WEB ACCESSIBILITY Cause , Effects and Side Effects The power of the web is in its universatility. Access by everyone regardless of disability, should be an essential aspect. - Tim Berners Lee Cause , Effects and Side Effects Created By : Mr. Amit Bhaskar, Managing Director Webmirer Ltd

WEB IS NOW MORE PERVASIVE World Wide Web & Ubiqitous Computing Music Players Microwaves And Many More Home Security Systems Digital Cameras Printers Game Consoles Music Systems

WHAT IS WEB ACCESSIBILTY Web accessibility refers to the practice of making websites usable by people of all abilities and disabilities . The needs that Web accessibility aims to address include: Visual: Visual impairments including blindness, various common types of low vision and poor eyesight, various types of color blindness; Motor/Mobility: e.g. difficulty or inability to use the hands, including tremors, muscle slowness, loss of fine muscle control, etc., due to conditions such as Parkinson's Disease, muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, stroke; Auditory: Deafness or hearing impairments, including individuals who are hard of hearing; Seizures: Photoepileptic seizures caused by visual strobe or flashing effects. Cognitive/Intellectual: Developmental disabilities, learning disabilities (dyslexia, dyscalculia, etc.), and cognitive disabilities of various origins, affecting memory, attention, developmental "maturity," problem-solving and logic skills, etc.;

Web accessibility refers to the practice of making websites usable by people of all abilities and disabilities .

The needs that Web accessibility aims to address include:

Visual: Visual impairments including blindness, various common types of low vision and poor eyesight, various types of color blindness;

Motor/Mobility: e.g. difficulty or inability to use the hands, including tremors, muscle slowness, loss of fine muscle control, etc., due to conditions such as Parkinson's Disease, muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, stroke;

Auditory: Deafness or hearing impairments, including individuals who are hard of hearing;

Seizures: Photoepileptic seizures caused by visual strobe or flashing effects.

Cognitive/Intellectual: Developmental disabilities, learning disabilities (dyslexia, dyscalculia, etc.), and cognitive disabilities of various origins, affecting memory, attention, developmental "maturity," problem-solving and logic skills, etc.;

WEB ACCESSIBILITY FACT AND FIGURES According to the research there are About 12.8 million people in the UK with some form of disability About 45 million people in the whole of EU In the UK it has been estimated that About 1.6 million are registered as blind 1.5 million with cognitive disabilities 3.4 million with learning difficulties 6 million have dyslexia Accessible content, for example where text equivalent is provided for graphical elements and hyperlinks are self descriptive leads to High visibilty in Search Engines High organic rankings in all major search engines (e.g. Google, Yahoo & MSN) The annual spending power of people with disabilities in the UK is £120bn as estimated. (Source: Disability Rights Commission, DRC UK) Research undertaken by the DRC, confirms that people without disabilities are also able to use websites that are already optimised for accessibility more effectively and more successfully

According to the research there are

About 12.8 million people in the UK with some form of disability

About 45 million people in the whole of EU

In the UK it has been estimated that

About 1.6 million are registered as blind

1.5 million with cognitive disabilities

3.4 million with learning difficulties

6 million have dyslexia

Accessible content, for example where text equivalent is provided for graphical elements and hyperlinks are self descriptive leads to

High visibilty in Search Engines

High organic rankings in all major search engines (e.g. Google, Yahoo & MSN)

The annual spending power of people with disabilities in the UK is £120bn as estimated. (Source: Disability Rights Commission, DRC UK)

Research undertaken by the DRC, confirms that people without disabilities are also able to use websites that are already optimised for accessibility more effectively and more successfully

ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGIES FOR WEB Screen reader software, which can read out, using synthesized speech, either selected elements of what is being displayed on the monitor (helpful for users with reading or learning difficulties), or which can read out everything that is happening on the computer (used by blind and vision impaired users). Braille terminals , consisting of a Refreshable Braille display which renders text as Braille characters (usually by means of raising pegs through holes in a flat surface) and either a QWERTY or Braille keyboard. Screen magnification software, which enlarges what is displayed on the computer monitor, making it easier to read for vision impaired users. Speech recognition software that can accept spoken commands to the computer, or turn dictation into grammatically correct text - useful for those who have difficulty using a mouse or a keyboard. Keyboard overlays, which can make typing easier and more accurate for those who have motor control difficulties.

Screen reader software, which can read out, using synthesized speech, either selected elements of what is being displayed on the monitor (helpful for users with reading or learning difficulties), or which can read out everything that is happening on the computer (used by blind and vision impaired users).

Braille terminals , consisting of a Refreshable Braille display which renders text as Braille characters (usually by means of raising pegs through holes in a flat surface) and either a QWERTY or Braille keyboard.

Screen magnification software, which enlarges what is displayed on the computer monitor, making it easier to read for vision impaired users.

Speech recognition software that can accept spoken commands to the computer, or turn dictation into grammatically correct text - useful for those who have difficulty using a mouse or a keyboard.

Keyboard overlays, which can make typing easier and more accurate for those who have motor control difficulties.

WEB ACCESSIBILITY GUIDELINES Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines (ATAG) contains 28 checkpoints that provide guidance on: producing accessible output that meets standards and guidelines promoting the content author for accessibility-related information providing ways of checking and correcting inaccessible content integrating acessiblity in the overall look and feel making the authoring tool itself accessible to people with disabilities Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 14 guidelines that are general principles of accessible design User Agent Accessibility Guidelines (UAAG) contains a comprehensive set of checkpoints that cover: access to all content user control over how content is rendered user control over the user interface standard programming interfaces

Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines (ATAG)

contains 28 checkpoints that provide guidance on:

producing accessible output that meets standards and guidelines

promoting the content author for accessibility-related information

providing ways of checking and correcting inaccessible content

integrating acessiblity in the overall look and feel

making the authoring tool itself accessible to people with disabilities

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)

14 guidelines that are general principles of accessible design

User Agent Accessibility Guidelines (UAAG)

contains a comprehensive set of checkpoints that cover:

access to all content

user control over how content is rendered

user control over the user interface

standard programming interfaces

UK LEGISLATION AND GUIDELINES Disability Discrimination Act 2005 (DDA, UK) Businesses having online presense or which offers goods and services online have a legal duty to make their website accessible PAS78 outlines best practices in commissioning websites that are usable and accessible to all, regardless of disability. It states that it is the responsibility of website commissioner to ensure that the website meets the guidelines of PAS78 and is accessible to all. Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 (SENDA, UK) prohibits discrimination in relation to: Schools, further and higher education admissions, exclusions, and student services and the education or associated services provided to pupils

Disability Discrimination Act 2005 (DDA, UK)

Businesses having online presense or which offers goods and services online have a legal duty to make their website accessible

PAS78 outlines best practices in commissioning websites that are usable and accessible to all, regardless of disability.

It states that it is the responsibility of website commissioner to ensure that the website meets the guidelines of PAS78 and is accessible to all.

Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 (SENDA, UK) prohibits discrimination in relation to:

Schools, further and higher education admissions, exclusions,

and student services

and the education or associated services provided to pupils

WHO IS DEMANDING WEB ACCESSIBILITY World Wide Web Governing Bodies (W3C) Governments America ( Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 508) Australia ( Disability Discrimination Act 1992) Canada ( Common Look and Feel Standards ) Ireland ( Disability Act 2005 ) India ( Right to Information, Act ) Hong Kong ( Hong Kong Digital 21 Strategy ) Spain (UNE139803 ) Phillippines (Biwako Millenium Framework ) Portugal United Kingdom ( Disability Discrimination Act 1999 , Senda )

World Wide Web Governing Bodies (W3C)

Governments

America ( Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 508)

Australia ( Disability Discrimination Act 1992)

Canada ( Common Look and Feel Standards )

Ireland ( Disability Act 2005 )

India ( Right to Information, Act )

Hong Kong ( Hong Kong Digital 21 Strategy )

Spain (UNE139803 )

Phillippines (Biwako Millenium Framework )

Portugal

United Kingdom ( Disability Discrimination Act 1999 , Senda )

WHO IS PROMOTING WEB ACCESSIBILITY U.K. Government E-Inclusion E-Envoy European Union Commission EPAN EDEAN United Nations Universities Private Sector Google: Accessible Search Major Retailers: Tesco & Asda Major Airlines And Many More

U.K. Government

E-Inclusion

E-Envoy

European Union Commission

EPAN

EDEAN

United Nations

Universities

Private Sector

Google: Accessible Search

Major Retailers: Tesco & Asda

Major Airlines

And Many More

FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL BENEFITS Financial benefits Higher search engine rankings Quick and positive ‘Return-on-Investment’ (ROI) Drastically reduce website maintenance costs Improved usability means happy customers Improved findability means more users Technical benefits Reduced development and maintenance time Quick loading websites Better User Experience Increased web interoperability Enable web content on different platforms (browser compatability) Compatibility with future technologies (Future proof design)

Financial benefits

Higher search engine rankings

Quick and positive ‘Return-on-Investment’ (ROI)

Drastically reduce website maintenance costs

Improved usability means happy customers

Improved findability means more users

Technical benefits

Reduced development and maintenance time

Quick loading websites

Better User Experience

Increased web interoperability

Enable web content on different platforms (browser compatability)

Compatibility with future technologies (Future proof design)

SOCIAL AND LEGAL BENEFITS Social Benefits Fulfil corporate social responsibility Equal opportunity to people with disabilities Expand the level of opportunities Reduce the impact of ‘Digital Divide’ Huge benefit to older people Legal Benefits Compliance to W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 1.0) Complying to the Legislations and Policies reduces legal risks

Social Benefits

Fulfil corporate social responsibility

Equal opportunity to people with disabilities

Expand the level of opportunities

Reduce the impact of ‘Digital Divide’

Huge benefit to older people

Legal Benefits

Compliance to W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 1.0)

Complying to the Legislations and Policies reduces legal risks

WHAT YOU CAN DO Be aware of the local legislation, Refer to PAS78 (UK) Plan the site structure, navigation and content in advance, particularly the quality of the content Inform the user agent about the webpage ( i.e meta tags ) Use descriptive titles, descriptions and headers Linearise the page content and any tables used Provide correct alt tags to images and descriptive title tags to the hyperlinks Don’t rely solely on browser capability Avoid javascript to display menus Test the website for XHTML and CSS conformity and cross-browser compatibility Provide transcripts for media elements Create separate screen, print and handheld css styles Create and maintain and accessibility policy across the website

Be aware of the local legislation, Refer to PAS78 (UK)

Plan the site structure, navigation and content in advance, particularly the quality of the content

Inform the user agent about the webpage ( i.e meta tags )

Use descriptive titles, descriptions and headers

Linearise the page content and any tables used

Provide correct alt tags to images and descriptive title tags to the hyperlinks

Don’t rely solely on browser capability

Avoid javascript to display menus

Test the website for XHTML and CSS conformity and cross-browser compatibility

Provide transcripts for media elements

Create separate screen, print and handheld css styles

Create and maintain and accessibility policy across the website

COMPARE THE TABLES Relevant Domain name Mind your Meta tags Title and Description Headings and paragraphs Navigation Structure Outgoing Links Check the contents for errrors and spellings Provide Alt Tags for images Provide descriptive text for links Linearise the Content and the tables Relevant Domain Name Mind your Meta tags (wider context) Title and Description Headings and paragraphs Navigation Structure Outgoing Links Check the contents for errrors and spellings Provide Alt Tags for images Provide descriptive text for links Linearise the Content and the tables Web Accessibility Search Engine Optimisation

Relevant Domain name

Mind your Meta tags

Title and Description

Headings and paragraphs

Navigation Structure

Outgoing Links

Check the contents for errrors and spellings

Provide Alt Tags for images

Provide descriptive text for links

Linearise the Content and the tables

Relevant Domain Name

Mind your Meta tags (wider context)

Title and Description

Headings and paragraphs

Navigation Structure

Outgoing Links

Check the contents for errrors and spellings

Provide Alt Tags for images

Provide descriptive text for links

Linearise the Content and the tables

Web Accessibility

Search Engine Optimisation

EXAMPLES Static Website Dynamic Website CMS Blog

Static Website

Dynamic Website

CMS

Blog

CASE STUDIES British Images Motorsense Before After Before After

British Images

Motorsense

WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO Web Accessibility Specialists Winner of Most Innovative Business Award 2007 Registered with West Midlands Supplier Register Member of Birmingham Chamber Of Commerce Google and Microsoft Search Partners Provide Accessible Website design Accessible Website Design Accessble E-Commerce Search Engine Optimisation Accessible Website Templates Accessible Content Management Services Web Accessibility Services Web Accessbility Consultancy Web Accessibility Audit Web Accessibility Testing Web Accessibility Certification

Web Accessibility Specialists

Winner of Most Innovative Business Award 2007

Registered with West Midlands Supplier Register

Member of Birmingham Chamber Of Commerce

Google and Microsoft Search Partners

Provide Accessible Website design

Accessible Website Design

Accessble E-Commerce

Search Engine Optimisation

Accessible Website Templates

Accessible Content Management Services

Web Accessibility Services

Web Accessbility Consultancy

Web Accessibility Audit

Web Accessibility Testing

Web Accessibility Certification

THANK YOU Question and Answers

Question and Answers