Accessible Web Sites Are Good For Business
June 21 marks the first anniversary of passage of Section 508 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act. This law requires that individuals who have disabilities must have access to electronic and information technology that is comparable to the access available to non-disabled individuals. The law applies to all Federal agencies when they develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and information technology. Making web sites accessible to all users, regardless of disability, is becoming a hot issue for business. Companies must design accessible, usable products to keep up with the demands and opportunities of a rapidly growing market segment of disabled and older customers. To help its customers meet this challenge, UDRI’s Human Factors group has recently added the expertise of Dr. Sarah J. Swierenga, a recognized expert in evaluating and designing accessible web sites.
What is Web Accessibility?
Web accessibility means enhancing electronic information technologies to ensure that the web site content is understandable and navigable. Accessible web design includes making the language clear and simple, and providing understandable mechanisms for navigating within and between web pages. Enhancing sites for accessibility allows disabled customers to interact effectively with web products using screen readers, voice browsers, TTY, etc.
Accessibility is Good Business
Even when not required to by law, companies are finding that enhancing their web site for accessibility is cost-effective and generally good business. The benefits of designing for accessibility extend beyond disabled users; accessible design principles increase product usability for all users. For example, designing user interfaces that have consistent navigation and presentation across the web site is important for both accessibility and usability. Following accessibility guidelines can also optimize interaction with emerging technologies, such as PDAs, mobile phones, and other small-screen devices that are increasingly able to access the Internet.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) also prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities. Title II of the ADA requires that state web sites be accessible. Reasonable accommodations must be made for disabled users. The National Federation for the Blind settled a lawsuit with AOL after AOL committed to make version 6.0 of its software accessible to the visually impaired. The Sydney Olympic Committee lost in court and was ordered to make the Olympics web site accessible to blind users.
Reaching a Wider Market
Fifty-four million Americans have at least one significant disability; over 500 million people worldwide do as well. One in five Americans has some form of legal disability. If older online consumers, who may not be disabled, but live with reduced capabilities, are also included, the number of current and potential online customers represents a significant market that cannot be ignored from both a human and an economic standpoint. According to Forrester Research, in the age group 50 to 64, 55% are online consumers. Accessible products widen the audience that can interact with the product, thereby increasing marketing and sales opportunities. Companies can address accessibility most cost-effectively by incorporating it into technology planning, development, and maintenance processes, but the expense is definitely worth it because of the very significant market potential.
UDRI Web Accessibility Services
UDRI’s Human Factors group works with large and small businesses and government to solve design and development problems related to ergonomics, human/machine interfaces, human technology integration, and training evaluation and simulation. UDRI’s accessibility consulting services include:
- General consulting on accessibility guidelines and standards relevant to your company
- Consulting with your organization to develop a corporate accessibility compliance program
- Conducting accessibility compliance evaluations for web sites
- Technical consulting with product design teams to enhance web sites for accessibility
- Conducting usability tests with disabled customers
- Providing training courses on accessible web design for your organization
At her previous employer, Dr. Sarah J. Swierenga led a corporate accessibility compliance initiative, which included providing technical consulting on over 50 products, creating an organizational strategy for implementing Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act standards, developing technical guidelines for applying the regulation, and raising company-wide awareness of accessibility compliance issues. Dr. Swierenga recently co-authored a book entitled Constructing Accessible Web Sites (Glasshaus, 2002). She also developed a half-day short course on implementing web accessibility compliance programs.
For more information about human factors work at UDRI, contact group leader Laurie Quill at 937-229-4299.
May 2002
For more information, please contact Pamela Gregg (pamela.gregg@udri.udayton.edu), UDRI Communication Administrator, at 937-229-3268.
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