Web Accessibility The a-z of accessibility - Who, Why & what

Agenda

• Accessibility – killing the myth

• Why work with accessibility

• How to work with accessibility

• Cases – using a screen reader

• Q&A

"The power of the Web is in its universality. Access by everyone regardless of disability is an essential aspect."

Tim Berners-Lee, W3C Director and inventor of the World Wide Web

Accessibility is many things

• Up to 20% of internet users experience accessibility problems

• Worldwide 750 million people have a disability

• Between 3% and 6% of the population are dyslexic

• 4.5% of the population are colour blind

• Devices, operating systems, browsers and versions of these

“Don’t you want your content to be accessible to as many visitors as possible?"

Users and Technologies

“Your 30 year old self needs to help your 80 year old self make the web accessible”

- Steven Pemberton, yesterday’s session Designing a better Web

Why bother?

• Reducing risk of legal action

• Improved usability

• Brand Protection

• More Users

• Robust Website

• Channel shift strategy

• Inclusion & Equality

• CSR

Accessibility is a right in many countries

New EU public sector web accessibility rules take shape

” The parliament also wants the new rules to apply to websites run by "entities performing public tasks", such as energy utility companies and companies providing outsourced public services such as transport or health care” .

What to do?

• Get to know the guidelines

• Make a plan

• Set a level of ambition

• Appoint an ‘accessibility person’

• See it as a process - not a project

• Assign responsibilities

Who and what?

• Designers • Accessible colours and structure

• Vendors / developers • A CMS supporting accessible publishing

• A technical solution conforming with the requirements

• Editors / content creators • Use CMS in a way that maintains accessibility

• Upload accessible content

Small changes with a big effect

Image: SmallCart400.jpg

alt=”Add to cart”

c Label for=”Search”

alt=”Go”

Screen reader demonstration by Daniel

Stop by at the Siteimprove table

• Have Daniel take a look at one of your web pages using a screen reader

• Have Helene take a look at one of your web pages and tell you what you need to do

• Have a chat with our lovely Siteimprove ladies

http://go.siteimprove.co.uk/access_handbook

Thanks for listening!

DANIEL GARTMANN

Ict consultant

dg@ibos.dk

www.ibos.dk

HELENE NØRGAARD BECH

Senior e-Accessibility Specialist

helenenb@siteimprove.com

www.siteimprove.co.uk

Helenebech