With more and more countries around the world passing laws about blind and disabled access to the Internet (including the Disability Discrimination Act in the UK), web accessibility has been thrown into the spotlight of the online community. This article attempt to put a stop to the misinformation that has been thrown around and tell you the truth behind web accessibility.
1. Creating a text-only equivalent is sufficient
Creating a separate text-only equivalent can lead to a number of problems:
- A text-only version is not necessarily accessible
- Two versions of the same website represents a huge time and money investment for you
- Your primary site may not be accessible to many users
- An 'extra' accessible website for blind and disabled users can be one more way to make them feel marginalised from mainstream society
Web accessibility isn't just about blind and disabled Internet users being able to use your site - it's about everyone being able to access it successfully. It really doesn't have to take very much time or money to make your website accessible.
2. It's complicated and expensive to make my website accessible
To develop an accessible website from scratch will cost virtually the same as to develop a website that isn't accessible. A very large, highly inaccessible website may take a bit more time and money to fix up, although the basic layout and design usually need not change.
Web accessibility is not complicated and anyone with basic web design skills can easily implement it.
3. Accessible and attractive web design can't go together
Many advocates of web accessibility tend to have rather dull, unattractive websites. This is unfortunate, as web accessibility need not affect the design of the website in any way whatsoever. To fully dispel this myth, have a look at the CSS Zen Garden ( http://www.csszengarden.com ) - a beautiful website offering 100% accessibility.
4. Accessible websites stifle creativity
Web accessibility actually places very few restrictions on website design. In fact, as with regular websites, you're only really limited by your imagination when creating accessible websites. Have a look at the CSS Zen Garden ( http://www.csszengarden.com ) to see for yourself that accessibility doesn't have to affect creativity in any way.
5. My site visitors don't have a problem accessing my website
Not necessarily. See Benefits of an accessible website - part 1 ( http://www.webcredible.co.uk/user-friendly-resources/web-accessibility/benefits-of-accessible-websit es-1.shtml ) to see just how many Internet users you may be excluding from your site. You can be sure that with 35 million websites to choose from it's unlikely that a site visitor prevented from accessing your website is going to waste his time contacting you to ask you to fix the problem.
6. Web accessibility places restrictions on the web page design
Not at all. As with regular websites, you're only limited by your imagination when creating accessible websites. Text size can be as large or as small you like (provided it's resizable), you can use any colour scheme you like (provided colour isn't the only way you differentiate information) and you can use as many images as you like (provided an alternative description is provided).
These accessibility provisos mostly happen behind the scenes and don't affect the presentation of the website.
7. Blind and disabled people don't use the Internet
On the contrary, blind and disabled people benefit from the Internet perhaps more than anyone else.
For example, visually impaired people have to phone up a supermarket when they want to go shopping to inform them of their arrival. When they get there, a store assistant will accompany them around the store. Through accessible websites blind people can now shop at home, and in their own time.
Conclusion
Web accessibility isn't brain science. It's not just about disabled users being able to access your website - it's about everyone being able to access your website, including people using handheld devices, WebTV and in-car browsers. Any web developer with basic HTML and CSS design knowledge, and a bit of time on their hands, can easily learn and implement web accessibility.
Trenton Moss is crazy about web accessibility and usability - so crazy that he went and started his own web accessibility and usability consultancy ( Webcredible - http://www.webcredible.co.uk ) to help make the Internet a better place for everyone.
executive chauffeured services Bradford .. Madison to Airport car"Build it and they will come."--Filed of Dreams (1989) If... Read More
Have you ever wondered what challenges are faced by other... Read More
Let's begin by setting some limits. If you're like me,... Read More
One of the most important parts of establishing a new... Read More
Making money with your web site is the dream and... Read More
Failure, just like success, is measured differently by each and... Read More
With search engines putting a damper on direct reciprocal links,... Read More
When you purchase a new item from a Yahoo! Store,... Read More
We've all seen those messages on some websites warning not... Read More
Any new website competing on the internet, needs to take... Read More
You've put up a website to promote a product or... Read More
1. Address your targeted audience on your business site. Example:... Read More
Today it seems everyone is jumping on the entrepreneur bandwagon,... Read More
An additional benefit of website accessibility is an improved performance... Read More
They might not be wearing a mask and carrying a... Read More
Designing and creating your own website does not have to... Read More
First, using a lot of web graphics, flash, banners and... Read More
You hear a great deal about the Internet these days... Read More
1) Word of Mouth The single most powerful form of... Read More
When we review the sites of potential clients, there are... Read More
Is your website Really useful?I had a 'rep' in yesterday... Read More
A website is the most versatile and cost-effective marketing tool... Read More
1. Upload robots.txt file in to your root directory and... Read More
To the starting internet entrepreneur, there is nothing more discouraging... Read More
If you have some experience in web site design and... Read More
O'Hare Chicago prom limo ..While creating a Web site may seem like... Read More
There are many elements that are key to successful web... Read More
An accessible Web site is easily approached, easily understood, and... Read More
What is web accessibility & why is it important?Web accessibility... Read More
If you ever want to create a state directory, article... Read More
A website is like an information flow, with you as... Read More
I recently helped my mom to launch a website (www.mom2me.com)... Read More
Often time I've browsed sites and seen the same thing... Read More
Starting an internet business can be confusing to non-veterans. The... Read More
Wow, we`ve already taken a domain and chosen a web... Read More
If you are looking for creating your online presence you... Read More
Creating a content management system either from scratch,... Read More
Q1.Why would I need a web site? A1.- Improve my... Read More
Web templates by nature are created to aid and ease... Read More
If you're anything like most small business owners, you probably... Read More
For years now I've been looking to start my own... Read More
Most web sites are more like stage sets than real... Read More
Alternate medicine finds its own place in the hearts and... Read More
I'm a freelance programmer and somehow I managed to get... Read More
The Disability Discrimination Act says that websites must be made... Read More
You don't believe in astrology but you check your horoscope... Read More
If you're looking for better web site ROI, chances are,... Read More
Three way linking and concerns.For many years SEO experts were... Read More
So what do you do if need to get a... Read More
As increasing numbers of people search for information on the... Read More
Web Development |