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4. Check that forms are accessible Usually there is prompt text next to each item in a form. For example, a contact form might have prompt text ‘name’, ‘e-mail’, and ‘comments’, each one next to a box where your site users will enter information. When you click on prompt text, does a flashing cursor appear in box next to that text? If not, your forms are inaccessible.
5. Check that text can be resized In Internet Explorer (used by over 90% of Internet users) go to View > Font size > Largest. Does text on your website increase in size? If not, then your website is inaccessible to web users with poor visibility.
6. Check your website in Lynx browser The Lynx browser is a text-only browser and does not support many of features that other browsers such as Internet Explorer have. You can check how your site looks in this browser with Lynx Viewer, available at http://www.delorie.com/web/lynxview.html. If your website makes sense and can be navigated through Lynx browser, then it will be fulfilling many of web accessibility guidelines.
7. Check that you can access all areas of your website without use of a mouse Can you navigate through your website using just tab, shift-tab and return? If not, then neither can keyboard- and voice-only users.
8. Check that there is a site map Can you find a site map? If not, then neither can people who are lost on your website.
9. Check your web pages with an automated program Two programs available for free on Internet are Bobby (http://bobby.watchfire.com) and Wave (http://www.wave.webaim.org). They are unable to provide you with all information that you need, as some checks must be done by humans, but they can tell you some of areas where your site might be going wrong.
10. Hire an expert Hire a web accessibility professional to test your website.
This article was written by Trenton Moss of Webcredible (http://www.webcredible.co.uk), the user-friendly website experts. Find articles and tutorials about web usability, web accessibility, web credibility, search engine optimisation and CSS in the extensive web development resources (http://www.webcredible.co.uk/user-friendly-resources/) area of their website.