thoughts on disability on the web

Most websites are developed with the sole purpose of spreading information about a product or service in mind. However the different viewer scenarios are not normally envisioned and it is assumed that all the site's visitors have perfect physical or cognitive ability. "Statistics show that on average most internet users have some form of disability or disadvantage that hinders them from accessing web content as it was intended." (Anon., 2009.) There are various forms of disabilities, all of which should be catered for when designing an accessible website.

So what is an accessible website? Having an accessible website "means that people with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with the Web, and that they can contribute to the Web. Web accessibility also benefits others, including older people with changing abilities due to aging." (Shawn, H., et al., 2005.)

There are various disabilities to consider and according to (Brewer, 2005) they are present in the form of:

• Physical disability, where people use tailor made devices to interface with the computer for ease of access.
• Visual disability, where people use read-out-loud applications and/or increase text size and contrast
• Hearing disability, where people rely on transcription and explanation of audio material
• Cognitive and neurological disabilities, where people might rely on different technologies such as screen readers or transcriptions of audio materials, depending on their type of disability

Many steps have been taken to ensure disabled users have equal opportunities when it comes to viewing websites. Firstly, there is the Disability and the Equality Act 2010 (former Disability Discrimination Act –DDA) which requires companies and institutions to have accessible websites.

Secondly, there is the World Wide Web Consortium, which Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines provide a detail overview of disabilities and comprehensive guidelines of how to make a website accessible for users with specific disabilities. Below is a short summary of some key concepts of accessible web design according to (Henry, S., Popolizio, P., 2001).

• Images & animations: Use the alt attribute to describe the function of each visual. • Image maps. Use the client-side map and text for hotspots.
• Multimedia. Provide captioning and transcripts of audio, and descriptions of video.
• Hypertext links. Use text that makes sense when read out of context. For example, avoid "click here."
• Page organization. Use headings, lists, and consistent structure. Use CSS for layout and style where possible.
• Graphs & charts. Summarize or use the longdesc attribute.
• Scripts, applets, & plug-ins. Provide alternative content in case active features are inaccessible or unsupported.
• Frames. Use the noframes element and meaningful titles.
• Tables. Make line-by-line reading sensible. Summarize.
• Check your work. Validate. Use tools, checklist, and guidelines at http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG

With all these key concepts and guidelines of accessible web design one would think that accessibility would be incorporated into the design in the early stages. Unfortunately, for the most part accessibility is considered as a bolt-on part, something that can be done later. When this occurs, there is a clear discrepancy between a "normal" and an accessible website. The normal website design might have lavish visual design coupled with exciting new technologies which make the website more alive and interactive but less accessible whereas the accessible website might be text-only. On the other hand one might over-design a website for accessibility`s sake and make it plain. A prime example of this is the "Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0" at http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20The website could incorporate more design while still maintaining accessibility.

As Mark Boulton points out "Accessibility is Design. It's part of the problem and therefore should be part of the solution. The two are intertwined and accessibility shouldn't be seen as this black cloud on your design radar." (Boulton, 2005). Good designers as good architects consider the design with accessibility in mind. Only then does it fully integrate in the overall product. It is on us as web designers to acknowledge web users with disability. There is a wealth of information out there that lay the ground work for accessibility. We should consider all aspects of individual disabilities and have that as a corner stone of our design. If we build on that, eventually we will produce something that is visually exciting as well as accessible for all of our visitors.