Web Design Update: April 8, 2025

[Laura Carlson]

+++ WEB DESIGN UPDATE.
- Volume 25, Issue, April 8, 2025.

An email newsletter to distribute news and information about web
design and development.

++ISSUE 41 CONTENTS.

SECTION ONE: New references.
What's new at the Web Design Reference site?
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/
New links in these categories:

01: ACCESSIBILITY.
02: CASCADING STYLE SHEETS.
03: EVENTS.
04: HTML.
05: MISCELLANEOUS.
06: WEBWASTE & SUSTAINABILITY.

SECTION TWO:
07: What Can You Find at the Web Design Reference Site?

[Contents ends.]


++ SECTION ONE: New references.

+01: ACCESSIBILITY.

The Importance of Alt Text for Images
By Michael Beck.
"…Let's dive into what alt text is, why it matters, and how you can
use it effectively…"
https://afixt.com/the-importance-of-alt-text-for-images/

Alt Text in Google Docs and Slides
By Whitney Lewis.
"We often add images to Google Docs and Slides. To make sure everyone
can get content from those images, we should also add alt text…"
https://blog.pope.tech/2025/04/02/alt-text-in-google-docs-and-slides/

A Guide to Alt Text Across Popular Tools
By Whitney Lewis.
"Put simply, alternative text describes an image for people who can't
see it. Images convey content, so users who can't see the image, rely
on alternative text to get that content…"
https://blog.pope.tech/2025/04/02/a-guide-to-alt-text-across-popular-tools/

A11y 101: 1.4.4 Resize Text
By Nat Tarnoff.
"Unless you have bionic eyes, at one point or another a computer
screen will become difficult to read…"
https://tarnoff.info/2025/04/07/a11y-101-1-4-4-resize-text/

Creating Accessible Interactive Maps for the Web Guide
By David Berman.
"Hi everyone! I hope you'll enjoy this guide we've crafted. Today, it
seems especially valuable that everyone can clearly interpret maps and
their borders…The guide is in Google Docs format, with commenting
rights enabled for you so you can help us continuously improve the
document…"
https://docs.google.com/document/d/15vuWV0F3tDL81KgeRfDsHyha-jit3TIBU9JbII28wP0/

The New ADA Title II Regulation on Accessible Digital Technologies (Video)
By University of Washington.
"The video and supplemental resources for the March 13, 2025 webinar,
The New ADA Title II Regulation on Accessible Digital Technologies:
What it Means for Your School with Eve Hill, JD, has been uploaded to
the DO-IT Center Webinars Page and is now available…"
https://www.washington.edu/doit/webinars/?webinar=title2andU
Slides:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1O76etUlDjqxS6PmpMjU5DG1PdmGLidMq/

Digital Accessibility is a Civil Right
By Karl Groves.
"…digital accessibility is not a legal loophole. It's a civil rights
issue to be taken seriously…"
https://karlgroves.com/digital-accessibility-is-a-civil-right/

Mobile App Accessibility: Best Practices for Inclusive Design
By Michael Beck.
"…Let's explore key best practices to make your mobile apps accessible…"
https://afixt.com/mobile-app-accessibility-best-practices-for-inclusive-design/

Automated vs. AI vs. Manual Testing - Text Alternatives
By Dennis Deacon.
"There's a lot of chatter on the intertubes of late around the
thoroughness and accuracy of various accessibility testing approaches;
Manual, Automated and Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based testing. I
thought it might be good to take a look at these comparisons, to have
a better sense when different approaches can be effective…"
https://www.dennisdeacon.com/web/accessibility/automated-vs-ai-vs-manual-testing-text-alternatives/

Prioritizing Accessibility Bugs for Maximum Impact
By Jack Haas.
"Juggling competing priorities, tight deadlines, and endless
iterations can make it easy to deprioritize accessibility
considerations. In our work, we've seen how neglecting accessibility
can lead to frustrating user experiences and other consequences.
That's why we decided to treat accessibility issues with the same
urgency as any other bug. Enter the Accessibility Bug Classification
Matrix, which we created to help us quickly prioritize issues based on
their impact. It provides a clear framework for promptly identifying
and addressing the most critical accessibility barriers.…"
https://accessibility.civicactions.com/posts/prioritizing-accessibility-bugs-for-maximum-impact

10 Hilarious (but Sadly Real) Stereotypes About Digital Accessibility
By Monika Prasad.
"…Digital accessibility isn't some mythical bonus feature-it's
essential. The web should be usable for everyone, and these
stereotypes? They're holding progress back…"
https://www.digitala11y.com/10-hilarious-but-sadly-real-stereotypes-about-digital-accessibility/

The WebAIM Million
By WebAIM.
"The 2025 report on the accessibility of the top 1,000,000 home pages…"
https://webaim.org/projects/million/

Infographic - Disability Discrimination Act: Guidelines on Equal
Access to Digital Goods and Services
By Naomi Saines.
"Intopia has released a useful infographic to help explain the
Disability Discrimination Act Guidelines on Equal Access to Digital
Goods and Services (the Guidelines)…"
https://intopia.digital/articles/infographic-disability-discrimination-act-guidelines/

Follow Up Questions: WCAG 3 CSUN Talk
By Rachael Bradley Montgomery.
"The Accessibility Guidelines Working Group chairs and staff presented
'WCAG 3: The True Story!' at CSUN 2025. Due to time constraints, we
were not able to answer all of the audience's questions. We've posted
the questions and answers below…"
https://whollyaccessible.org/2025/04/04/follow-up-questions-wcag-3-csun-talk/

A Note About WCAG Conformance Levels
By Dennis Deacon.
"People in their early stages of their accessibility journey are often
confused about the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)
Conformance levels and what the expectations are to meet them. Here's
a quick glimpse into their meaning and how you should approach them…"
https://www.dennisdeacon.com/web/accessibility/a-note-about-wcag-conformance-levels/

Accessibility Not-Checklist
By Intopia.
…"The Not-Checklist acts as a guide to make sure you haven't missed
anything. If you're new to accessibility, the resource provides a
foundation - it's an overview of what you'll need to consider, but it
won't teach you WCAG from front to back…"
https://not-checklist.intopia.digital/

What's the Difference Between WCAG, the EAA, and EN 301 549?
By Melissa Morse.
"Let's break down the key differences between the Web Content
Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), the European Accessibility Act (EAA),
and EN 301 549 - and what they mean for businesses and organizations
worldwide…"
https://www.tpgi.com/whats-the-difference-between-wcag-the-eaa-and-en-301-549/


+02: CASCADING STYLE SHEETS.

Tweaking Text Level Styles, Reprised
By Adrian Roselli.
"…Use the HTML elements instead of ARIA because you get the user agent
styles for free. You don't need to adjust the default styles, but if
you do it anyway be mindful of contrast, sizing units, forced-colors
mode, print styles, and language. Do not make any changes for screen
readers - do not use CSS generated content and do not use
aria-roledescription…"
https://adrianroselli.com/2025/04/tweaking-text-level-styles-reprised.html

Support Setting Offscreen Content Inert (GitHub Comment)
By Alice Boxhall.
"…I need to step away from this for a bit; it's been exceptionally
stressful trying to engage on this topic when there doesn't appear to
be a genuine effort made to understand and engage with (not just
rebut) the feedback others and I are giving on accessibility. Some
brief thoughts, however…"
https://github.com/w3c/csswg-drafts/issues/10711#issuecomment-2765041902

Feature for Making Text Always Fit the Width of Its Parent (GitHub Comment)
By Patrick H. Lauke.
"…wondering what the accessibility impact on this may be for users
that use full-page zoom (on desktop/laptop)… will they zoom to try and
make text bigger, but the text will scale down to still fit in the now
smaller viewport/parent?…"
https://github.com/w3c/csswg-drafts/issues/2528#issuecomment-2770261671


+03: EVENTS.

ADA Title II 1 Year Away with Mark Miller and David Sloan
April 17, 2025.
Online
https://www.tpgi.com/the-state-of-accessibility-episode-8/

Global Accessibility Awareness Day: Committing to Change
May 15, 2025.
Online
https://accessibility.umn.edu/gaad/gaad-2025

Worldwide Developers Conference
June 9-13, 2025.
Online
https://developer.apple.com/wwdc25/

Disability:IN 2025 Annual Conference
July 14-17, 2025.
Orlando, Florida, U.S.A.
https://disabilityin.org/2025conference/

AHFE 2025 International Conference
July 26-30, 2025
Orlando, Florida, U.S.A.
https://ahfe.org/

World Design Congress 2025
September 9-10, 2025.
London, England, United Kingdom
https://www.worlddesigncongresslondon.com/

UX Nordic
September 24-25, 2025
Online and Copenhagen, Denmark
https://www.uxnordic.com/


+04: HTML.

Mainlining Mains
By Adrian Roselli.
"…Use only one (non-hidden) main landmark per HTML page. This means
it's ok to have an <iframe> with its own main landmark because that is
a standalone page. It's not ok to use application or document roles to
add more to the current page."
https://adrianroselli.com/2025/04/mainlining-mains.html


+05: MISCELLANEOUS.

Employee Spotlight: David Swallow's Story
By Shelly Klure.
"As we continue our monthly Employee Spotlight series, we get to know
David Swallow, Principal UX Consultant at TPGi.
https://blog.freedomscientific.com/employee-spotlight-david-swallows-story/


+06: WEBWASTE & SUSTAINABILITY.

Lets Talk Digital Sustainability
By Chris Lewis.
"…This past week the overall approach to Digital Sustainability was
challenged, sadly not through conversation. The following is the
thoughts of Andy, who manages our Curiously Green newsletter and
spends his time in and around the wider thinking on Digital
Sustainability with input from Bailey, our new business Manager and
Dan, our Technical Team lead - who both speak internally and
externally about what Digital Sustainability looks like on a tangible
level, as people on the front line of actually designing and building
sites to be more sustainable…"
https://www.wholegraindigital.com/blog/lets-talk-digital-sustainability/

[Section one ends.]


++ SECTION TWO:

+07: What Can You Find at the Web Design Reference Site?

Accessibility Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/accessibility.html

Association Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/associations.html

Book Listings.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/books.html

Cascading Style Sheets Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/css.html

Color Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/color.html

Drupal Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/drupal.html

Evaluation & Testing Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/testing.html

Event Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/events.html

HTML Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/html.html

Information Architecture Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/architecture.html

JavaScript Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/javascript.html

Miscellaneous Web Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/misc.html

Navigation Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/navigation.html

PHP Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/php.html

Sites & Blogs Listing.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/sites.html

Standards, Guidelines & Pattern Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/standards.html

Tool Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/tools.html

Typography Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/type.html

Usability Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/usability.html

WebWaste & Sustainability Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/webwaste.html

XML Information.
https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/xml.html

[Section two ends.]


++END NOTES.


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+ SIGN OFF.

Until next time,

Laura L. Carlson
Information Technology Systems and Services
University of Minnesota Duluth
Duluth, MN U.S.A. 55812-3009
mailto:lcar...@d.umn.edu


[Issue ends.]