[Accessibility_sig] BBC news/Technology: 'Most websites' failing disabled

[Karl Groves]

Accessibility advocates (myself included) have, for years, been beating
their chests about how its "the right thing to do" and then stamping our
feet when we hear the common responses:

 - "We don't have that many disabled users"
 - "Accessibility is boring/ Big font sizes look bad"
 - "It will cost too much to fix our site"
 - etcetera ad nauseum


"The right thing to do", plus $2.50 will get you a small cup of coffee at
Starbucks. We all know the common excuses. We've all rehearsed our responses
to those excuses, reposting them here among ourselves.

What has that gotten us?  I think the story you cited tells us what it has
gotten: Nothing.

Here's truth:
 - It doesn't make a whole lot of sense to make a business decision based on
<1% of your customer base.  
 - Most accessibility advocates DO have terribly ugly and boring web sites.
 - Repairs to an already deployed web site ARE expensive, can delay other
projects, and can blow department budgets.


I make websites accessible because I believe in it and it has become so
ingrained into my development practices that I don't even think about it
anymore. 

So, what's the answer? What's the magic bullet? Who has the answer, because
"The Right Thing To Do" isn't cutting it.

Karl Groves

 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Kathy Keller [mailto:Kathy.Keller at tpwd.state.tx.us] 
> Sent: Tuesday, December 05, 2006 11:57 AM
> To: Discussion list for web and software accessibility issues
> Subject: [Accessibility_sig] BBC news/Technology: 'Most 
> websites' failing disabled
> 
> Most of the leading websites around the world are failing to 
> provide the most basic accessibility standards for people 
> with disabilities. 
> 
> 
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6210068.stm  
> accessibility article
> 
> Ninety seven percent of websites did not provide even minimum 
> levels of accessibility, a new survey has found. 
> 
> Accessibility agency Nomensa tested the leading websites in 
> five different sectors across 20 countries 
> 
> Only three websites, including the British Prime Minister's 
> site, achieved the minimum standards. 
> 
> (Note: This article will get your dander up. There are 
> disputable statements toward the end, see below.) 
> "Accessibility consultants and organisations for the disabled 
> clutch their knowledge of user requirements to them like they 
> are the key to future profits - which indeed they are. 
> 
> "If they had any interest in raising standards, they would be 
> sharing their findings with the world and opening dialogue 
> with the design and business community about how best to 
> integrate techniques with standard processes," he said. 
> 
>  
> Kathy Keller
> Web Accessibility Administrator
> TPWD/Communications
> 512-389-4885
> 
> The subtle secret,
> To possessing all you want:
> Blessing all you have.                             
> 
>  
>