Web Accessibility — and Why It Matters
One in five persons, or 54 million-plus Americans, lives with a disability. Approximately one in five of these — 10.4 million individuals — are blind or have severely impaired vision. Of the additional 43.6 million Americans living with disabilities, many use keyboards, voice-commands and devices other than a mouse to operate a computer or navigate the Web. Everyone appreciates clear, well written copy and logical content arrangement, but these qualities are particularly important for individuals with brain injuries or cognitive disorders who require visual and contextual clarity to derive the most meaning from a site.
Accessibility means that any visitor can virtually read, hear or experience a Web site regardless of browsing device or software. It means that a blind user can hear descriptions of images via screen reader or read them via Braille reader. It means that a user who uses a keyboard rather than a mouse to navigate can get around the site. It means that the tens of millions of site visitors who find it easier to read larger fonts need only change their browser settings to render text to their liking. It's about inclusion, and it's just good manners. Unfortunately, in the media-drenched world of the 21st-century, up to 20 percent of individuals — potential visitors, fans, clients and consumers — are routinely excluded from full participation on the Web.
How Do I Know if My Site Is Accessible?
Go to one of the following free testing sites listed below and follow the simple directions. Although automated checking is no absolute guarantee of compliance, the results will give you an idea of considerations. (Note that some of these test only one page and not the entire site.)
- Cynthia Says: http://www.cynthiasays.com
- WebXACT: http://webxact.watchfire.com/
- Ask Alice: http://askalice.ssbtechnologies.com/
- WAVE:
http://wave.webaim.org/index.jsp - To get an idea how your site renders in Lynx (a text-based browser):
http://www.delorie.com/web/lynxview.html
For a brief look at international and U.S. Web accessibility guidelines and law, see About Web Accessibility.
Accessible Web Sites: Myths, Rumors and Flat-Out Lies
- Accessible sites are limited to text only.
False. In fact, images often contribute critical context, meaning and depth to a site. Just add descriptive text. - Accessible sites are dull and media poor.
Not true. Just include transcripts and relevant descriptions. - Accessible sites are expensive to develop and maintain.
No, not if incorporated from a site's conception to execution. Retrofitting always costs time and money, but making small, simple changes as part of routine site updates can be budget-neutral and accessibility-positive. Start thinking about the next generation of your site and make accessibility an integral part from the get-go. - No one interested in our organization, our products or our services has
a disability.
How do you know? But in any event, can you afford to overlook a potential market of 54 million additional customers?
There Is a Solution
Jean E's Web Accessibility offers consulting services for clients with existing
sites and for clients preparing to launch their first site.
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