Section Overview: Web Accessibility

Introduction

If you're a web developer or designer, you'll be right at home. Information for non-technical folks is found in section 1

Topics In This Section:

1. Web Accessibility Explained for Everyone ↓
2. Technical Topics ↓

---

1. Web Accessibility Explained for Everyone

My Web, My Way, is a BBC website that serves as a guide for people needing to access web sites, "whatever their ability or disability." The guide is thorough and uses non-technical language, and provides support for people using Linux, Macintosh, and Windows computers. Sections include: Help with Seeing Websites, Help with Hearing Websites, Help with your Keyboard and Mouse, Help with Reading Websites, and Help with Filling out Web Forms.

Joe Clark a Toronto based accessibility consultant and author of many books and articles, offers a great introduction to making the web accessible for non-technical readers. See the abstract below:

 

 
People with disabilities can and do surf the Web, often with the use of adaptive technology that compensates for particular disabilities. But for Web sites to be reasonably accessible, Web authors have to take certain care in the way they create pages. The article explains the basics of Web accessibility; explores the range of disability groups involved, with population statistics; and provides references for accessible Web authoring.
 
Read the full article: Understanding Web accessibility.
 

 

 

You might also want to take a look at the results of a recent study by the United Nations about web site accessibility. Its findings suggest that there's still much work to be done. From the Reuter's article:

 
UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Many Web sites around the world are beyond the reach of disabled persons but could easily be improved to meet international accessibility standards, a survey commissioned by the United Nations found on Tuesday. The study, conducted for the world body by British technology firm Nomensa, looked at 100 popular sites in 20 countries and found the vast majority failed to meet international standards of accessibility. "We've clearly got some obstacles to overcome," Nomensa's Leonie Watson, who is blind, told a news conference at U.N. headquarters.
While many sites have taken steps toward wider accessibility, they need to do more to become fully available to people who cannot use a computer mouse, have low-vision disabilities or are blind, she said.
 
Read the full article: Disabled deprived of access to many top Web sites
 

 

---

2. Technical Topics

Courseware Accessibility
Courseware Reviews, Guides to Authoring Accessible Curriculum, Research

Evaluation and Repair Tools
A-Prompt, Validation and Repair Tools, Product Reviews

Emerging Technologies
Broadband, New Standards, Accessible Curriculum, VRML

Web Accessibility Resources
Web-Savvy Inclusive Design, Examples and Prototypes, CSS Generator

Web Accessibility Tools
The critical technologies to make sure your web content is accessible, plus some of the better technologies the let people with disabilities take advantage of the Web.