Technical level: All || Date:
9th October 2004 || Author:
Nigel Peck
Introduction
Julie Howell is the Digital Policy Development Officer
for the UK Royal National Institute of the Blind.
I interviewed her recently on a number of Web Accessibility
related topics.
The UK Disability Discrimination Act
What is going to happen with regards to Web Accessibility
in October 2004 when further Disability Discrimination
Act legislation comes into force?
The part of the DDA that effects the provision of
services via the web came into effect on 1 October
1999.
It is true that parts of the DDA come into effect
in 2004, but these are not the parts that effect services
provided via the web. Nothing changes in 2004.
Has the DDA made a significant difference
to the rate at which UK-based web sites are being
made accessible?
The DDA has definitely made many companies more aware
of web accessibility. But it would be wrong to equate
knowledge with compliance. While awareness is rising
good practice isn't necessarily rising at the same
rate.
But keep in mind that the web is still a very new
medium for many businesses, and the disability discrimination
legislation is also very new. It takes time for companies
to digest and implement the requirements. RNIB is
working with many agencies to help them make their
future designs more accessible. In two years time
I would expect the web to be far more accessible than
it is now.
Would you prefer to see the DDA legislation
specifically include mention of web sites?
Legislation is never that specific. However, the Disability
Rights Commission: Code of Practice to accompany the
DDA, published in February 2002, explicitly mentions
services provided via the web as being covered by
the Act (an online airline ticketing service is given
as an example). There is no doubt that services offered
via the web qualify as 'services' as defined under
the Act.
Any news on UK web accessibility court cases?
RNIB has recently been involved in two such cases,
one of which was the subject of county court proceedings,
and which settled in July 2003; these are the first
court proceedings which we are aware of that related
in any way to the provision of a service on the web.
These cases have now been resolved: both the clients
and RNIB are content with the settlements that were
reached.
RNIB will continue to use the DDA in particular to
issue proceedings on behalf of blind and partially
sighted people in court for breaches of the Act where
these breaches cannot be resolved without such action.
Currently RNIB is working on potential cases involving
website accessibility on behalf of other blind and
partially sighted people under the DDA. We are unable
to comment on the details of these potential cases
at the moment but may be able to in future.
Large Corporate Companies Web Site Accessibility
What is your experience of large corporate
companies in relation to making their sites accessible?
Varied. When the dialogue begins, we often find that
companies have misunderstood what is meant by accessibility
or have been misled over what is required to make
their online services accessible.
There is often an assumption that they have to make
their site text only. Or that any elements of the
site that are currently inaccessible have to be removed.
Of course, neither is true.
Once RNIB's Web Accessibility Team have explained
the business benefits of making a site more accessible
and have suggested a strategy that works for the company
concerned (eg, an incremental approach) we find that
companies feel much more positive about the task at
hand. After all, accessibility is about extending
the reach of your products and services to a greater
number of people and should therefore be viewed in
a positive light.
If you worked for a large corporate company,
how would you sell accessibility to your boss?
Accessibility extends the reach of our service.
Accessibility makes our site inter-operable.
Accessibility is a demonstration of our corporate
social responsibility.
If our competitors are accessible and we are not,
we may be viewed in a bad light and lose custom.
There are over 8m people with disabilities people
in the UK with a combined spending power estimated
at £45bn per annum.
Accessible design enhances the user experience for
everyone (eg site downloads quicker, more technologies
are supported).
Inaccessible sites may be in breach of the 1995 Disability
Discrimination Act.
RNIB works with companies to highlight best practice
through positive press stories and events.
If our web site is inaccessible, we may be excluding
potential future employees with disabilities, which
is also unlawful.
Accessibility is not about limiting creativity. The
very act of working to standards and guidelines that
include the maximum audience is a very creative process.
Blind and Partially Sighted Users
How do blind and partially sighted users feel
about the Internet?
The blind and partially sighted net users that I have
spoken to are overwhelmingly positive about the Internet,
and the web in particular. It is so liberating to
be able to shop without asking a sighted friend to
help, or to read the news or a book without assistance
from a sighted person. Even the ability to check a
train time online makes such a huge difference to
a blind manager who wants to arrange his own travel
to a meeting.
However, many web sites continue to lock blind and
partially sighted people out, and I can't overstate
the frustration and disappointment this causes. And
all for want of good web design practice.
Julie Howell
Digital Policy Development Officer
RNIB
RNIB Web Access Centre www.rnib.org.uk/webaccesscentre
RNIB is running a number of seminars for web designers
in October and November. For details, please check
their web site.
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