Accessible Helper Modules is a group of modules to make creating accessible websites easier. At this point it is more of a proof of concept than a useful module. The modules' functionality are divided up as such:

Accessible API Module (accessible_api)

General toolset including guidelines data, site accessibility preferences, and functions other modules may build on.

Functionality

• store any reusable data such as guidelines and mapping of guidelines to drupal authoring contexts.
• configuration interface and retrieval function for site accessibility guideline preferences. The idea here is store the general accessibility preferences here, but utilize preferences in other modules and themes.
• configuration of accessibility conventions preferences where practices are not yet clear. e.g. should content be positioned off screen left, top, or right

Accessible Fix Module (accessible_fix)

Accomodate and fix accessiblilty deficiencies in core and contributed module. Works on a case by case basis with hooks like hook_form_alter to modify other modules forms and markup. As a rule, these are either stop gap measures until real fixes are made in modules or when accessibility implementation is unclear or preference based.

Functionality

• examples include google_cse and search module in drupal 6 needing labels.
• allows for offscreen heading configuration in blocks
• allows for applying aria roles to blocks

Accessible Help Module (accessible_help)

Adds contexttual accessibility help for content authors.

• provides contextual help through hook_help

examples folder

Much of accessiblity is on the theming layer, so example .tpl and template.php overrides are included in the examples directory of this module.

Install and Configure

1. Enable the module(s) you want to use. All require accessible_api. (admin/build/modules/list)
2. Give site admins permissions to "administer accessible module" (admin/user/permissions)
3. Configure the accessible_api module. (admin/settings/accessible)
4. Configure Accessible Fixes Module (admin/settings/accessible/accessible_fix)

At this point, nothing has changed in the HTML of your site unless you have a theme that is already altered to leverage this module. The following template changes will allow your setting to affect the HTML.

Working with block.tpl

Blocks can leverage the accessible_api and accessible_fix by adding aria roles and positioning headers off screen.

Positioning block headers off screen

1. Enable offscreen headers. A checkbox for "Class this block's header tag as "offscreen" should be there if "offscreen block headings" has been checked in Accessible Fix Settings (admin/settings/accessible/accessible_fix).
2. Alter the block.tpl (this is in examples/genesis_aria/templates/block/block.tpl)
   
   from

   <h2><?php print $block->subject ?>
   

   to

   <h2 <?php if ($block->accessibility->offscreen) { print 'class="offscreen"';}?>><?php print $block->subject ?></h2>
   

3. Configure some blocks to have offscreen headers. Navigate to block configure (admin/build/block/list/[theme]) and select the configure link.
4. Flushing the theme cache may be necessary until this module is farther along.

Adding ARIA Roles to the block

1. Make sure you have enabled some role goupings such as landmarks, document dtructure, widget, abstract (admin/settings/accessible). This controls the roles available.
2. Alter the block.tpl (this is in examples/genesis_aria/templates/block/block.tpl)
   
   from

   <div class="block-inner">
   
   to
   <div class="block-inner" <?php
       if ($block->accessibility->aria_attributes) {print 'role="'. $block->accessibility->aria_attributes .'"' ;} ?>
   >
   
   

3. Configure blocks to have aria roles. Navigate to block configure (admin/build/block/list/[theme])
4. Flushing the theme cache may be necessary until this module is farther along