Accessibility Guidelines

Ready for the future

Inaccessible websites struggle to cope with the variety of methods that are being used to access the Internet, especially handheld devices. If your website isn't accessible within the next five years there could be a large number of Internet users who can't access your website. By making the necessary adjustments now you'll be creating a long-term future for your website.

Higher search engine ranking

A website accessible to humans is also accessible to search engines. Search engines can't usually understand images, JavaScript, Flash, audio and video content. Search engines will be able to understand the purpose of your website more easily if you provide alternative content for each of these. The more confident a search engine is of what your website is about, all other things being equal, the higher in the search rankings it'll place your website.

So what does the law say?

Part III of the Disability Discrimination Act refers to the provision of goods, facilities and services. The Code of Practice, which specifically mentions websites, can be downloaded in its entirety from the DRC (Disability Rights Commission) website3. The relevant quotes from this 175-page document are:

2.2 (p7): "The Act makes it unlawful for a service provider to discriminate against a disabled person by refusing to provide any service which it provides to members of the public."

4.7 (p39): "From 1st October 1999 a service provider has to take reasonable steps to change a practice which makes it unreasonably difficult for disabled people to make use of its services."

2.13 - 2.17 (p11-13): "What services are affected by the Act? An airline company provides a flight reservation and booking service to the public on its website. This is a provision of a service and is subject to the act."

5.23 (p71): "For people with visual impairments, the range of auxiliary aids or services which it might be reasonable to provide to ensure that services are accessible might include ... accessible websites."

5.26 (p68): "For people with hearing disabilities, the range of auxiliary aids or services which it might be reasonable to provide to ensure that services are accessible might include ... accessible websites."

Can you be sued?

Well, probably, yes. The RNIB (Royal National Institute of the Blind) have considered taking up a number of legal cases against organisations with regard to their websites.