DOCTYPE

Every web page should have a DOCTYPE definition as the first line of the document before any HTML code.

Why? A a DOCTYPE definition lets accessible technology such as screen readers know how to interpret/read the document. It also allows accessibility check software know how to read the document.

In most cases add the following line to the beginning of each web page above the first <html> tag:

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd">

*you can copy and paste the above lines

If you are using frames, use the following instead of the line above:
<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Frameset//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/frameset.dtd">

It is best to specify what language to document is written in so that screen readers and other assisted software can more easily determine how to read the document. For example, for an HTML document written in English, use

also specify any language changes within the document, for example switching from Spanish to German

for a list of other HTML language codes -- ISO-639 two-letter language codes as specified in the W3C's Language tags in HTML and XML

Why use a DOCTYPE definition?

tells the browser what version of HTML the document was written
makes it easier to accessible software such as screenreaders to decode (read) the page
allows HTML verifiers to check the page

If you are using Microsoft FrontPage 2000 or 2002, you can download and install this FrontPage 2000/2002 accessibility template which will add the "loose" DOCTYPE and <html lang=en>to each new page you make.

Download and install the Microsoft FrontPage 2003 accessibility template

README for Accessibility Template for Microsoft FrontPage 2003

*Note: The above accessibility template installers only work successfully if you have installed Microsoft FrontPage/Office installed in the default directory. If you have installed Microsoft FrontPage into some other folder, you can manually change the template: search your hard drive for NORMAL.TEM
In Windows XP, START button > Search > For Files or Folders... NORMAL.TEM

and download and then copy/save this more accessible blank HTML document NORMAL.HTM into that folder

For more information on DOCTYPE:

W3C's list of valid DOCTYPE declarations in documents

Working with HTML DOCTYPE Declarations in FrontPage from MSDN

Accessibility Home Site Map Tips / How To's Regulations DSPS High Tech Center

http://hightech.redwoods.edu/accessibility