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AccessMonkey is an innovative scripting framework designed to improve web accessibility, particularly for blind individuals who rely on screen readers. By allowing users to modify web pages without coding, AccessMonkey enables people to share their improvements and enhances navigation for everyone. This initiative addresses common web accessibility issues, such as poorly named links and inaccessible imagery, ultimately promoting a more inclusive online experience. As web accessibility becomes increasingly important due to laws and user needs, AccessMonkey stands at the forefront of creating user-friendly digital environments.
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AccessMonkey A scripting framework for improving web accessibility Jeremy Brudvik Jessica Leung
Web Accessibility • Web accessibility means that people with disabilities can use the Web[1] • Making sites efficiently usable for people with disabilities. • We are primarily concerned with web accessibility for blind people. [1] http://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/accessibility.php “Web Accessibility Initiative”
Blind people and computers • “Blind” isn’t defined equivalently in all contexts • We focus on people who use screen readers • Output • Screen readers • Converts visual information to linear display • Voiced visual content • Refreshable Braille displays • Input • Keyboard • (Virtually) No mouse
Web Accessibility Problems • Images • Layout • Tables • Dynamic content • Mixing content and visual presentation • Poorly-named links • Flash, other multimedia
/olc/pub/YALE/oldintro/oldintro.cgi Update Address
/olc/pub/YALE/oldintro/oldintro.cgi Update Address
Why should people care? • Laws • Section 508 of the U.S. Rehabilitation Act • Lawsuits • NFB v. Target (2006) • Maguire v. SOCOG (1999) • Accessible websites have other benefits • Likely easier for sighted users to navigate • Search engines • In United States, 1.3 million legally blind people, and approx. 10 million visually impaired people [2] [2] http://www.afb.org/Section.asp?SectionID=15 American Foundation for the Blind: Blindness Statistics
Why aren’t sites accessible? • People make uninformed decisions • Many developers don't think about blind people • Old technologies are still used, despite advances • Web design tools don’t always produce accessible content • Easy to incorporate accessibility from the beginning, difficult to redesign existing site • Browser compliance
Outline • Accessmonkey • Evaluation of Website Accessibility • NFB Youth Slam
Outline • Accessmonkey • Evaluation of Website Accessibility • NFB Youth Slam
What are we doing? • Accessmonkey: A scripting framework for improving web accessibility
Accessmonkey • Inspired by Greasemonkey • Greasemonkey allows users to modify web pages • Accessmonkey • Users modify pages without coding • Users share their improvements • Developers save users’ modifications Accessmonkey
Accessmonkey: Issues • Security • Restrict the power of most user-submitted scripts • Allow unrestricted scripts after peer review • Deployment User Base Scripts • Multi-platform • Firefox • Internet Explorer • UI design
Accessmonkey: Progress • Met with blind people to discuss issues • Created suggestion form for website improvements • Specific page scripts • Association of Yale Alumni (AYA) • MyUW • Amazon • General scripts • Assign alt texts • Label headers
Original Modified AYA - Images Enabled
Original Modified AYA - Images Disabled
… … Original Modified MyUW - Styles Enabled
… … Original Modified MyUW - Styles Disabled
… … Original Modified MyUW - Styles Disabled
… … Original Modified MyUW - Styles Disabled
Outline • Accessmonkey • Evaluation of Website Accessibility • NFB Youth Slam
Evaluation of Accessibility • Existing Tools • Accessibility difficult to measure • Subjective and not quantifiable • Difficult to suggest specific improvements • What we can do is look at alt (alternative) text • General indicator of how the site is doing overall • Very specific and simple to implement
Outline • Accessmonkey • Evaluation of Website Accessibility • NFB Youth Slam
NFB Youth Slam • (National Federation of the Blind) • 1-week camp for blind high school students in Baltimore, MD • Taught students how to program instant messenger chatbots [3] www.blindscience.org/ncbys/Youth_Slam.asp
NFB Youth Slam In the Lab Team Exhibit Hall
Acknowledgements • SURP • NASA Space Grant • Professor Richard Ladner • Jeffrey Bigham • Maxwell Aller
Web Studies: All Images != • Significant images need alternative text • alt HTML attribute • Insignificant images need empty alt text • Decorative or structural <img src=“graph.gif” alt=“annual growth: 1982 to 2004”> <img src=“images/spacer.gif”> <img src=“images/spacer.gif” alt=“”>
Prioritization of Problems • Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 1.0 • Identifies accessibility checkpoints for web developers • Separates checkpoints into 3 priorities • Priority 1 must be implemented, otherwise inaccessible • Priorities 2 and 3 are important for efficiency