Accessibility Services
Good site design incorporates the concept of universal accessibility.
Websites should be able to accommodate a variety of browsers and other input devices, such as switches and headwands (pointers). The content of site pages should also be accessible to different output devices, especially screen reading software that converts text into speech or Braille.
Accessible sites are easier to maintain, work effectively with current Internet technologies and have the inherent flexibility to embrace those of the foreseeable future.
Accessibility Review
An expert review of your website by Web Usability can identify potential accessibility problems.
An Accessibility Review includes:
- Checking site areas for compliance with WCAG Priority 1 and Priority 2 accessibility checkpoints.
- Identifying issues that could reduce the accessibility of the site for people with impaired vision, other physical disabilities and cognitive and learning difficulties.
- Testing selected pages to determine the ease with which users of different assistive technologies can access page content.
- Analysing web page code to identify accessibility issues and non-compliance with recognised web standards.
- Preparation of a report outlining accessibility concerns and recommending solutions.
Accessibility Evaluation
A full, comprehensive evaluation of site accessibility incorporates the Accessibility Review described above and task-based user testing of the site by people with disabilities. The people and assistive technologies used for the task-based testing are determined by the requirements of the project and may include:
- Vision impairment. People who are either blind or have significantly diminished vision depend on screen reading software (eg JAWS), Braille devices and screen magnifiers (eg ZoomText) to use a site. The use of some colour combinations can also cause problems for the visually impaired.
- Physical disabilities. People with upper limb mobility impairment often have difficulty using a mouse and rely on other input devices.
- Cognitive and learning disabilities. Although people with severe cognitive impairment are not likely to use the web, many people with some level of cognitive difficulty do use the web. User-testing determines how well people with learning difficulties and/or diminished short-term memory are able to use a site.
The outcomes of each task-based evaluation session are analysed and problems experienced by participants are documented. At the completion of the evaluation process, a full report is prepared. It will detail the likely impact of any identified accessibility issues and, where appropriate, make recommendations for addressing them.
"There is a need for much more effort to encourage the implementation of accessible web design; access to the Worldwide Web for people with disabilities can be readily achieved if good design practices are followed."
World Wide Web Access: Disability Discrimination Act Advisory Notes
Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission