Tim Berners-Lee, W3C Director and inventor of the World Wide Web
"The power of the Web is in its universality. Access by everyone regardless of disability is an essential aspect."
The business case for accessible design
With the number of disabled people in the U.K. reaching approximately 9 million individuals, with an annual spending power that approaches £40 billion, the business case for tapping into this market couldn't be clearer. But an inclusive website benefits every user, and these benefits include:
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Improved site usability
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Fast loading pages
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Improved search engine listings and site search capabilities
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A better experience for low bandwidth users
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Improved support for a global audience
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Delivery of content to multiple devices
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Demonstration of social responsibility
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Reduced legal liability
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Positive PR
The legal case for web accessibility
Website accessibility is now enshrined in legislation around the world. In the U.K. the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA), which came into force in 1999, has exerted some pressure on businesses to develop accessible websites. The Act was updated in October 2004: “Offering services on the Web without addressing accessibility and opening up these services to a disabled audience could lead to successful prosecution,” as has already happened in the U.S.A. and Australia.
In their report 'The Web: Access and Inclusion for Disabled People' published in 2004, the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) concluded that, “most websites (81%) fail to satisfy the most basic Web Accessibility Initiative category.” As a result, the DRC has announced in the U.K. that, with the support of the Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB), it will bring the first test cases against offending site owners.
In March 2006 the British Standards Institution (BSI), together with the DRC, developed a guidance document on how to develop a a website which is user-friendly for disabled people.
Want to know more?
Please contact us or call us on 01273 669 710 if you'd like to discuss your website accessibility requirements.
