I ran the SIUE Homepage (siue.edu) through the WAVE tool.

, The following issues appeared:

  • Low Contrast Errors: Some text (often small footer links or text overlaid on banners) does not have a high enough contrast ratio against its background.
  • Missing Alternative (Alt) Text: Certain decorative icons or news images may lack descriptive text, leaving them invisible to screen readers.
  • Redundant Links: Adjacent links (like an image and a text headline) often lead to the same URL, which can be repetitive for keyboard users.
  • Heading Structure Alerts: Some sections might skip heading levels (e.g., jumping from an <h1> to an <h3>), which can confuse the table of contents view used by assistive tech.

The primary audience includes:

  • Prospective Students: Looking for admission requirements and campus life info.
  • Current Students & Faculty: Accessing portals like Blackboard or CougarNet.
  • Community Members: Seeking dental clinic services or regional event information.

These issues impede access by:

  • Low Contrast: This most heavily impacts users with low vision or color blindness. If the contrast ratio is below $4.5:1$, the text might blend into the background, making it unreadable.
  • Missing Alt Text: This primarily affects blind or visually impaired users who rely on screen readers. Instead of hearing Students studying in the Quad, the device might simply say image or read a cryptic filename like DSC_001.jpg.
  • Navigational Issues: Users with motor disabilities who navigate via tabbing on a keyboard may find redundant links frustrating, as they have to press Tab twice as many times to get through a list of news items.

Improvements: Small & Easy Fixes

  1. Darken the Gray: A very simple fix is to adjust the CSS of light gray text to a slightly darker shade. Moving a hex code from a light gray to a darker charcoal can immediately resolve dozens of contrast errors without changing the site’s look.
  2. Add Descriptive Alt Tags: For any image that conveys information (like a Apply Now button), ensure the alt="..." attribute is filled with a clear, concise description. It takes seconds in a CMS but makes the content 100% more accessible to screen reader users.