Accessible Website Design

You may be wondering what on earth has building and designing websites have to do with disabilities and the disabled?

Web accessibility means that people with disabilities can use the Web. More specifically, Web accessibility means that people with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with the Web, and that they can contribute to the Web. Web accessibility also benefits others, including older people with changing abilities due to aging.

Government departments in most countries are required by law to provide accessible websites and in the UK it is law that websites must be accessible to the disabled, including the blind. But how can a blind person view a website, I hear you ask. Well they can't "see" the page in the sense a sighted person can so they use a tool called a screen reader. You can find more information on screen readers here, but basically a screen reader is a software application on your computer that attempts to identify and interpret what is being displayed on the computer screen, in this case a web page. This interpretation is then represented to the user with text-to-speech, sound icons, or a braille output device.

Currently most Web sites and Web software have accessibility barriers that make it difficult or impossible for many people with disabilities to use the Web. As more accessible Web sites and software become available, people with disabilities are able to use and contribute to the Web more effectively.

Much of the focus on Web accessibility has been on the responsibilities of Web developers. However, Web software also has a vital role in Web accessibility. Software needs to help developers produce and evaluate accessible Web sites, and be usable by people with disabilities.

When sites are correctly designed, developed and edited, all users can have equal access to information and functionality. For example, when a site is coded with semantically meaningful HTML, with textual equivalents provided for images and with links named meaningfully, this helps blind users using text-to-speech software and/or text-to-Braille hardware.

When text and images are large and/or enlargable, it is easier for users with poor sight to read and understand the content.

When flashing effects are avoided or made optional, users prone to seizures caused by these effects are not put at risk.

When content is written in plain language and illustrated with instructional diagrams and animations, users with dyslexia and learning difficulties are better able to understand the content.

When clickable links and areas are large, this helps users who cannot control a mouse with precision.

When pages are coded so that users can navigate by means of the keyboard alone, or a single switch access device alone, this helps users who cannot use a mouse or even a standard keyboard.

When sites are correctly built and maintained, all of these users can be accommodated while not impacting on the usability of the site for non-disabled users.

When links are underlined (or otherwise differentiated) as well as coloured, this ensures that color blind users will be able to notice them.

When videos are closed captioned or a sign language version is available, deaf and hard of hearing users can understand the video.

We will also be taking a look at how to design and build a website whether it is a personal home page, or a way of supplementing your income by selling products, advertising space, or making commissions via affiliate programs. This information will be of value not just to people with disabilities, but to all persons wanting to build their first website. Even experienced webmasters are bound to pick up a few tips and tricks - especially in our search engine optimization tips and instructions.

Further Information Regarding Accessible Website Design

IBM Makes it Easier to Browse Web Sites on Mobile Devices
New technology helps Webmasters make Web sites more comprehensible on mobile devices; adapted from technology created for visually impaired. IBM researchers have created technology, initially developed for visually-impaired users, that makes it simpler for Webmasters to make their Web sites more readable on the small screens of mobile devices, reducing burdensome scrolling through out-of-order text and graphics.

Website Developer Competition for Website Accessible Design Skills
Houston-area residents and non-profit organizations will gain greater Internet accessibility through brand new websites from the Sixth Annual Accessibility Internet Rally for Houston (AIR Houston) scheduled to kick off this month. Web design professionals and non-profits are encouraged to sign up to participate.

Larger Google Search Text Size and Search Form
Good news for those with visual impairments, and surfers whose eyesight just isn't what it used to be. Google have modified the way their search page looks by adding a larger search box and text fields so you can see your query more clearly.

Microsoft's New Bing Search Engine - A Graphical Wonder
The release of the Bing search engine by the Microsoft Corporation presents more competition for your search business online. There is one disappointment that I found at Bing. When I looked for accessibility features in association with Bing, I was unable to come up with anything. There is no statement by the Microsoft Corporation concerning Disability Accessibility Features on the Bing site that I was able to locate.

Google Online Services - Accessible Information Applications
Google has a number of services which are accessible online and through mobile devices that make searching for, obtaining, using, and sharing information both easy and pleasurable for nearly anyone. As I went through an initial review of the features that Google is offering, I was amazed at how well they interact with each other, oftentimes increasing each application's individual features even more accessible.

How to Adjust Color Contrast in Windows Operating Systems
Using contrast settings on your computer can heighten the color contrast of both text and images on your monitor. Increasing the contrast of colors can reduce eyestrain and make items easier to read by people with vision impairments.

How to Resize Text and Fonts in Your Browser Settings
Modern browsers such as Internet Explorer, FireFox, Safari (Mac), Google Chrome, Opera, and Netscape provide a setting option to adjust the font, or text, size. Once set your preference of font and text size will be the default option for all websites you visit.

Opera Browser How to Change Default Text and Image Size
One of the abilities of the Opera browser is a function to not only change the default text size of web pages but also increase image sizes by using the computer keyboard.

Changing Website Text and Font Size in Netscape
Instructions explaining how to increase the default font or text size on website pages when using the Netscape web browser.

Increase Text Size and Fonts in Internet Explorer
How to guide for changing the default text size on website pages when using Internet Explorer web browser.

Changing Web Page Text Size using Firefox
Step by step guide to changing text size on web pages when using FireFox web browser.

Changing Font and Text Size in Safari Browser
Information on how to make website page text size bigger or smaller in the Safari browser.

Google Chrome Browser - Adjusting Text Size
Guide to using keyboard shortcuts to increase or decrease the web page text size when using the Google Chrome browser.

What are Blog Pingbacks Trackbacks Refbacks and LinkBacks
Pingbacks were designed to solve some of the problems that people saw with trackbacks. A Pingback is an XML-RPC request sent from Site A to Site B that requires a link. Some blog software, such as Movable Type, WordPress and Community Server, support automatic pingbacks.

Accessible Website Design for Easier Accessibility
Building websites with web standards and with accessibility in mind creates better websites. These sites load faster and are much easier for search engines to index. Web crawlers or spiders that are sent our by search engines to index your site are in essence blind users, making your website accessible helps your natural search engine ranking, meaning more people will be able to find you via Google, Yahoo and all the other search engines.

Website Design - Usability Versus Accessibility
A big mistake many people make is to confuse usability with accessibility. Not only are the two very different, but the tendency seems to be that one is deemed less important than the other. Although they must both be taken seriously, it's true that many of the ideals surrounding accessibility still apply to usability and vice versa.

Web Hosting Explained for Beginners and Advanced Website Owners
In our continuing series explaining how to put a website online this article examines what to look for in web hosting services and covers shared, dedicated, windows, unix, or co-location hosts for your new website

Hex Code Color Spectrum Chart for Website Accessibility
Color codes present particular problems for color blind people as they are often difficult or impossible for color blind people to understand. Here is a color spectrum chart for website and page design for persons with color blindness.

Google Search Tips and Tricks
There are many different tricks and tips you can use when using Google search engine to make life easier. The following article is a comprehensive guide to most of the commands you can enter in the Google search box, it will get you what you want easy and fast once you have learned how to use it in a more intimate manner.

Sitemeter Updates Website but is it Accessible to Disabled
Disabled World would be interested to hear from vision impaired persons who use Sitemeter on their blog or website in regards to how their screen readers handle the new Sitemeter statistic displays.

Checking Website Accessibility with Free Toolbar
Website Accessibility is the process of rendering a website so that all and any users are able to access the web page content regardless of location, experience, or disability. This involves building you website to internationally recognized accessibility standards.

Country Code Domain Name Extensions TLDs
In this section of building a website we take a look at TLD's (top level domain) or domain name extensions that are available for different countries.

Root Directory Files - Robots - Favicon - 404 Pages - htaccess
There are many things that can help make your website more professional, while making it more friendly to search engines at the same time. Documents that you can insert in your main directory where your index file is contained include robots.txt, .htaccess file, favicon, and 404 error pages.

Buying a Domain Name
Continuing our tutorial on owning a domain name and building a website we take a look at the domain purchase and a list of things you need to know when finding and buying a domain name for your future website.

Search Engine Optimization Tips for High Rankings
In this part of our continuing series on how to build a great website we examine some of the factors that show signs of quality in a website to the search engines.

W3C Web Standard Defines Accessibility
W3C announces a new standard that will help Web designers and developers create sites that better meet the needs of users with disabilities and older users. Drawing on extensive experience and community feedback, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 improve upon W3C's groundbreaking initial standard for accessible Web content.