Learn how to help people with disabilities


Accessibility... The Basics.

An accessible website is one that allows* Accessible websites are easier to
as many people as possible to access theindex by search engines and therefore
infomation contained within it. Anhelp drive traffic to your site.
inportant subset of accessibility isWhat does it entail?
allowing people with visual, aural, orMany techniques involved in making your
physical disabilities full access to thewebsite accessible will have no effect
information and services available inwhatsoever on the final look and feel of
the same way as able-bodied people.your site for the majority of users. It
Ensuring that your website is notwill however allow users with
dependant on particular hardware ordisabilities to use assitive devices
software is also an importantsuch as screen readers (to read text out
consideration when building accessiblealoud to them) and assistive input
websites.devices (for people with physical
Is it worth it?disabilities) to access and use your
* At least 10% of the population in mostsite. Some of the key concepts are:
countries has disabilities; visual,* To provide textual alternatives for
auditory, physical, speech, cognitive,all images and animations
and neurological disabilities can all* To ensure that textual content can be
affect access to the Web.resized to the users peronsal preference
* Average age of population in many* To ensure sufficient contrast between
countries is increasing; aging sometimestext colour and background colour
results in combinations of accessibility* To ensure that hyperlinks contain text
issues; vision & hearing changes,that describes their purpose.
changes in dexterity & memory.* To ensure that hyperlinks are large
* Many elderly and disabled people relyenough to make them easy to select
increasingly on the internet to obtain* To use a consistent and easy to
their goods and services.navigate layout
Few organizations can afford toOther benefits
deliberately miss this market sector. OnThe robots that search engines use to
top of this, accessible web designcatalogue your website are essentially
contributes to advantages for'blind' visitors to your site.
able-bodies users too. AccessibleAccessible websites are therefore more
websites:search engine friendly and result in
* Allow access to users of mobilebetter search engine rankings and
phones, small display scress, Web-TV andultimately more visitors to your site.
web-kiosks and other new web=enabledOther advantages include:
devices.* Better structure means easier and
* Increases usability in low bandwidthcheaper site maintenance
or slow connection situations.* Accessible sites demonstrate that your
* Provide access across a wider range oforganiation takes its social
computer hardware and software.responsibilty seriously
Other extremely important benefits that* Increased support for
make accessible websites worthwhile areinternationalisation
that:* Reduces hosting costs
* Many governments now require certainI believe accessibility is beneficial
websites to conform to accessibilityfor all involved and should be a
guidellines.consideration of every website.



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