Making Websites Accessible
Introduction
Developments in electronic communication are happening at an incredibly fast pace. Increasingly, organisations are expected to have their own website and to deliver at least some of their information and services online.
Building and maintaining a website is a daunting task for any organisation, but particularly for those embarking on this adventure for the first time. The resulting website must meet the needs of both the parent organisation and the intended audience – and, in addition, be accessible to all those who are likely to use it.
But what is an accessible website and how do you get one? This short guide gives an overview of the issues involved, offers guidance on creating an accessible website and lists a range of useful resources that can help you deliver the best possible service online.
The World Wide Web Consortium’s Web Accessibility Guidelines provides an excellent resource for those attempting to build an accessible website themselves. This document does not try to replace those guidelines - indeed it recommends them as the ‘official’ resource for those engaged in the technical aspects of building websites. Instead this guide takes a broader view of the issues by doing the following things:
- advising on how to maximise your chances of building a useful website
- explaining what an accessible website actually is
- helping you to find a designer who can build an accessible website - and what questions to ask when you do
- helping you to take control of the process
