by Nigel Peck

Accessibility in Web design addresses the issue of creating Websites that are accessible to all users, regardless of physical ability or the way in which they use the Internet.

In this article we'll discuss the concepts surrounding accessible Web Design, the current initiatives to increase the accessibility of Websites, and the guidelines that you can use to make your site more accessible.

Why Accessibility Is Important

Why aren't all Websites accessible? You may be asking yourself why the issue of 'accessibility' even exists, and why all Websites aren't already accessible to all users. There are a number of reasons that explain the need for accessible design. Some involve disabilities that users may have, while others simply stem from the way different people choose to access and use the Internet.

Visually Disabled Users

Visually disabled users range from the colour blind, to the fully blind. These users can have problems understanding images that are not accompanied by a text description of what they show. Without a text description a user who can't see an image has no way of knowing what it is, or what it represents. Colour blind users may also have trouble discerning design elements (including text) whose colors are not sufficiently different from the elements around them (including the background or page colour).

Visually impaired users may also have problems understanding sites that are not built to accommodate "viewing" through a non-visual browser such as a screen reader. A screen reader is a Web browser that reads Websites out loud, thereby making them accessible to visually disabled users. Often a Website that looks nice visually can be a complete mess when it is listened to through a screen reader.

Hearing Disabilities

Similarly to the issues facing the visually impaired, are those that face Web users with hearing problems. Users with hearing disabilities have no way of understanding information that is communicated with sound. The simple solution is to provide an alternative that does not use sound, such as a text description or an image.

Physical Disabilities

If you are not physically disabled, it's hard to imagine how your online experience may be affected if you were. For instance, have you ever tried to use a Website without your mouse? Unless you were lucky with the site you visited, you probably found it very difficult. Physically disabled users are often incapable of using a mouse. Unless these users' needs are taken into account when you create Website navigation and input methods, physically disabled users may well find your site completely inaccessible.

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Cognitive and Neurological Disabilities

Websites can be complex, and finding the information we want can be difficult for the most able of us. The situation is not helped by sites that use an overly complex design, inconsistent navigation, and distracting, repetitive animation. These design elements can compound problems for users with Cognitive and Neurological Disabilities, and can make some sites completely inaccessible for them.

Beyond Disabilities

As we have seen, using the Internet if you have a disability can be a difficult task. By observing and understanding the guidelines for accessible Web design, you can produce a site that serves its purpose and is accessible to all users, not just those without disabilities.

But it doesn't stop there. Accessible Web design has advantages for other users, too. These groups will benefit if you follow the guidelines to make your site accessible:

Users of mobile phones, Web-TV and kiosks

Low bandwidth users

Users in a noisy environment

Users with "screen glare"

Users who are driving

Users with a low literacy level

Second-language access

Users with different learning styles

Dealing with accessibility issues also improves:

Page transmission and site maintenance

Machine indexing of content

Searching of content

The Marketplace

There's another reason to make your site accessible (if you need any more!). According to current figures, disabled users currently make up around 10% to 20% of the population in most countries. Increase that figure to represent the portion of your users who fall into the categories listed above, and you're looking at up to 30% of the market for your Website. If making your site accessible to 30% of the market doesn't persuade you that accessible Web Design is worthwhile, then you might as well stop reading now.

The average age of the population in many countries is also increasing. Aging results in a number of accessibility issues, including vision and hearing changes and declines in dexterity and memory. If your market includes a significant number of elderly visitors, then you can increase that 30% to a much larger percentage of users who will reap the benefits of accessible Web Design.

Legal Requirements

For certain Websites, addressing accessibility can be a legal requirement. This is usually the case for government sites, but can also affect others. For more information on the requirements in different countries see the W3C page Policies Relating to Web Accessibility.