Computers and the Internet have the potential to provide incredible opportunities for independence to individuals with disabilities. People with hearing or speech impariments can communicate easily via email, chat, and other electronic means. Disabled individuals who cannot drive or have difficulty traveling can conduct transactions online and get information without leaving their homes.
Accessible or "universal" design is about recognizing the diversity of individuals who use the Internet and ensuring that websites are usable by anyone, including those with disabilities or using assistive technologies.
Consider accessibility one element of the broader concept of usability. When thinking about accessibility, it's important to keep in mind the real people that will be using your site, rather than focusing just on checklists and complying with guidelines. A site can be accessible but still not usable.
Why Accessibility?
There are many reasons to learn and embrace accessible design. It is required by Federal law and state government policy for state agency websites. It is the right thing to do in order to serve all the citizens of Maine and to allow the disabled to take advantage of the opportunities afforded by the Internet. In addition, accessible design benefits all users.
There are five general categories of disabilities that affect web usage:
- Blind/Low Vision
- Deaf/Hard of Hearing
- Mobility Impairments
- Cognitive Impairments
- Seizure Disorders
Each of these types of disability includes a wide variety of unique situations and poses different challenges to the individuals affected. There are many kinds of assistive technology available, such as screen magnifiers, screen reader software, adaptive keyboards, pointing devices, and speech-recognition software. However, in order to work effectively, websites must be designed to accomodate different methods of viewing and interacting with online information.
For more introductory information about accessible design, see:
Consider some trends and statistics:
- Use of the Internet is growing rapidly, especially among senior citizens.
- Seniors, the disabled, and rural users can benefit from the Web since it is more difficult for them to travel to offices or businesses.
- New technology allows the Web to be used from a variety of devices including mobile phones and PDAs.
- 15-30% of the general population have physical or cognitive limitations that affect their use of technology.
- Over 25% of the US population will be over age 55 by 2010. Currently, about 14% of Maine's citizens are over age 65, and this is a fast-growing group.
Benefits of Accessible Design
- Better site usability due to more descriptive link text, better structured content, consistent navigation, browser compatibility, and more.
- An accessible site allows you to reach a wider audience and to serve more people.
- Greater compatibility with a variety of web browsers and devices due to standard coding practices.
- Faster downloads due to a reduction in reliance on images.
- Improved search engine compatibility.