An Essential Tool

I have been professionally doing web design/development for 20 years now and I want to share with you a tool that I have used for the last seven years to help me design sites that are compliant with section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.

One of elements is that text be readable to those with vision impairments such as color blindness or other color deficiencies. So how do we, as designers, know what does or does not fall into a "good" contrast range? Colour Contrast Check by Snook.ca to the rescue!

As I said I have used this tool and, in my time managing, I have required my staff to use it as well. It is simple and self-explanatory and should be used each and every time a web site is being designed. Though compliance with section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act is not "law", yet, it is something that commercial web sites are demanding.

So bookmark it, use it and make it part of your design process. It will improve your marketability and it is just good standards.

Ok next time I will write something more controversial, promise.