding plug-ins is to visit the software creator's site. From here they usually have buttons to go along with the links. Below are some of the more often used plug-ins: - Macromedia Flash (http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash&P5_Language=English)
- Adobe Acrobat (http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html)
- SUN Java (http://java.sun.com/products/plugin/)
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7.1 Additional Information7.2 Where can I find more information about Section 508?Below are a few sites that include more information about Section 508 and its specifics. Back to Top 7.3 I cannot find the solution to my problems on this webpage, who do I contact?If you have problems, you may contact the ITS Technology Fellows for individual assistance or questions. The ITS Technology Fellows are located in EE144 and at (605) 394-1234. The hours are Mon-Fri 7:30-5:00. Back to Top Courtesy of Dusty Johnson, Technology Fellow | 
