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Validating Your Web Site

Lesson Plan

OBJECTIVE:

The learner will list three reasons to validate a web page.

SET:

So now you know what to do ... how do you know if you did it right?

TEACHING POINTS:

  1. What is "validation?"

    1. Usually involves using a computer program to review the HTML code on the page, based on standards

      1. Notes deficiencies in HTML

      2. Notes deficiencies in design

      3. Notes accessibility problems

    2. If you use a page authoring program, it probably does some validation for you:

      1. Items requiring human judgment during validation

        1. Do the page background and text colors provide sufficient contrast to be legible?

        2. Is the page using color to provide information?

        3. Is the navigation strategy you're using clear to visitors?

    3. Items examined in validation

      1. HTML code - is it correct?

        1. Element syntax correct?

        2. Are elements requiring both opening and closing tags properly closed?

          1. Do elements span paragraphs, etc.?

        3. Are elements in proper order?

        4. Attribute syntax correct?

          1. Attribute contain valid values?

          2. Attribute allowed?

      2. Items examined in validation

        1. Images

          1. Do they include ALT attributes?

          2. ALT attribute values sufficiently descriptive?

          3. Should the image also have a LONGDESC attribute (i.e., a link to a file containing a more detailed description than will fit in ALT attribute)

          4. Is the image being used as a link?

          5. Does all of the information still come through if you turn off images in your browser?

        2. Does the page linearize properly?

          1. If table is used for layout, does information flow in the order it is intended to?

          2. If table is included in page, does information flow in the order it is intended to?

          3. Do tables include contextual information?

            1. Is the SCOPE attribute used for row and column headings?

            2. Is the HEADER attribute used with ID to provide context?

        3. Can the page be understood if the visitor cannot/does not use scripts or style sheets?

          1. Can test with (some) browsers

          2. Pages relying on scripts should also include provisions for those using no scripts

          3. Pages laid out with style sheets must also make sense when user agent does not accommodate style sheets.

  2. Why Validate?

    1. Most accessibility errors will NOT be visible on the page

    2. Validation catches HTML errors too

ACTIVE PARTICIPATION:

sk the participants what they expect Validation to check for. Make a list.

Ask the participants why they believe Validation is necessary, if they "know" what to do.

CLOSURE:

Validation quiz.

MATERIALS:

  • PC, PowerPoint, Projector
  • Quiz
  • Validation links on the course CD

To access Lesson Plan as a Microsoft® Word document: Validation_lessonplan.doc

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