| In 1995 a new era of accessibility for disabled people | | | | them to achieve this on Internet Explorer, go to View > |
| began. The Disability Discrimination Act was passed, | | | | Font size > Largest. If your site is accessible to this |
| stating that: | | | | group of users then the size of the text throughout the |
| "It is unlawful for a service provider to discriminate | | | | page will increase. Users with poor vision can also use |
| against a disabled person by refusing to provide any | | | | a screen magnifier. You can download a free screen |
| service which it provides to members of the public." | | | | magnifier at and see for yourself. |
| A website is regarded as a service and the RNIB | | | | Colour blindness |
| (Royal National Institute for the Blind) and DRC | | | | It is estimated that one in 12 men and one in 200 |
| (Disability Rights Commission) have been quick to apply | | | | women have some form of colour blindness ( You |
| pressure on to organisations to push this law into | | | | can check how Internet users with different strains of |
| practice. Indeed, the DRC has now published its formal | | | | colour blindness are viewing your website at |
| investigation into 1000 websites ( | | | | Deaf users |
| So, how do disabled people access the Internet? | | | | Deaf users are able to access the Internet in much the |
| There are a number of different ways depending on | | | | same way as able-bodied people with one key |
| their particular disability: | | | | exception - audio content. If it is a key function of your |
| Blind users | | | | website for people to be able to hear a message, then |
| Internet users who have no sight at all utilize a screen | | | | be sure to provide written transcripts. |
| reader, which reads the content of the web page, or | | | | Keyboard/voice only users |
| rather the HTML (HyperText Markup Language) code | | | | Some of your site users do not have access to a |
| of the page, back to them. These machines sift | | | | mouse when browsing the Internet. Try putting yourself |
| through the HTML code and the technology deciphers | | | | in their position by navigating your website using only |
| what needs to be read aloud and what should be | | | | tab, shift-tab, and the return keys. |
| ignored. IBM's screen reader can be downloaded for a | | | | Other users |
| free 30-day trial at Once you have downloaded it, go | | | | Other people who may access your website that |
| to your website, turn your monitor off, and try to | | | | have disadvantages include: |
| navigate your website. | | | | 1. Epileptic users who must always be careful to avoid |
| Partial/poor sight | | | | seeing flickering between 2 and 55 Hz |
| To take full advantage of the Internet, users with | | | | 2. Web users from outside your industry who may not |
| partial or poor sight need to be able to enlarge the text | | | | understand industry jargon or acronyms |
| on web pages. To verify that your website allows | | | | 3. |