About this page: This page contains links to resources for creating accessible web pages using CSS and XHTML.

Web Standards

The Web Standards Project (WaSP) http://webstandards.org/
Describes the rational for standards, includes resources and templates.

XHTML

XHTML Validation Tool at the World Wide Web Consortium (W3) http://validator.w3.org/

XHTML recommendations: XHTML™ 1.0 The Extensible HyperText Markup Language (Second Edition) http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/

CSS

Validation

CSS Validation Tool at W3 http://jigsaw.w3.org/css-validator/validator-uri.html

Common Validation problems from the Web Design group. Handy help with a few common errors at http://www.htmlhelp.com/tools/validator/problems.html.en

Properties and Values

Cascading Style Cheatsheet a convenient guide to the most common styles http://web.tampabay.rr.com/bmerkey/cheatsheet.htm

Reference Table of CSS properties and values at http://builder.com.com/5100-31-5071268.html

Big list of common properties: http://www.stylegala.com/features/css-reference/

Colors: It's all here http://www.w3schools.com/css/css_colornames.asp

Samples, Tutorials and Advice on CSS and XHTML

The Web Developer's Handbook http://www.alvit.de/handbook/
Quite a bit of stuff (and more...)

Zen Garden http://www.csszengarden.com/
A gallery of what can be done and code allowing you to modify existing style sheets and html pages to create your own

Cascading Style Sheets Homepage at W3C http://www.w3.org/Style/CSS/
See the Learning CSS section. This includes a tutorial that will walk you through creating a styled page for the first time.

The Noodle Incident http://www.thenoodleincident.com/tutorials/css/index.html
Broad range of useful CSS information

Tutorials

W3 Schools http://www.w3schools.com/css/default.asp
Very helpful tutorials, gets you started, walks you through.

Max Design http://css.maxdesign.com.au/index.htm
More Great Tutorials at this Australian design group associated with the Web Standards Group Special focus on lists and float.

Expert Opinion and New Ideas

Eric Meyer the main man http://www.meyerweb.com/eric/css/
plus the bleeding edge: http://www.meyerweb.com/eric/css/edge/

Web Essentials Conference 2005 http://we05.com/
Podcasts and presenter slides including discussion of standards, development and design tips.

Accessibility

Both general accessiblity and 508 compliance (for people with disabilties) provide links to resources that will help you to create a site that is accessible to a broad section of the population including people with visual, auditory and cognitive disabilites. See A Primer for Accessible Web Pages to gather background and rational.

Trace Center at the University of Wisconsin http://trace.wisc.edu/world/web/
creating a more universally usable web.

Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) http://www.w3.org/WAI/
Strategies, guidelines, resources to make the Web accessible to people with disabilities.

View from a text-only browser perspective http://cgi.w3.org/cgi-bin/html2txt?
Input URL and returns page as text only

508 Compliance

Federal agencies are required to comply with the 508 regulations for accessible technology. This includes creating web sites that aim for universal access. For more information about accessible web design:

Federal Standards (508) http://www.section508.gov/
Required standards for federal agencies and useful FAQ

The tools below are recommended on the Section 508 Access Web site under 508 Tools & Resources.

CynthiaSays! is a web content accessibility validation solution, designed to identify errors in design related to Section 508 standards and the WCAG guidelines. This service is a free accessibility validation tester.

Hermish.com is a free web accessibility tool designed to help you bring your web site up to required standards outlined by The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).

Validation of RSS Feeds

Feed Validator Checks RSS and Atom feeds http://feedvalidator.org/

 

Contact: russells@simmons.edu
This page updated May 3, 2006.