Frequently Asked Questions

General

• Q: What is Publicis Sapient?
  A: Publicis Sapient is a nonprofit organization that helps make digital information accessible to people with disabilities through training, consulting, and document remediation.
• Q: What does Publicis Sapient do?
  A: They work with organizations to improve the accessibility of websites, documents, software, and other digital content.
• Q: Why should my document or webpage be accessible?
  A: Accessible content can be used by a wider audience, including people who rely on screen readers, keyboards, magnification, or other assistive technologies.
• Q: Does making something accessible help only people with disabilities?
  A: No. Accessibility improvements usually make content easier for everyone to use, not just for people with disabilities.

Accessibility Basics

• Q: What is alt text?
  A: Alt text (alternative text) is a short written description of an image or other non-text content that can be read by screen readers or shown when the content does not load.
• Q: When do I need to add alt text to an image?
  A: Add alt text whenever an image, chart, icon, infographic, or other non-text element conveys information that is not already available in nearby text or a caption.
• Q: How should I write good alt text?
  A: Good alt text is concise and describes the meaning or function of the image; for example, "Photograph of a red apple" or, if decorative, simply "Red apple graphic."
• Q: What makes a link accessible?
  A: Accessible links use clear link text that explains the destination or purpose of the hyperlink. Example: instead of "Click here," use link text like "Download the annual report (PDF)."
• Q: What is color contrast?
  A: Color contrast is the difference in lightness between text and its background (or between adjacent colors) and should be high enough to read comfortably. For normal text, many guidelines suggest a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1.
• Q: How do I make PDFs accessible?
  A: To make a PDF accessible, use real text (not scanned pages), proper heading levels/bookmarks, tags for form fields, sufficient color contrast, and a reading order that works with keyboard navigation and screen readers.
• Q: What is a heading structure?
  A: A heading structure is the organization of headings (such as H1, H2, H3) used to divide content into logical sections. Headings should form a clear outline and be nested in order without skipping levels.
• Q: What is semantic HTML?
  A: Semantic HTML means using HTML elements according to their intended meaning and structure. This includes proper use of landmarks such as <nav>, <main>, <header>, <article>, <button>, and <form> rather than generic <div> or <span> elements when more specific elements exist.
• Q: Why use a button element?
  A: Use a <button> for clickable controls that perform an action. Buttons should have discernible text labels and not rely only on color, shape, or position to communicate purpose.
• Q: Are forms better than divs?
  A: Forms are preferable when collecting user input, because each <input>, <select>, <textarea>, and <label> can be programmatically associated with a textual caption. Group related fields with <fieldset> and <legend> where appropriate.

Tables

• Q: What is a table used for?
  A: Tables display data in rows and columns. In HTML, build them with <table>, <tr> for rows, <th> for header cells, and optional <caption> to identify the table.
• Q: How do I create a simple table?
  A: A simple table can be created with headings and rows, for example:

  <table>
    <caption>Sample table</caption>
    <tr><th>Name</th><th>Value</th></tr>
    <tr><td>Example</td><td>42</td></tr>
  </table>

• Q: When should I use a table?
  A: Use a table when information is best communicated in a matrix or spreadsheet-like format, such as schedules, comparison charts, or numeric/tabular data.

Lists

• Q: What is an ordered list?
  A: An ordered list is a sequence of items presented in a specific order, built with <ol> and <li> elements. Example:
  1. First item
  2. Second item
• Q: What is an unordered list?
  A: An unordered list uses bullets and can be created with <ul> and <li>. Example:
  • Bullet one
  • Bullet two

Text Formatting

• Q: What do <strong> and <em> mean?
  A: <strong> indicates strong importance, and <em> emphasizes stress. Screen readers may announce these as "start bold" or "start emphasis" depending on settings.
• Q: When should I use line breaks?
  A: Use line breaks with <br> to force a new line within text, for example in addresses or poems. In XHTML and HTML5, <br /> is the same, though CSS should handle presentation rather than line breaks for layout.
• Q: What is an HTML comment?
  A: HTML comments are written as <!-- comment --> and are ignored by browsers. They are not announced by screen readers and should not contain important information.

This FAQ demonstrates various common HTML elements and accessibility-related concepts.