Go to ADE home.Accessibility in Distance Education
Go to UMUC Web site.
What is Accessibility Legal Issues Understanding Disabilities
This tab is selected: How-To.
Best Practices
This tab is selected:

Valid HTML

8 of 9

Students Affected: Students who are blind.Students with low vision.Students who are color-blind.Students with hearing impairments.Students with mobility impairments.Students with specific learning disabilities.Students with health impairments.

Principles: Follow Web Standards, Separate Presentation from Content


What it Means | How it Works | Testing Tips


What It Means

Web browsers expect to receive Web pages written according to the rules of Link opens in new window.HTML. HTML that observes these rules is said to be "valid." Valid HTML is an important step toward developing an accessible Web page.

If You Do It Wrong: Your Web pages may display unpredictably in some browsers, especially newer browsers and browsers for people with special needs.

If You Do It Right: Your Web pages display well in any standards-compliant browser.


Tip. Even if you use a Web page editor (e.g. Microsoft FrontPage, Netscape Composer, Macromedia Dreamweaver), it is always good to know a little valid HTML. It gives you more flexibility with Web page design and a better understanding of why things don't always work the way you expect them to. Many accessibility techniques require a little knowledge of HTML. One good place to start learning HTML is the WebAIM Basic HTML Tutorial.


How it Works

  1. Use the most current and valid version of HTML.

    More Info. The HTML language is defined in specifications issued by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). The syntax and proper use of each HTML tag is defined in the HTML 4.01 specification.

  2. Do not misuse valid HTML tags. For example, <blockquote> should be used to quote a block of text, not to create indented margins. Misusing valid tags can further confuse browsers.

  3. Test your pages with an Link opens in new window.HTML Validator before posting them online (see Testing Tips below).

    Tip. Microsoft Word allows you to create Web pages quickly and easily, but it also may create invalid HTML. This poses accessibility problems with Link opens in new window.screen readers and Web browsers other than Internet Explorer. Try using another Web page editor instead.


Testing Tips

Test the validity of your HTML code with an HTML validator.

More Info. The W3C HTML Validation Service and the Web Design Group HTML Validator are free online validators.



Web Pages: Back to Data Tables | Forward to Testing


Top of page

About this Site Site Map Glossary Contact Us Credits

© 1996-2005 University of Maryland University College • 3501 University Blvd. East, Adelphi, MD 20783 • USA
Phone: 800-888-UMUC (800-888-8682)