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Web Accessibility, and
Accessible Website Design and Development
This page on Web Accessibility, and Accessible Website Design and Development covers the following topics:
- What is Web Accessibility?
- Why should I make my website accessible?
- We build Accessible Websites
- Further Information
What is Web Accessibility?
The aim of Web Accessibility is to make the resources of the World Wide Web usable by a greater spectrum of people. Web Accessibility is not just about assisting people with a disability, more holistically Web Accessibility improves the flexibility of the resources of the web so that they can be utilised by all people in a variety of ways.
For example, one aspect of Web Accessibility is that websites should be usable on a variety of devices , this will certainly increase the flexibility and reach of the Web’s resources. Another example is that websites should be usable by the keyboard alone, as some people have problems using a mouse or other pointing device. A third example is to improve the readability of websites so that they are understood by a wider audience.
Web Accessibility is a legal requirement. Section 5 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 has been interpreted as requiring organisations to make their websites and content accessible. The Australian Human Rights Commission has also advised that “non-government websites and web content should comply with WCAG [Web Content Accessibility Guidelines] 2.0 to a minimum level of AA” .
Web Accessibility is best considered when developing or re-developing a website, however it can be considered at any stage as it is usually implemented on a page-by-page basis.
The above Australian Government video presents web accessibility, who it affects, and our responsibility to improve it.
Why should I make my website accessible?
Website accessibility is a legal requirement and in some cases has been challenged in court.
Websites with higher accessibility are usable by a larger number of people. The business benefit is an increase in sales.
Search engine providers favour websites that are highly usable and have the most relevant content best satisfying a search engine user’s search. Increasing a website’s accessibility makes it more usable and may result in a higher Search Engine Ranking. Even a small increase in Search Engine Ranking can have a substantial increase in website visitors and a resultant increase in sales.
Even making small changes to improve website accessibility and usability can increase overall customer satisfaction; this can be the difference between a good business and a great business.
We build Accessible Websites
For the majority of websites, web accessibility isn’t hard or expensive – it just needs to be considered.
Atom Software will work with your business to build an accessible website. As aspects of Web Accessibility are subjective we can also arrange for an independent website accessibility review if desired.
Contact us to talk about your business website or web application needs and how we can help you achieve your business goals.
Further Information
Further useful information on Website Accessibility can be found in the following links:
