WAC Approved Icon

The WAC Approved icon can be displayed on pages reviewed by the WAC or those pages that meet or exceed the OSU Minimum Web Accessibility Standards.

The WAC bases it's analysis of accessibility on the OSU Minimum Web Accessibility Standards. Web designers may also request that pages be reviewed based on either Section 508 or the guidelines established by the W3C's Web Accessibility Initiative (currently Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0).

There are currently 19 checkpoints in the OSU Minimum Web Accessibility Standards:

1. Provide a text equivalent for every non-text element (e.g. via alt tags, "longdesc," or in element content)
2. Provide sychronized equivalent alternatives (captions or audio descriptions) for any multimedia presentation.
3. insure that all information conveyed with color is also available without color.
4. insure that foreground and background color provide sufficient contrast.
5. Use a style sheet for formatting whenever possible and insure that content can still be accessed/read when style sheets are turned off.
6. Use client-side image maps instead of server-side image maps, except where the regions cannot be defined.
7. Provide redundant text links for each active region of a server-side image map.
8. Identify row and column headers for data tables.
9. Associate data cells and header cells for data tables that have two or more logical levels of row or column headers.
10. Frames shall be titled with text that identifies the page and aids navigation.
11. Avoid causing the screen to flicker.
12. Insure information generated by scripting is available in an alternative format.
13. Provide a link to any applet or plug-in when content requires that applet or plug-in to be viewed.
14. Forms should have: labels explicitly associated with form controls, keyboard access, and dynamic HTML scripting that does not interfere with assistive technologies.
15. Provide users a method to skip repetitive navigation links.
16. Alert users when a timed response is required and allow users to request more time.
17. Do not change (open, cause pop-ups) the current window without informing the user.
18. Clearly identify the target of each link. (Do not use repeating link text -- e.g. "click here," "more," "choose").
19. Only use alternative accessibile mirror pages (e.g. text-only or non-flash) when compliance cannot be accomplished in any other way. When using a mirror page, the content must be updated whenever the primary page changes.

The WAC also analyzes web pages for compatibility with various browsers. Analysis is based on documentation from browser vendors when available. The WAC automatically checks sites for compatibility with HTML 4.01 Transitional, unless your DOCTYPE identifies an alternate grammar.

Getting Your Site WAC Approved.

The OSU Web Accessibility Center (WAC) analyzes web pages for their accessibility to people with disabilities. The WAC offers this as a free service to OSU faculty and staff in order to further its mission to expand opportunities for people with disabilities through the innovative uses of computer technology. The WAC's goal is to ensure that all distance education and online courses at OSU are fully accessible to persons with disabilities.

To have your web site analyzed, e-mail the URL of the homepage of the site that you want the WAC staff to examine to webaccess@osu.edu. The WAC will report any accessibility and/or browser compatibility errors found on the page.

Once your site receives WAC approval, you are entitled to display the WAC Approved icon on your site. For more information on how to display the icon, review the guidelines for displaying the WAC Approved icon.