Web Accessibility - short introduction Patrick H. Lauke - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Web Accessibility - short introduction Patrick H. Lauke

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Title: Web Accessibility - short introduction Patrick H. Lauke


1
Web Accessibility - short introductionPatrick H.
Lauke
Chapel Street Business Group - 28/2/2006
2
Introduction
  • What well cover
  • some of the misconceptions about accessibility
  • reasons why accessibility is important

3
Some misconceptions
  • What is accessibility?
  • making sure our web site works for the blind
  • There is a wide range of disabilities
  • visual impairments
  • auditory impairments
  • mobility impairments
  • cognitive disabilities

4
Some misconceptions
  • Why bother?
  • Marketing executive
  • such a small market is not worth the hassle
  • Web designer
  • no time to create a separate accessible site
  • Site owner
  • blind people wont be using my web site

5
Some misconceptions
  • Marketing executive
  • such a small market is not worth the hassle
  • It is estimated that there are 7 million disabled
    people in the UK and that around 19 of the
    working age population has some form of
    disability.
  • Source Disability Rights Commission Disability
    briefing January 2004

6
Some misconceptions
  • Web designer
  • no time to create a separate accessible site
  • In majority of cases, no need for special
    disabled only access
  • Inclusive design, not segregation
  • Separation of content and presentation, using web
    standards, structural markup single site,
    accessible to all
  • Accessibility included in planning stage, not as
    an afterthought
  • Text only is not a solution

7
Some misconceptions
  • Site owner
  • blind people wont be using my web site
  • Accessibility not just about the blind, but
  • A possible scenario visually impaired customer
    buying photographs or paintings for a sighted
    relative?

8
Legal requirements
  • If the ethical / moral and financial reasons were
    not enough, there are legal requirements
  • UK - Disability Discrimination Act 1995provision
    of goods and services
  • Australia Disability Discrimination Act 1992
  • USA Americans with Disabilities Act
  • USA Section 508 of Rehabilitation
    Actprocurement policy for federal government
    agencies
  • Other countries have similar legislation.
  • Cases are being brought to court SOCOG, RNIB,
    Ramada/Priceline, Target

9
Access for all
  • More importantly
  • Accessibility is not just about users with
    disabilities
  • Provisions and changes made for accessibility can
    benefit all users
  • Real world example access ramps
  • With regards to web
  • Benefits to users of alternative browsing devices
    (PDAs, web phones, etc)
  • Not a permanent disability, but situational
    library PC, loud environment, etc
  • Crossover between usability and accessibility

10
Accessibility and SEO
  • Google and co.
  • worlds largest disabled users

11
What to do?
  • If you're a business owner
  • understand that accessibility is relevant to you
    (legal requirement, but also potential market)
  • commission accessible sites (specify in tender
    documents, BSI PAS 78 Guide to Good Practice in
    Commissioning Accessible Websites)
  • beware of snake oil salesmen (check GAWDS, RNIB,
    etc)

12
What to do?
  • If you're a web designer/developer
  • understand the problem (not just a technical
    solution)
  • familiarise yourself with legislation and
    guidelines
  • best practices (it's just what we do)
  • continuous learning

13
Automated validators
  • The infamous Bobby(now WebXact)
  • Automated accessibility checkers are dumb.
  • Bobby and co. are just a tool and do not
    replace human checks.
  • False positives, false negatives.
  • All my images have an ALTernate text of
    imageis that accessible?

14
Conclusion
  • Hopefully, what youll take away from this
    presentation
  • Accessiblity not just about the blind
  • Moral, financial and legal reasons to ensure web
    sites are accessible
  • Accessibility can benefit all users
  • Worth noting accessibility not about rote
    mastery of a few guidelines. Many cases where
    there is no one single solution requires
    judgement and compromise.

15
Resources
  • W3C Web Accessibility Initiativehttp//www.w3.org
    /WAI/
  • Accessifyhttp//www.accessify.com/
  • Accessifyforumhttp//www.accessifyforum.com/
  • WebAIM Web Accessibility In Mindhttp//www.webai
    m.org/
  • Isolanihttp//www.isolani.co.uk/
  • Dive into Accessibilityhttp//www.diveintoaccessi
    bility.org/
  • Evaluating Web Sites for Accessibility with the
    Firefox Web Developer Toolbarhttp//www.webaim.o
    rg/techniques/articles/evaluatingwithfirefox
  • WaSP (Web Standards Project)http//webstandards.o
    rg
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