Web Site Accessibility For Users with Disabilities - Issues

Preface

"The power of the Web is in its universality. Access by everyone regardless of disability is an essential aspect." -- Tim Berners-Lee, World Wide Web Consortium Director and inventor of the World Wide Web

Defining the situation

Accessibility in this context is defined as being able to fully use a web site.

Perhaps, a visual example would help. Here is a link to a page that gives a demonstration of two wonderful sites and how they look in the Lynx Browser, which is a very good approximation of what a screen reader will "see".
http://www.oocities.org/cis213/example.html

This example raised my consciousness of the existence of problems in accessibility.

Web users may have difficulties accessing the web in these contexts:

Physical- They may be unable to see, hear, move, or may be unable to process information of some types easily.

Mental- They may have difficulty reading or comprehending text.

Equipment- They may not have or be able to use a keyboard or mouse. They may have a text-only screen, a small screen, or a slow Internet connection.

Cultural- They may not speak or understand fluently the language in which the document is written.

Situational- They may be in a situation where their eyes, ears, or hands are busy or interfered with (for example, driving to work, working in a loud environment, etc.).

Interface- They may have an early version of a browser, a different browser entirely, a voice browser, or a different operating system.

Designing Web Sites to Include Disabled Users

As a web site author decides or is required to design with accessibility in mind, what must be done differently or additionally?

Note that experts contend that design changes made to help a user with a particular disability will generally benefit the entire web audience/community.

Checklist of To-do's

Understanding - become familiar with the problems and issues encountered by groups in your audience as they use the Internet and your site specifically. (You can't solve a problem you don't understand.)

Motivation - empathize so that your site can be a "breathe of fresh air" amongst the clutter. Other motivations are of course applicable, this topic is addressed in our "Motives" page.

Education - learn and use accessibility solutions and techniques. This is the focus of our "Tools" and "Resources" pages.

Double-check - set up your own standards and practices. See that they are in compliance with applicable laws or requirements. Use available Validators (see "Validators" page).

Web Site Updated December 8, 2000
Web Site Created November 20, 2000
By Bill Teysko, teysko@home.com
For CIS213, Cuyamaca College, El Cajon, CA
Url: http://www.oocities.org/webaccess2k
Credits page