Accessibility can be loosely defined as the degree to which a product or service is readily available to all users. In the online context, this means that websites need to account for slow internet connections and/or small displays, and cater to the needs of users who may have impairments in literacy, dexterity, hearing, cognition or vision. For most of us, the web is experienced via one of the common web browsers – Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, etc. – and we take ease of use for granted. But for many others, accessibility considerations, assistive technologies and speciality software are absolutely critical to their being able to use the web effectively or even at all. And, unfortunately, most current websites are not well geared for these people.

Current guidelines

It is with these issues in mind that the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) were released by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) for review and adoption by the global community. According to the four principles of accessibility that underpin the entire standard (and under which there are numerous specific directives), websites should be:

• perceivable
• operable
• understandable
• robust.

It should be noted that the guidelines specify three levels of compliance: A, AA and AAA. Level A compliance is now the standard recommended in the Australian Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) and endorsed by Vision Australia.

It’s really not that hard

Generally speaking, none of the directives in these guidelines is particularly onerous, and once understood they are readily implemented at the building stage of any well-conceived website.

The broader adoption of accessibility standards hinges on greater awareness by stakeholders, an acknowledgment that accessibility is integral to good design and a willingness to incorporate these standards into professional practice on every new project. Once we do away with the erroneous idea of accessibility as an unachievable, time-consuming and expensive ideal, the web can truly evolve and become a more equitable environment for all concerned. To this end, I recommend two excellent articles on ‘inclusion’ and ‘universal design’ at A List Apart.

P.S. I also challenge the developer of this blog to bring the site up to AA compliance and display the accreditation logo.

Michael Smith is Director of Digital Media at WellmarkPerspexa, where he keeps his finger on the pulse of the latest developments in electronic communications.

Public buildings with ramps in place of stairs, automatic doors, elevator buttons at wheelchair height, Braille keypads and signs, non-step buses and priority parking, ripple strips on train platforms and footpaths, audio ‘walk’ and ‘don’t walk’ signals, motion- and voice-activated appliances, large-print books, multi-language community literature … all of these point to an emerging awareness that the needs and rights of those who have historically been disadvantaged must be better addressed and understood. But we have a long way to go, and the necessity for ongoing change is clear. The Australian Human Rights Commission, in its advisory notes on the Australian Disability Discrimination Act (DDA), asserts that one in five Australians lives with some form of disability, and the proportion is growing. Average life expectancy has increased from 57 in 1910 to over 80 today, and by 2030 the number of people aged 65 to 80 will rise by nearly 40%. Clearly, equitable, unhindered access to buildings, education, employment, public transport, goods, services and information can no longer be an option or afterthought; it is an imperative.

It is ironic that the web – a modern medium that was intended to be accessible by all – has evolved in a way that often presents major accessibility barriers to the elderly, impaired and impoverished. Potentially, of course, the web offers unprecedented opportunities for inclusion and participation – making accessible what was previously unavailable and giving voice to those who previously went unheard. Yet it doesn’t take much investigation to discover that for those with disabilities, ‘e-Exclusion’ (a term used in a 2008 report for the European Commission, available here) is still the norm. From social media through to community and business sites, stakeholders involved in the development and distribution of online content and tools continue to give accessibility standards and guidelines short shrift. This issue concerns us all, and I think that we as users, designers, developers and web owners have an ongoing civic obligation to champion and model universal e-Access – not to mention a legal obligation, as mandated under the DDA.

For businesses, this means embracing accessibility as an integral part of an organisation’s approach to an effective web presence, and should incorporate the full gamut from online service offerings through to consumer and investor communications. For developers, it means raising client awareness and including accessibility in project specifications, best-practice coding, and testing regimes. And for individuals, it means increasing awareness in circles where you exercise influence, and holding corporations and commercial site owners accountable for accessibility through feedback and forums.

For all the new possibilities it has opened up, the web is not as progressive as it might be. We need to bring online accessibility into line with our broader social initiatives and make inclusion the norm.

Michael Smith is Director of Digital Media at WellmarkPerspexa, where he keeps his finger on the pulse of the latest developments in electronic communications.