Webmasters Users Group Meeting Notes :
September 20, 2001

  1. USNA Webmasters Users Group WWW Page :

    • See http://www.usna.edu/Masters This page is a collection of resources to assist the Academy's Webmasters develop their pages. It has questions, answers, policy, guidelines, usage reports, etc.

    • Review and Observe Department of Defense, Department of the Navy, USNA WWW Policy, and USNA WWW Guidelines. They can be summarized :
      1. Pages must be mission related.
      2. Pages must be tasteful and in compliance with USNA Ethics and Honor Codes.
      3. Pages must not contain Classified, Sensitive, or Privacy Act data.
      4. Pages must not use copyrighted material without permission.
      5. Pages must not contain advertising or solicitations.
      6. Pages must not imply government approval, endorsement, or preferential treatment of commercial products.
      7. Web sites developed and/or maintained by contractors may not include the contractor's name or may they link to the contractor's web site.
      8. Pages may not contain "Best viewed with ( insert your favorite browser )" or "This site developed with ( insert your favorite development tool )" endorsements.
      9. Information must be professionally presented.
      10. Each page must contain POC information.
      11. Pages must not collect visitor information without a visitor's knowledge.
      12. Pages must be compliant with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
      13. New : Pages may not contain aerial photographs of the Academy.
      14. New : Pages may not contain tours of the Academy or buildings.

    • How to summarize "Classified, Sensitive, or Privacy Act data" :
      1. Pages may not contain Classified, For Official Use Only, or Unclassified Sensitive Information. Do not publish information what will compromise national security or place DoD personnel at risk.
      2. Pages may not contain DoD contractor proprietary information
      3. Pages may not contain Privacy Act information
      4. Pages may not contain sensitive mission data, such as unit capabilities or performance, movement of military assets, or unit location
      5. Pages may not contain Social Security Numbers
      6. Pages may not contain Midshipmen Alpha Codes
      7. Web sites will not identify family members of the Department of the Navy personnel in any way, nor will family member information be included in any biographies or photos posted to the web.
      8. Pages may not contain home addresses, private phone numbers, or private email account names
      9. Pages may not contain date of birth
      10. Pages may not contain itineraries


  2. Initiatives

    Information Technology Services Division continues to expand and develop a solid infrastructure for the hosting of WWW resources at the Naval Academy.

    1. New Hardware
      • Replaced the Institutional web server with a Sun 420R server :
        2 x 450 mhz cpu's
        2 gig memory
        32 gig of internal storage
        100 gig external drive
        800 meg quad ethernet connection
      • Installed a development machine ( Sun 420R )
      • Upgraded Institutional NT Resources

    2. FrontPage Server Extensions

      FrontPage is on the desktop of the Academy and staff. ITSD is in the process of installing FrontPage Server Extensions on the Institutional web server.

    3. Video on Demand Project

      There have been numerous requests for this feature. ITSD is working working with the Teaching and Learning Center and the Multimedia Resource Center to develop a solution.

    4. Conversion from WebCT to BlackBoard

      ITSD and The Teaching and Learning Center have teamed to bring the Academy a tool to support the classroom.

    5. WWW Accounts for individual professors and/or courses on www.usna.edu

      In addition to department or ECA WWW accounts, individual professors can have their own WWW account or a department can create individual course accounts. To get an individual account within your department, see your department webmaster. If you would like to establish an account for a course, please call 33500.

    6. New Home Page Design

      The Academy home page is design challenged. If you would like to submit a design for consideration, please contact me at ext 31428.

  3. Section 508

    The American Disabilities Act mandates accessibility to ALL federal government sites. The Department of the Navy directs navy installations to make all newly developed web pages Section 508 compliant. As time and resources permit, go back and make older pages compliant.

    What is Section 508 ?

    http://www.usna.edu/Masters/Section508 for details.

    What are the specific WWW requirements ?

    Elements :

    1. A text equivalent for every non-text element shall be provided (e.g., via "alt", "longdesc", or in element content).

    2. Equivalent alternatives for any multimedia presentation shall be synchronized with the presentation.

    3. Web pages shall be designed so that all information conveyed with color is also available without color, for example from context or markup.

    4. Documents shall be organized so they are readable without requiring an associated style sheet.

    5. Redundant text links shall be provided for each active region of a server-side image map.

    6. Client-side image maps shall be provided instead of server-side image maps except where the regions cannot be defined with an available geometric shape.

    7. Row and column headers shall be identified for data tables.

    8. Markup shall be used to associate data cells and header cells for data tables that have two or more logical levels of row or column headers.

    9. Frames shall be titled with text that facilitates frame identification and navigation.

    10. Pages shall be designed to avoid causing the screen to flicker with a frequency greater than 2 Hz and lower than 55 Hz.

    11. A text-only page, with equivalent information or functionality, shall be provided to make a web site comply with the provisions of this part, when compliance cannot be accomplished in any other way. The content of the text-only page shall be updated whenever the primary page changes.

    12. When pages utilize scripting languages to display content, or to create interface elements, the information provided by the script shall be identified with functional text that can be read by assistive technology.

    13. When a web page requires that an applet, plug-in or other application be present on the client system to interpret page content, the page must provide a link to a plug-in or applet that complies with §1194.21(a) through (l).

    14. When electronic forms are designed to be completed on-line, the form shall allow people using assistive technology to access the information, field elements, and functionality required for completion and submission of the form, including all directions and cues.

    15. A method shall be provided that permits users to skip repetitive navigation links.

    16. When a timed response is required, the user shall be alerted and given sufficient time to indicate more time is required.


  4. Questions and Answers
    • The MISLOs would like to establish a permanent home for some of the applications. They are currently sitting on a midshipman's machine. ITSD will discuss some alternatives.


    Respectfully Submitted,

    Michael Moriarty
    USNA Webmaster
    Ext 31428
    webmaster@usna.edu

United States Naval Academy