Cognitive Web Accessibility Assessments: Focus And Structure Results

These are aggregate results related to the Focus and Structure section of the cognitive Web accessibility assessments.

Section: Focus and Structure

• 20 Web sites have been assessed to date.
• 70% met the criteria (below) for this section.

Guideline 1

• Use white space and visual design elements to focus user attention.
  The design of a page (white space, color, images, etc.) should focus the user on what is most important (typically the body content of that page).
• Of the 20 Web sites to which this guideline applied, 55% met it.

Guideline 2

• Avoid distractions.
  Animation, varying or unusual font faces, contrasting color or images, or other distracters that pull attention away from content should be avoided. Complex or "busy" background images can draw attention away from the content. Avoid pop-up windows and blinking or moving elements.
• Of the 20 Web sites to which this guideline applied, 80% met it.

Guideline 3

• Use stylistic differences to highlight important content, but do so conservatively.
  Use various stylistic elements (italics, bold, color, brief animation, or differently-styled content) to highlight important content. Overuse can result in the loss of differentiation. Do not use italics or bold on long sections of text. Avoid ALL CAPS.
• Of the 20 Web sites to which this guideline applied, 100% met it.

Guideline 4

• Organize content into well-defined groups or chunks, using headings, lists, and other visual mechanisms.
  Break long pages into shorter sections with appropriate headings (use true and visually significant headings rather than simply big bold text). Select the Outline View in WAVE to check the heading structure. Each page should typically have one <h1> and heading levels should not be skipped. Very long pages may be divided into multiple, sequenced pages. Unordered, ordered, and definition lists provide a visual structuring and convey semantic meaning (e.g., an unordered list conveys a group of parallel items). Use shorter, multi-step forms for complex interactions, rather than lengthy, all-in-one forms.
• Of the 20 Web sites to which this guideline applied, 60% met it.

Guideline 5

• Use white space for separation
  White space is a design term that refers to empty space between elements in a page. It is not necessarily the color white. White space should be used to separate navigation from main body, body text from side elements and footer, main content from supplementary items (floating boxes, for example) and to separate headings, paragraphs, and other body text.
• Of the 20 Web sites to which this guideline applied, 95% met it.

Guideline 6

• Avoid background sounds.
  Give the user control over playing audio content within the page, or at a minimum, give the user control to stop the background sounds.
• Of the 20 Web sites to which this guideline applied, 95% met it.