Tag: Web Design and Development

Online Learning Resource Accessibility in a Lunchtime

David Sloan a research fellow  in the School of Computing,  University of Dundee, Dundee, Scotland,  writes about e-accessibility at  e-Accessibility Blog.  Via short, regular posts the blog comments  on developments in the field of web accessibility and inclusive digital communication.

One of the strengths of the blog is an awareness of the fact that readers will have varying roles of web authorship as part of their work, a range of levels of technical experience in creating web content – but probably less time than they would like to develop skills in inclusive digital content creation.

In a lunch-and learn presentation earlier this year, Dr. Sloan shared  a set of short, easy-to-implement activities for evaluating existing web resources for accessibility and addressing any shortcomings found.  The information is so straightforward and sensible that  it is worth sharing.  Dr. Sloan posted his presentation slides at Slideshare.

The presentation discussed five accessibility checks

  1. Keyboard accessibility
  2. Alternatives for images
  3. Use of color
  4. Headings and lists
  5. Accessibility in online resource selection policy

The Practical and Legal Reasons Behind Designing for Accessibility

Writing for UX magazine, Gregory P. Care and Dan Ross  discuss The Practical and Legal Reasons Behind Designing for Accessibility. This informative article examines the benefits of designing their mobile apps and websites for accessibility, including avoiding legal liability.

Accessibility is a central and, in many ways, fundamental component of user experience, so designers of mobile applications and mobile websites should feel compelled to make their products accessible to users with disabilities. Inaccessibility can frustrate an individual with a disability and create a longstanding negative consumer association that can preclude that individual from taking full advantage of a mobile device, app, or website. Accessibility in this context makes good business sense, because it maximizes satisfaction and use by the growing number of individuals with disabilities who have mobile devices.

But it is more than just good business—it’s also a legal responsibility.

Useability vs. Accessibility

Recently I read an article, Usability vs. Accessibility which was included  in the December issue of the WebAim newsletter.

The  article discusses the two concepts usability and accessibility as they pertain to websites and website design.  Although I thought the writing style was clunky and not particularly readable, especially by a non-techie, the author made some important points, with the most concise and pertinent point being  this one:

. . .Usability is mostly about the methods of making the navigation more facile while accessibility is about making the navigation possible for everyone. The difference is simple: a usable website is “user-friendly” while an accessible website is “all users-friendly.”

Food for thought indeed.