Making Websites Accessible
The Disability Discrimination Act states that you must ensure your online services are accessible to disabled people.
To meet the needs of disabled people:
- Comply with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines version 1.0 (WCAG) . Find out more at www.w3.org/WAI (World Wide Web Consortium, Web Accessibility Initiative).
- When tendering for a website ensure that accessibility is built-in from the start. SAIF recommends WCAG AA compliance.
- Create a website design that is flexible so that users can change colours, font and font size to meet their individual requirements.
- Give links a meaningful name describing what they link to.
- Add labels to all non-text elements, like photographs and graphics.
- Do regular accessibility checks on your site, e.g. run it through the Cynthia Says accessibility checker at www.contentquality.com.
- Involve disabled people in the planning and testing of your site.
- Get regular and organised feedback from disabled people about the accessibility of your site.
- Provide your staff with disability equality training. A key barrier for disabled people is negative attitudes towards them.
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Page updated 10 April 2008