Making your site accessible does not mean rebuilding your pages from the ground up - there are simple changes you can make which will vastly improve accessibility. Of course, it is always best to keep these tips in mind from the outset; being aware of the issues in the beginning will help you layout and present your information in the best possible fashion. Here are some easy-to-follow tips when developing web resources .

1. Make sure you provide a description or text equivalent for all non-text elements on your web pages. (Descriptions for: images, graphical representations of text (including symbols), image map regions, animations (e.g., animated Gifs), applets and programmatic objects, ASCII art, frames, scripts, images used as list bullets, spacers, graphical buttons, sounds (played with or without user interaction), stand-alone audio files, audio tracks of video, and video.)
    
2. Make sure all information conveyed with color is also available without color. This means making sure that text and graphics are understandable without color. Make sure that your color combinations (i.e. background and foreground elements) provide sufficient contrast to someone with color perception defficulties and on a black and white screen.
    
3. Plan your navigation out. There is no substitution for good planning of information and how it will be accessed. Menus and links should read from left to right on sequential lines. Consequently, menus are best placed at the top or bottom of each page. Side menus can often be the most confusing because they might include other text or image descriptions. If using side menus, be aware of potential problems with elements on the same line.
    
4. Organize information so that it can be accessed and read on any platform, with most browser versions (i.e. with or without style sheets). Use the clearest and simplest language appropriate for your site's content.
    
5. When using images and image maps, also provide redundant text links for each active link of the image or image map. Make sure that each image or "hot spot" is appropriately identified with the use of the ALT="discription of image" attribute of the IMG SRC tag. Try to provide client-side image maps instead of server-side maps. Use images to supplement content, not to be reliant to convey content (i.e. metaphor menus).
    
6. When using tables, if providing data identify row and column headers. Make sure it reads logically from left to right. Do not use tables for layouts unless the table makes sense when linearized. If the table is used for layout, do not use any structural markup for the purpose of visual formatting. Provide summaries for tables and use abbreviations for header labels.
    
7. Avoid using framed documents. If you must convey information through frames, title each frame to facilitate frame identification and navigation. Provide menus in the first frame on the left or parent frame. Besides, framed documents make it difficult for your users to bookmark relevant information they my need to access at a later date, especially without dynamic scripting. Make sure to include a description for the purpose of frames and how frames relate to each other if it is not obvious by frame titles alone.
    
8. When using applets, scripting, and programming objects make sure that the information you're providing is accessible when these are turned off or not browser supported. If you can't do this then provide the equivalent information on an alternative accessible page. Make sure you keep alternative pages updated along with your inaccessible pages!
    
9. If possible, use style sheets (CSS) to control layout and presentation. Relative rather than absolute units or attribute values should be used.
    
10. Avoid any elements that blink or cause the screen to flicker.
     
11. Do not program auto refresh or auto direct pages. Instead, use the server to do these tasks. Inform the user that it will happen if absolutely necessary.
     
12. Do not use spawned, pop-ups or other windows and do not change the current window without informing the user.
     
13. Divide large blocks of information into more manageable groups where natural and appropriate.
     
14. CLEARLY identify the target of each link. Avoid using full URL's or "Click here", "link to" repetitively. Descriptions should be clear as to where the link will take the user.
     
15. When using forms, all form controls and elements with implicitly associated labels should ensure that the label is properly positioned. Associate labels explicitly with their controls.
     
16. Provide several formats so user can choose how to receive or print documents.
     
17. Check your site out with a site validator. This will illustrate potential accessibility problems and provide information on correction to your site's problems. It can also point out other problems with your syntax and browser incompatibilities. Most are web based and painless, and fast. They can also point out those things you might be unaware of and things you might have missed. Remember, no validator is 100% effective, so use it to support your knowledge base. There is no substitute for understanding the issues faced with developing accessible Internet applications. Some excellent validator incluse: Center for Applied Special Technologies (CAST): "Bobby", The Wave, and Aprompt.