Stunshot - Web Hosting and DevelopmentAccessibility
Web accessibility refers to the practice of making websites usable by people of all abilities and disabilities. When sites are correctly designed, developed and edited, all users can have equal access to information and functionality.
For example, when a site is coded with semantically meaningful HTML, with textual equivalents provided for images and with links named meaningfully, this helps blind users using text-to-speech software and/or text-to-Braille hardware. When text and images are large and/or enlargable, it is easier for users with poor sight to read and understand the content. When links are underlined (or otherwise differentiated) as well as coloured, this ensures that color blind users will be able to notice them. When clickable links and areas are large, this helps users who cannot control a mouse with precision. When pages are coded so that users can navigate by means of the keyboard alone, or a single switch access device alone, this helps users who cannot use a mouse or even a standard keyboard.
When sites are correctly built and maintained, all of these users can be accommodated while not impacting on the usability of the site for non-disabled users.
The needs that accessibility aims to address include:
- Visual impairments including blindness, various common types of low vision and poor eyesight, and various types of color blindness.
- Mobility problems, e.g. difficulty or inability to use the hands, including tremors, muscle slowness, loss of fine muscle control, etc., due to conditions such as Parkinson's Disease, muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, stroke, etc.
- Deafness or hearing impairments, including individuals who are hard of hearing.
- Photoepileptic seizures caused by visual strobe or flashing effects.
- Developmental disabilities, learning disabilities (dyslexia, dyscalculia, etc.), and cognitive disabilities of various origins, affecting memory, attention, developmental "maturity", problem-solving and logic skills, etc.
Assistive technologies used for web browsing
Individuals living with a disability use assistive technologies such as the following to enable and assist web browsing:
- Screen reader software that can read out, using synthesized speech, either selected elements of what is being displayed on the monitor (helpful for users with reading or learning difficulties), or which can read out everything that is happening on the computer (used by blind and vision impaired users).
- Braille terminals, consisting of a Refreshable Braille display which renders text as Braille characters (usually by means of raising pegs through holes in a flat surface), and either a QWERTY or Braille keyboard.
- Screen magnification software, which enlarges what is displayed on the computer monitor making it easier to read for vision impaired users.
- Speech recognition software that can accept spoken commands to the computer, or turn dictation into grammatically correct text - useful for those who have difficulty using a mouse or a keyboard.
- Keyboard overlays, which can make typing easier and more accurate for those who have motor control difficulties.
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
In 1999 the Web Accessibility Initiative, a project by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), published the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 1.0. In recent years, these have been widely accepted as the definitive guidelines on how to create accessible websites.
On 11 December 2008, the WAI released the WCAG 2.0 as a Recommendation. WCAG 2.0 aims to be up to date and more technology neutral.
Legal considerations
In the UK, the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA) does not refer explicitly to website accessibility, but makes it illegal to discriminate against people with disabilities. The DDA applies to anyone providing a service: public, private and voluntary sectors. The "Code of Practice: Rights of Access - Goods, Facilities, Services and Premises" document published by the government's Disability Rights Commission to accompany the Act does refer explicitly to websites as one of the "services to the public" that should be considered covered by the Act.
How we can help you
All our web development projects are undertaken with accessibility in mind. We work to the WAI-WCAG 2.0 and endeavour to achieve at least level AA conformance.
If you already have your own website, we can perform a web accessibility audit to identify any accessibility problems that may exist. We can then provide advice and guidance on the steps that need to be taken to correct any problems uncovered.
More information: Please contact us for further details.