Accessibility is a general term used to describe the degree to which a product (e.g., device, service, environment) is accessible by as many people as possible, and the ventures to produce accessible products and services. Accessibility is often used to focus on people with disabilities and their right of access to entities, often through use of assistive technology.
#21719
Accessible Web design eliminates barriers for people who have disabilities such as: visual, hearing, cognitive, learning, and mobility.
ALLTech (2004). Design>Web Design>Accessibility
#20045
There are many legal issues currently raised by the growth in e-commerce and e-learning, but one of the least discussed is that of Web accessibility. As a result of the increased use of proprietary technologies and a failure to follow guidelines when designing Web sites a large percentage of the Internet remains inaccessible to many parts of the disabled community. As a result, the effect has been to exclude a significant section of the population from fully benefiting and participating in the increased use and reliance on e-commerce and e-learning. The purpose of this paper is to explore, in light of events and experiences elsewhere in the world, whether and to what extent the disability rights legislation in the UK might apply in such a scenario. It also considers the effect of the recent Special Educational Needs and Disability Act 2001 on the previously excluded area of education.
Sloan, Martin. JILT (2003). Design>Accessibility>Web Design>United Kingdom
#22064
Web Accessibility and the Law in the UK: Is Your Website Legal?
Under the Disability Discrimination Act websites have to be accessible to disabled people. Read about your obligations.
Moss, Trenton. Webcredible (2004). Design>Web Design>Accessibility>United Kingdom
#25502
Web Accessibility and UK Law: Telling It Like It Is
Debunks four myths about web accessibility and the law for those involved in the design and development of UK-based websites.
Moss, Trenton. List Apart, A (2004). Design>Web Design>Accessibility>United Kingdom
#31763
Brenda Huettner provides us with the basics for making our web sites accessible in this training podcast.
Huettner, Brenda P. IEEE PCS (2008). Articles>Web Design>Accessibility>Podcasts
#27483
Web Accessibility Evaluation Tools: Overview
Web accessibility evaluation tools are software programs or online services that help determine if a Web site meets accessibility guidelines. While Web accessibility evaluation tools can significantly reduce the time and effort to evaluate Web sites, no tool can automatically determine the accessibility of Web sites.
Abou-Zahra, Shadi. W3C. Design>Web Design>Accessibility>Software
#13766
Web Accessibility for People With Disabilities: An Introduction for Web Developers 
This article presents an overview of the topic of web access for people with disabilities. First, we describe the four basic disabilities and explain the benefits of making sites accessible, as well as the reasons that more sites are not accessible. We review the relevant laws regarding web access, and we then discuss efforts being made by vendors and professional organizations, especially Microsoft and the World Wide Web Consortium, to encourage accessibility. Finally, we describe major resources that web developers might consult to assist them in making their sites accessible to people with disabilities.
Carter, Jeff and Mike Markel. IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication (2001). Design>Accessibility>Web Design
#25515
Web Accessibility for Screen Magnifier Users
Discover how to improve both usability and accessibility for screen magnifier users using the Internet.
Moss, Trenton. Webcredible (2005). Design>Web Design>Accessibility
#27712
Web Accessibility for Section 508
The legislation referred to as "Section 508" is actually an amendment to the Workforce Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The amendment was signed into law by President Clinton on August 7, 1998. Section 508 requires that electronic and information technology that is developed by or purchased by the Federal Agencies be accessible by people with disabilities.
Thatcher, Jim. JimThatcher.com (2004). Articles>Web Design>Accessibility>Section 508
#23821
Web Accessibility Icons and Graphics
How can you display that your site is accessible? Why would you want to? These questions are answered.
Bartlett, Kynn. HTML Writers Guild (1999). Design>Web Design>Accessibility
#21315
The Web Accessibility Initiative
Gillen explains the Web Accessibility Initiative, a coalition of groups that work to advance the cause of accessibility on the Web.
Gillen, Lori. Intercom (2004). Articles>Web Design>Accessibility
#11799
Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)
It might be easy to dismiss the WAI as another mouthful of acronyms for yet another Web standard but that would be a mistake. Their goal is to, '…make Web content more available to all users, whatever user agent they are using (e.g., desktop browser, voice browser, mobile phone, automobile-based personal computer, etc.) or constraints they may be operating under (e.g., noisy surroundings, under- or over-illuminated rooms, in a hands-free environment, etc.).' To meet this goal, the WAI identifies two primary principles for accessible design, which are totally in keeping with the basic principles of usability: 'Ensure graceful transformation' and 'Make content understandable and navigable.' There are fourteen guidelines that help authors understand and implement these principles. Each includes a description and rationale, along with links to other resources and a set of checkpoints. A related document shows detailed techniques for implementing accessible web pages. Even if you are not primarily concerned wi
Quesenbery, Whitney. STC Usability SIG (1999). Design>Accessibility
#24038
Discover the truth about web accessibility. This article debunks seven accessibility common myths.
Moss, Trenton. Webcredible (2004). Design>Web Design>Accessibility
#22996
Web Accessibility Policies (and Pseudo Policies) in Postsecondary Institutions
More accurately described as suggestions than policies, since many institutions do not have any binding formal policy. Where multiple documents were found on the institution's Web site, multiple links were included in this list.
WebAIM (2005). Design>Web Design>Accessibility>Policies and Procedures
#26220
The accessibility toolbar is to aid the manual process in validating web sites. Developed by AIS and provided in Europe and the UK by Southbourne Internet Ltd.
Southbourne Internet Ltd. (2004). Design>Accessibility>Software>Web Browsers
#22068
Learn all you need to know about web acessibility with this crash course!
Moss, Trenton. Webcredible (2004). Design>Web Design>Accessibility
#23003
Web Accessibility: What Not To Do
The subject here is the home page of just one federal Agency. Amongst federal agencies, I would expect this Agency to be one of the most attuned to the needs of people with disabilities. But the Agency’s home page stands out as an example of how not to do accessibility. It is clear that the designers of the page knew about accessibility techniques but they didn’t have the slightest idea why!
#24344
Web Accessibility... Making Your Pages Friendly to People with Disabilities
Did you know that nearly 20 percent of all Web users have some form of disability?
Nobles, Robin. Nine Yards (2003). Design>Web Design>Accessibility
#23758
Web Accommodation for the Vision-Impaired
Accessibility for vision-impaired users of corporate websites is becoming a critical issue. The federal government requires its agencies to provide effective, equal access to electronically delivered information. The W3C launched its accessibility initiative in 1999 and continues to expand it. Court rulings are mixed, as the judicial system struggles to clarify accommodation in relation to the web environment. Students in the Jack David Armold Honor Society at DeVry University researched, collaborated, and developed a community service website to convince corporations that web accommodation for visionimpaired users made financial sense.
Hawkes, Lory. STC Proceedings (2003). Design>Web Design>Accessibility>Standards
#31074
Software that dynamically adapts Web pages to meet the needs of individuals with visual, motor, and print limitations.
IBM (2005). Resources>Software>Accessibility>Microsoft Windows
#23824
Web Authoring Strategies for Voice Browsers
A HWG position paper for a W3C workshop on voice browsers.
Bartlett, Kynn. HTML Writers Guild (1998). Design>Web Design>Accessibility>Voice
#18422
One of a web designer's primary concerns should be to make their website accessible to the largest possible audience. It is therefore important to remember that a significant proportion of your site's visitors will be accessing your site under conditions that are very different from your own.
#19354
Accessibility and usability are independent from content. People will come to your site because they've heard that you've got a great widget that is the talk of all the tech rags. These same people will leave after a very short time if they cannot find what they are looking for. Good information architecture is key; it's the design, the ability to maneuver around and find the information needed to complete a task.
Tang, Beth. WebWord (2000). Design>Web Design>Accessibility
#23080
Web Site Accessibility for Persons with Disabilities 
Explains how to meet each Section 508 web design standard. The basic accessibility rules for Web sites were developed by the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board) and are contained in Section 22 of the regulations which implement Section 508.
U.S. Department of Commerce (2001). Design>Web Design>Accessibility>Section 508
#27141
WebABLE is an authoritative Web site for disability-related internet resources. The WebABLE site goal is to stimulate education, research, and development of technologies that will ensure accessibility for people with disabilities to advanced information systems and emerging technologies.
WebABLE (2004). Resources>Web Design>Accessibility
