Coastal Services Center

Content, Usability, and Accessibility

Learning about target audiences and developing clear objectives help in guiding towards what content to place on-line. This module looks at appropriate formatting and presentation of content, and presents an overview of the concepts of usability and accessibility.

Module Objectives:

After completing this module, you will be able to:

• Define the terms “chunking” and “microcontent.”
• Explain why you should reduce the amount of content as you transfer it from print to your Web site.
• Describe several parameters that contribute to Web site usability.
• Incorporate ideas into your Web site that can help users understand the purpose of the site and find the information that they need.
• Discuss special accessibility requirements and criteria for determining if a site is accessible.
• Explain Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.
• Describe accepted Web site navigation standards.
• Outline the steps needed to plan and develop a Web site.

This module also provides several links to other sites with good information regarding Web content, accessibility, and usability.