Why Accessibility?
‘Web Accessibility’ is the concept of redesigning and building the web so that it becomes accessible and usable to people with disabilities. It also implies understanding the role ‘web accessibility initiative’ plays in changing the World Wide Web. Thus, it is vital that the web is accessible to everyone. It is essential to create an environment where all the information provided on the internet is accessible to people with or without disabilities like low vision, colour blindness, other visual impairments etc.
Latest developments conducted by BBC News in this area suggests that according to disability rights commission 80% of websites posed barriers to disabled people and introduced new guidelines called PAS 78 for any organization that has a public facing website. In November last year, UK Cabinet office’s e-government unit, have found that 97% of official sites were unusable by disabled people and hence government is very keen on promoting the move of e-accessibility.
Web Accessibility and Usability
Web Accessibility plays an integral role in the life of people with or without disabilities in order to access the web. Ideally, people with disabilities can identify access, understand, find and interact with the web efficiently and contribute to the same. Most websites have accessibility obstacles which makes it complex or impossible for these people with disabilities.
There are many websites which are totally inaccessible and fails to satisfy even the lowest standard web accessibility suggested by World Wide Web consortium. There are many disabled people who are more willing the access the web, its services and information sitting at home as they found it difficult to leave home.
E-Accessibility :Standards and Guidelines
Recent research conducted within the EU, by the European Public Administration Network (EPAN) which is published in the Executive Briefing of “E-Accessibility of Public Sector Services in the European Union” demonstrates that e-accessibility is the major concern across the EU to provide good practices and significant improvement in online public services.
Recent research conducted by the European Public Administration Network (EPAN) which is published in the Executive Briefing of “E-Accessibility of Public Sector Services in the European Union” demonstrates that only 3% of the websites in the EU are accessible and that e-accessibility is the major concern across the EU to provide good practices and significant improvement in online public services.
Accessible web design is also of great assistance for people without disabilities as they can achieve greater usability and help for setting visual needs preferences and settings. It also enhances the capability of accessing web within certain situations such as slow internet connections and impermanent disability factors occurring due to unexpected accidents.
We adhere to the guidelines and recommendations given for good practice for web managers, developers and policy makers, thus it has become our goal to give both the general web users as well as the disabled users the highest level of internet experience by complying with the strict W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) standards, Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995, Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 (SENDA) and EPAN guidelines.