1. Introduction

1.1 Tutorial Goals

This tutorial aims to enhance your understanding of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 508 compliance, their requirements, and how these apply to website development.

1.2 Learning Outcomes

By the end of this tutorial, you will:

• Understand what ADA and Section 508 compliance mean
• Learn about the requirements for ADA and Section 508 compliance
• Know how to make a website ADA and Section 508 compliant

1.3 Prerequisites

• Basic knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
• Familiarity with web accessibility guidelines

2. Step-by-Step Guide

2.1 Understanding ADA and Section 508 Compliance

ADA and Section 508 are laws that require websites to be accessible to people with disabilities. ADA applies to all public and private websites, while Section 508 applies to federal and federally-funded websites.

2.2 Requirements for ADA and Section 508 Compliance

The main requirements include text alternatives for non-text content, captions for multimedia, content that can be presented in different ways, easy navigation, inputs, timing, etc.

2.3 Best Practices

• Use semantic HTML elements
• Provide alternative text for images
• Use ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) attributes when necessary
• Make sure the website is keyboard accessible
• Provide captions for videos

3. Code Examples

3.1 Semantic HTML

<!-- Use semantic elements for better accessibility -->
<header>
  <nav>
    <!-- Navigation links -->
  </nav>
</header>
<main>
  <!-- Main content -->
</main>
<footer>
  <!-- Footer content -->
</footer>

3.2 Alternative Text for Images

<!-- Image with alt attribute -->
<img src="image.jpg" alt="Description of the image">

3.3 ARIA Attributes

<!-- ARIA attributes help with accessibility -->
<button aria-label="Close" onclick="closeModal()">X</button>

3.4 Keyboard Accessibility

<!-- Make sure all interactive elements are focusable -->
<button tabindex="0">Click me</button>

3.5 Video Captions

<!-- Add captions to videos -->
<video controls>
  <source src="video.mp4" type="video/mp4">
  <track src="captions.vtt" kind="captions" srclang="en" label="English">
</video>

4. Summary

• ADA and Section 508 are laws that require websites to be accessible to people with disabilities.
• To comply with these laws, your website should have text alternatives for non-text content, captions for multimedia, be navigable via keyboard, and more.
• Using semantic HTML, ARIA attributes, and providing captions for videos are just some of the ways to make your website more accessible.

5. Practice Exercises

1. Create an HTML page with a navigation bar, main content, and a footer using semantic HTML elements.
2. Add an image to the page with an appropriate alt attribute.
3. Make a button that alerts "Hello, World!" when clicked, and ensure it's keyboard accessible.

Solutions

1. See Code Example 3.1
2. See Code Example 3.2

<button tabindex="0" onclick="alert('Hello, World!')">Click me</button>

Remember to keep practicing and exploring more about web accessibility. Use tools like WAVE or aXe to check your website's accessibility.