+++ WEB DESIGN UPDATE. - Volume 26, Issue 14, September 30, 2025. An email newsletter to distribute news and information about web design and development. ++ISSUE 14 CONTENTS. SECTION ONE: New references. What's new at the Web Design Reference site? https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/ New links in these categories: 01: ACCESSIBILITY. 02: CASCADING STYLE SHEETS. 03: EVENTS. 04: HTML. 05: JAVASCRIPT. 06: MISCELLANEOUS. 07: NAVIGATION. 08: TOOLS. 09: USABILITY. 10: WEBWASTE & SUSTAINABILITY. SECTION TWO: 11: What Can You Find at the Web Design Reference Site? [Contents ends.] ++ SECTION ONE: New references. +01: ACCESSIBILITY. Creating a Truly Accessible Flip Card By James Edwards. "This article describes an approach for creating accessible Flip Cards - small blocks of content designed to resemble a playing card or business card, or similar two-sided thing. They have front and back 'faces' and can be 'flipped' with a 3D rotation effect…" https://www.tpgi.com/creating-a-truly-accessible-flip-card/ WCAG's Longevity By Eric Eggert. "…some aspects of WCAG have also been created under the premise of a 2005-era web that do not hold true for 2025. I think one of these aspects is visible in this recent discussion about audio descriptions. The discussion is about the requirements for audio description in media that has no pauses to insert the audio description in. In particular this is about SC 1.2.5 Audio Description (Pre-Recorded)…" https://yatil.net/blog/wcags-longevity Testing Methods: Non-text Contrast By Dennis Deacon. "…WCAG 1.4.11 Non-text Contrast is a Level AA conformance level Success Criterion. It ensures that visual elements must have a contrast ratio of at least 3:1 against adjacent colors in the following cases…" https://www.dennisdeacon.com/web/accessibility/testing-methods-non-text-contrast/ Testing Methods: Reflow By Dennis Deacon. "The goal is to support users with low vision, those using screen magnification, or mobile users by making content responsive and readable without needing to scroll side-to-side or lose access to key features. Exceptions are allowed for parts of content where two-dimensional layout is essential, such as maps or complex data tables…" https://www.dennisdeacon.com/web/accessibility/testing-methods-reflow/ Annotating Designs Using Common Language By Craig Abbott. "In most organisations, design documentation often includes annotations, but accessibility-specific ones are still rare. That's a missed opportunity. Annotating designs for accessibility helps everyone involved understand what needs to be built, tested, and maintained…" https://tetralogical.com/blog/2025/09/23/annotating-designs-using-common-language/ Baby Steps Accessibility - PDFs By Dennis Deacon. "Before we begin, let me set expectations. This isn't a step-by-step tutorial on how to remediate a PDF. Instead, my goal is to provide a strategic framework, one that helps organizations prepare, prioritize, and take meaningful action on PDF accessibility. And here's a reality check: unless you've been creating accessible PDFs for years, chances are most of your files are not accessible…" https://www.dennisdeacon.com/web/accessibility/baby-steps-accessibility-pdfs/ I Completed an IT Degree… What's Accessibility? By Serene Mishteler. "Accessibility still hasn't found its place in the 'formal curriculum requirements' of most institutions. So how do you learn about it? That's a fair question and one I had to answer for myself…" https://intopia.digital/articles/i-completed-an-it-degree-whats-accessibility/ Preparation for the Update to ADA's Title II Series: Accessibility as a Workflow: A QA Perspective By Minnesota IT Services. "Build accessibility into your agency's workflow from the beginning…" https://mn.gov/mnit/media/blog/?id=38-706623 GMU's Assistive Technology Initiative: The Highs, Lows, and 'I Don't Knows' of our ADA Title II Efforts (Video) By Korey Singleton, Kristine Neuber, and Robert Starr. "…a candid panel discussion with members of George Mason University's Assistive Technology Initiative (ATI) as they reflect on their roles in the institution's ADA Title II Update efforts. We'll explore the challenges of scaling accessibility across websites, digital documents, and course content, while also highlighting strategies for training, collaboration, and sustainable change. This session will provide insights into how GMU is creating a plan to ensure compliance, foster accountability, and provide equitable access for all…" https://www.3playmedia.com/events/wbnr-09-25-2025-gmu/ When Accessibility Isn't Easy: Features That Need Love with Suzanne Dergacheva (Video) By A11yTalks. "Not all parts of a website are equally straightforward when it comes to accessibility. Some features - especially custom interactions like maps, filters, calendars, and sliders - pose significant challenges that can slow down a project if they're not identified early. In this session, we'll explore real-world examples of features and design patterns that often require additional attention to meet accessibility standards." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNC4NodF6ac Synthetic Speech in Audio Description - Is It Ready? (Video) By John Paton and Jonny Marshall. "Whilst there could be advantages to using synthetic speech for audio description it is not always popular with AD users. RNIB conducted a study alongside UK broadcasters to objectively determine whether the quality of synthetic speech is currently good enough to voice audio description. Using a MOS-based questionnaire and following up with a focus group we uncovered insights into how synthetic speech measures up to human voiced content and what the next steps might be to protect the quality of audio description…" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iU3wQtwbq6Q Inclusive Teams Make Inclusive Products (Video) By Victoria Nduka. "We'll discuss the gaps that show up when teams all look or think the same, and how inclusion within teams creates space for more thoughtful, usable, and human-centered products…" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpREBvrE_NY Designing Neuro-Accessible Interfaces for Better User Engagement (Video) By Piper Hutson. "This talk explores how cognitive load theory can inform the design of digital tools that support a wider range of users. By understanding how working memory, attention, and information processing differ across individuals, we'll examine practical ways to reduce cognitive overload through multi-sensory feedback, clear visual hierarchies, and adaptive user flows-improving engagement and usability for diverse thinking styles…" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NYVIksCffU The Gaps we Inherit (Video) By Lola Odelola. "What does accessibility interoperability look like? This talk explores the edges of support between browsers, assistive tech, and specs…" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idSl4JDhKuE A False Sense of Accessibility: What Automated Testing Tools Are Missing (Video) By Beau Vass. "It's commonly understood that automated accessibility testing tools can find around 20-30% of accessibility issues, but what does this actually mean in practice? Beau takes a closer look at these tools using specific examples, demonstrating the types of accessibility issues automated testing tools won't find, why that is the case, and how they could be giving you a false sense of accessibility…" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTtvETBVW48 W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) Update (Video) By Shawn Lawton Henry and Kevin White. "Join us to learn about continuing work on Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2, on WCAG 3 (it's a long way off), and activities between 2 and 3. We'll also highlight updated resources to put WCAG standards in perspective and focus on the user experiences of disabled people, as well as the benefits for all - users, product owners, society. Find out about resources and opportunities that support your efforts to advance digital accessibility in your organization and worldwide.…" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0BzCcTpODo Accessible Data Visualization for Screen Reader User (Video) By Jonathan Zong. "As we increasingly rely on visualization to communicate about data, lack of equitable information access for blind and low vision (BLV) people can exclude people from important conversations. I work with blind and low-vision collaborators and study participants to design systems that support BLV users to independently conduct data exploration without sighted assistance. In this talk, I will discuss our work on designing richer screen reader experiences and accessible interfaces for creating multimodal data representations…" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBxxvZ6bfkY Beyond Compliance: The Economic Case for Digital Accessibility By National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO). "CIOs/state and local technology leaders will be given context about the importance of digital accessibility, its benefits to state and local economies and the repercussions of inaccessible platforms. They will also be provided recommendations and ideas to improve accessibility in their state…" https://www.nascio.org/resource-center/resources/beyond-compliance-the-economic-case-for-digital-accessibility/ Shopify Accessibility Guide: WCAG Compliance for E-commerce Stores By Raghavendra Satish Peri. "This article will serve as a starter guide on making your Shopify or eCommerce websites compliant with laws such as the ADA, EAA, Section 508, and more. Most of the practical techniques outlined here will follow the guidance set by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) to ensure your Shopify websites meet WCAG 2.2 AA compliance…" https://www.digitala11y.com/shopify-accessibility-guide-wcag-compliance-for-e-commerce-stores/ A Journey Through Global Accessibility Laws (Video & Session Materials) By Nadine Charron, Katherine Eng, Susanna Laurin, and Jamie Strawbridge. "…an informative journey as we explore the world of accessibility laws! We'll travel across the globe to discover how different countries are promoting ICT accessibility through legislation. Our itinerary includes stops in the United States, Canada, and Europe, where we'll highlight Section 508, ADA Title II Web Accessibility, the Accessible Canada Act, and the European Accessibility Act." https://www.accessibilityonline.org/cioc-508/archives/111180 DOJ Questioning the New Title II Web Regulation By Ken Nakata. "…'The Department now plans to publish a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to reconsider whether some of the regulatory provisions imposed by the April 24, 2024 rule could be made less costly'…if you're concerned, one practical step is to write to your U.S. senator or representative. When members of Congress hear from constituents, they raise those concerns with the Justice Department-and DOJ has to respond. If enough voices are raised, DOJ may take the backlash seriously…" https://convergeaccessibility.com/2025/09/23/doj_questioning_the_new_title_ii_web_regulation/ Legal Update: September 2025 By Ken Nakata. "…This past week also brought a shock with the DOJ's announcement that they might reconsider the ADA Title II web accessibility regulation (latest rumors are that any changes will be very minor). At least, there have been fewer developments in the judiciary since there were only a small number of interesting cases this month…" https://convergeaccessibility.com/2025/09/29/legal-update-september-2025/ +02: CASCADING STYLE SHEETS. The Best CSS Unit Might Be a Combination By Miriam Suzanne. "We don't have to choose between px and rem for spacing…" https://www.oddbird.net/2025/09/23/type-units/ The 'Most Hated' CSS Feature: cos() and sin() By Juan Diego Rodríguez. "This shocks me, if I'm being honest. Are really trigonometric functions really that hated? I know 'hated' is not the same as saying something is 'worst', but it still has an awful ring to it. And I know I'm being a little dramatic here, since only '9.1% of respondents truly hate trigonometry.' But that's still too much shade being thrown for my taste…" https://css-tricks.com/the-most-hated-css-feature-cos-and-sin/ Styling Siblings With CSS Has Never Been Easier Experimenting With Sibling-Count and Sibling-Index By Brecht De Ruyte. "If I were to divide CSS evolutions into categories, then last year was probably the year that ended with animations and colors getting better; This year, the end of the year seems to be about those ease-of-life features. We had one of those not that long go with :has(), but with things such as sibling-count, sibling-index, functions, and conditionals, the way we write CSS might just change for the better once again. In this article, I want to dip my toe in sibling-index() and sibling-count(), while also carefully adding some functions in the mix…" https://utilitybend.com/blog/styling-siblings-with-CSS-has-never-been-easier.-Experimenting-with-sibling-count-and-sibling-index/ CSS Wish: Inner Breakpoints By Axel Rauschmayer. In this blog post, I'd like to talk about CSS: I wish it supported inner breakpoints - breakpoints not for viewports or containers but for HTML elements inside viewports or containers. https://2ality.com/2025/09/css-inner-breakpoints.html +03: EVENTS. Part 2: Web Accessibility Basics - Manual Screen Reader Testing October 29, 2025. Online https://accessingenuity.com/pages/webinar/part-2-web-accessibility-basics-manual-screen-reader-digital-accessibility-webinar U.S. Access Board Meeting and Webcast October 29, 2025. Online https://www.access-board.gov/news/2025/09/10/u-s-access-board-meeting-and-webcast-october-29/ Converge October 30, 2025. Brighton, England, United Kingdom https://converge.zeroheight.com/ +04: HTML. Screen Reader HTML Support - Lookup By Steve Faulkner. "Data source: screen-reader-HTML-support…new test and notes added…" https://codepen.io/stevef/pen/ByoMebv Let's Play Accordion With the HTML details Element By Alexander Lehner. "Managing content on a website can be challenging. You don't want to overwhelm your users with too much information at once. One helpful strategy is to place content in sections with show/hide functionality. A typical example would be an FAQ page with a list of expandable questions and answers. We can use the native
HTML element to create such a disclosure widget…" https://www.oidaisdes.org/lets-play-accordion.en/ Web Development for Beginners: Creating Web Pages via HTML By Axel Rauschmayer. "…Let's revisit the following HTML content:

This is a level 1 heading

…" https://2ality.com/2025/09/html-basics.html +05: JAVASCRIPT. ARIA and Real World Dangers By Dennis Deacon. "…The trouble begins when developers lean on ARIA as a crutch rather than a surgical solution…The lesson is clear: learn ARIA deeply before deploying it broadly. HTML should always be the first tool of choice. Use ARIA only when necessary, and only with precision. Done right, it enhances accessibility. Done wrong, it undermines it…" https://www.dennisdeacon.com/web/accessibility/aria-and-real-world-dangers/ ARIA Live Regions By Nat Tarnoff. "I've been encountering a pattern lately of developers trying to do things right when it comes to live regions, but not understanding how they essentially work. This tip is to provide a super high level on how they function…" http://tarnoff.info/2025/09/29/quick-tip-aria-live-regions/ +06: MISCELLANEOUS. Why I Gave the World Wide Web Away for Free By Tim Berners-Lee. "My vision was based on sharing, not exploitation - and here's why it's still worth fighting for…" https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2025/sep/28/why-i-gave-the-world-wide-web-away-for-free Autonomous Vehicle Accessibility: Good, Bad, and Game Changing (Video) By Anthony Vasquez. "William Gibson said, 'The future is already here. It's just not evenly distributed yet.' The presence of autonomous vehicles is proof of this. For disabled people generally, and blind people specifically, getting to move about a large city without a human driver is both exhilarating and a bit frightening. Anthony Vasquez shares firsthand experiences of traveling in a Waymo robotaxi. Learn about the accessibility of the Waymo One iOS app, barriers inside the vehicle, and the freedom that this new technology may bring to disabled travelers…" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2454IutpIQ Designing for Deaf Space: Example of Japan's Starbucks Signing Store By Julia Undeutsch. "Last year, I visited Starbucks Japan's Signing Store in Tokyo-a café designed by and for deaf and hard-of-hearing employees. More than just a coffee shop, it's a powerful example of how design, technology, and communication can come together to create an inclusive, accessible space. In this talk, I'll explore what we can learn from it when designing for Deaf Space and inclusive customer experiences…" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyEG4mVZUlA +07: NAVIGATION. Why Sticky Navigation Can Undermine Accessibility By Sheri Byrne-Haber. "…When implemented without consideration for accessibility, it almost always interferes with screen readers and magnification, blocking essential content and creating cognitive and physical barriers…" https://buttondown.com/access-ability/archive/why-sticky-navigation-can-undermine-accessibility/ +08: TOOLS. Able Player 4.7.0 & Able Player for WordPress 2.2.0 Released! By Joe Dolson. "The next release of Able Player is out today! This release continues the process of modernizing Able Player, but also includes some useful new key features. This release is synchronized with Able Player for WordPress 2.2.0, which incorporates the features of the updated player…" https://www.joedolson.com/2025/09/able-player-4-7-0-able-player-for-wordpress-2-2-0-released/ Cambridge Subtitles for PowerPoint By Sam Waller. "Cambridge Subtitles for Powerpoint offers more inclusive options for presenting PowerPoint slides…" https://www.inclusivedesigntoolkit.com/presentations/ Accessibility Highlighter By Afixt. "A browser extension to highlight accessibility problems on the page, giving a visual indication of what the problems are…" https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/accessibility-highlighter/kjfamhljidgcfmnladbkkaiobmbneech +09: USABILITY. How Chunking Makes Content More Accessible By Josh Crawford. "This article explores chunking as a simple but powerful technique that makes content more accessible by breaking information into manageable pieces. It covers practical strategies, demonstrating how these approaches reduce cognitive load for people who are dyslexic, have ADHD, are autistic, or have memory impairments while improving comprehension and engagement for all users…" https://www.digitalaccesstraining.com/pages/articles?p=how-chunking-makes-content-more-accessible Ditch Those Words! By Robin Rendle. "…Every word in a UI needs to act like a hammer, with each successive word the interface should become clearer, more easily understood. If you put a word like Explore in an interface it might make sense but now add another navigation item like Discover beneath it and now both words make no sense…" https://robinrendle.com/notes/ditch-those-words/ +10: WEBWASTE & SUSTAINABILITY. How To Minimize The Environmental Impact Of Your Website By James Chudley. "As responsible digital professionals, we are becoming increasingly aware of the environmental impact of our work and need to find effective and pragmatic ways to reduce it. James Chudley shares a new decarbonising approach that will help you to minimise the environmental impact of your website, benefiting people, profit, purpose, performance, and the planet…" https://www.smashingmagazine.com/2025/09/how-minimize-environmental-impact-website/ [Section one ends.] ++ SECTION TWO: +11: What Can You Find at the Web Design Reference Site? Accessibility Information. https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/accessibility.html Association Information. https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/associations.html Book Listings. https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/books.html Cascading Style Sheets Information. https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/css.html Color Information. https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/color.html Drupal Information. https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/drupal.html Evaluation & Testing Information. https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/testing.html Event Information. https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/events.html HTML Information. https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/html.html Information Architecture Information. https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/architecture.html JavaScript Information. https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/javascript.html Miscellaneous Web Information. https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/misc.html Navigation Information. https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/navigation.html PHP Information. https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/php.html Sites & Blogs Listing. https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/sites.html Standards, Guidelines & Pattern Information. https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/standards.html Tool Information. https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/tools.html Typography Information. https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/type.html Usability Information. https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/usability.html WebWaste & Sustainability Information. https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/webwaste.html XML Information. https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/xml.html [Section two ends.] ++END NOTES. + SUBSCRIPTION INFO. WEB DESIGN UPDATE is available by subscription. For information on how to subscribe and unsubscribe please visit: https://www.d.umn.edu/itss/training/online/webdesign/webdev_listserv.html The Web Design Reference Site also has a RSS 2.0 feed for site updates. + TEXT EMAIL NEWSLETTER (TEN). As a navigation aid for screen readers we do our best to conform to the accessible Text Email Newsletter (TEN) guidelines. Please let me know if there is anything else we can do to make navigation easier. For TEN guideline information please visit: http://www.headstar.com/ten + SIGN OFF. Until next time, Laura L. Carlson Information Technology Systems and Services University of Minnesota Duluth Duluth, MN U.S.A. 55812-3009 mailto:lcarlson@d.umn.edu [Issue ends.]