Ryerson-test/RYER101/Prerequisites

If you don’t currently have the prerequisites suggested below, do not be discouraged. There is still plenty you can learn without this technical knowledge, that will help you become expert at identifying potential barriers. The technical knowledge comes into play primarily when recommending solutions to barriers.

If you are motivated, you can pick up enough understanding of the technical aspects of web accessibility auditing to become a competent web accessibility auditor. There is one caveat: you should develop an expert understanding of WCAG 2.0, starting with the basics covered in this course and continue to study the guidelines as you develop your auditing skills.

WCAG 2.0

Some familiarity with the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.0) will be beneficial. Though the course will cover the basics of WCAG 2.0 and identify the key issues in WCAG 2.0 to watch for if you are not already familiar with the specification, those who already understand WCAG 2.0 will find the course easier to follow.

To learn more, read through the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and the Introduction to WCAG.

HTML

For those unfamiliar with HTML (HyperText Markup Language), it is a markup language used to format the content that appears on the Web, and barriers are generally resolved by manipulating the HTML of Web content. You will find the course most beneficial if you are comfortable writing HTML, or at least able to read HTML and understand what it is doing. Many of the Web content issues one might identify as potential barriers originate in the HTML, and if you plan on offering solutions to barriers in the reports you write, a good understanding of HTML is a must. If you will only be identifying accessibility issues and are not providing solutions, you can get by with minimal understanding of HTML.

If you want to expand your knowledge of HTML coding, you might consider the HTML/CSS lessons on Code Academy.

JavaScript

While most of what you will learn here focuses on identifying and reporting issues in HTML, a course like this cannot avoid talking about the barriers that can arise when JavaScript programming is used to create interactivity within Web content. Knowing the basics of JavaScript will help with understanding accessibility issues that arise in custom programmed features often found in today’s websites.

If you want to expand your knowledge of JavaScript coding, you might consider the JavaScript Lessons on Code Academy.