Start with the assumption that you cannot predict the access needs of your audience.- (Found June 24, 2008 ) This weeks tip: start with the assumption that you cannot predict the access needs of your audience. For example, a person with Dyslexia may need a particular combination of text and background colours to comfortably read text on a web page. You could contact a person with this particular impairment and ask them about their preferred colours; but do all people with Dyslexia have the same access needs Unfortunately from a web designers point of view the answer is no. A better approach is to.http://www.mcu.org.uk/showlog.php?weblogid=77 What is an accessible website - an answer in the form of a diagram.- (Found June 24, 2008 ) A diagram which summarizes my article, What is an accessible website All access to web pages are mediated through some type of technology; if it isn't accessible to the machine you are using, it won't be accessible to you. You have the best chance of your web page working on these intermediate devices if you use standard markup. People with different needs will be able to access the same content - as long as it can be presented in a way that suits them. Use Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)...http://www.mcu.org.uk/showlog.php?weblogid=78 Web standards and accessibility conference- (Found June 24, 2008 ) As reported on GAWDS - Web Essentials '04, Web standards and accessibility conference Here is the press release: University of Technology, Sydney, Australia Thursday September 30 and Friday October 1 2004 Sydney will be the focus of the web development world when it hosts the world's first developer-focussed web standards conference this September. Bringing together some of the biggest international names in web development and accessibility - Joe Clark, Dave Shea and Doug Bowman - Web...http://www.mcu.org.uk/showlog.php?weblogid=79 Conference: Accessibility in Practice- (Found June 24, 2008 ) I am doing a talk at the Accessibility in Practice Conference at the University of Central Lancashire on Wednesday 23rd June 2004. Some blurb from the site, "The Special Educational Needs and Disabilities Act (SENDA) requires that educational providers make sure their websites, multimedia, and e-learning materials are "accessible" to users with visual, aural, physical and or cognitive disabilities. But what does this mean for developers Is such an aim realistic, or even possible This is a one.http://www.mcu.org.uk/showlog.php?weblogid=80 Is accessible web design a cost or a benefit for clients- (Found June 24, 2008 ) Members of the Guild of Accessible Web Desgners consider whether accessible web design is a cost or a benefit for clients.http://www.mcu.org.uk/showlog.php?weblogid=81 Disability Rights Commission find most sites unusable by disabled people- (Found June 24, 2008 ) Disability Rights Commission (DRC) tested a 1000 websites and found that most were not accessible to disabled people. 19 per cent of home pages passed W3C WCAG level 'A' , 0.2 per cent passed 'AA', (2 sites from 1000) and no sites passed 'AAA'. Those who are blind or have a visual impairment were found to have the most problems accessing the content and services on websites. Website owners were warned by Bert Massie, the chairman of the DRC, to improve accessibility or be prepared to face..http://www.mcu.org.uk/showlog.php?weblogid=68 |