CAP Program Site
A TRICARE Program Web Site
One of the contracts that I was responsible while working at IBA was the Computer Assistem Program. (CAP) The primary mission of this TRICARE program was accessibility for the handicapped. CAP was one of the driving forces behind Section 508.
This presented an interesting challenge for me, back in 1998. I had to learn, very quickly, what made a web site accessible for all sorts of handicaps. They had a full lab of various machines that I used for testing purposes. This was also my first exposure to Bobby, the accessibility testing tool. Proper forms (with labels, fieldsets, legends, accesskey, tabindex, title, alt ) were implemented, as was careful layout using tables to direct the screenreaders path, careful tagging of all elements to assist screenreaders and braile printers, enlarged text for screen enlargers.
Accessibility was of prime importance in this site design, unlike any other I've ever developed (including present time). The reason for this was that a large portion of the audience needed the accessibility features, and I would hear of it if it didn't meet the user needs.
A unique opportunty presented itself for user-testing the CAP web site. We had access to many types of disabled people that would use the site. So I got to sit down and watch a blind person, a physically handicaped person and a sight-impared person use the site. It was incredibly enlightening to see this. They were very helpful with their feedback in what worked and what didn't, and how things could be made easier for each of their instances. It was a lesson that has never left me.
The CAP Home Page was created for three audiences. Visual, Screen Readers and Enlarged Readers.
The large navigational bar with a strong branding element was easily bypassed by table cell placement, hidden links and browser sniffing.
CAP was an early adopter of the Bobby program. We first validated the site in 1997, and were strong proponents of accessibility.
The footer navigational links, along with top navigational links, all had accesskeys assigned to them, allowing for quick navigation throughout the site.