The World Wide Web is changing all our lives. By combining text and multimedia to provide a network of educational, governmental, and commercial resources, a new world has opened up to a worldwide audience whose lives will be enriched and enhanced by it . Much of its power comes from the fact that it presents information in a variety of formats and organizes that information through the provision of links  and resources.

But, because of the multimedia and presentational nature of the web combined with often poor website design, many internet users cannot access the full range of resources available. 

• Some visitors cannot see graphics because of visual impairments.

• Some cannot hear audio because of hearing impairments.

• Others use slow Internet connections, modems or equipment that cannot easily download large files.

• Even more have difficulty navigating sites that are poorly organized with unclear directions. They may have learning disabilities, speak English as a second language or simply be older or younger than the average user.

• Others have difficulty using a mouse and need to rely on the keyboard to navigate a website.

People use a variety of technologies to access the Web. A person who is blind may use a speech output system that reads aloud the text shown on the screen. A person with a mobility impairment may not be able to use a mouse and may rely on the keyboard. To create resources that can be used by the widest number of potential visitors rather than focus almost entirely on the 'average' user, web designers should apply "universal design" principles. This requires that they consider the needs of individuals with disabilities as well as older (and younger) people and those for whom English is a second language and those who use outdated hardware and software.

Accessibility Guidelines

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) develops and maintains the protocols used on the Web to insure interoperability to promote universal access. The W3C's Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) has proposed guidelines for all web developers. Tim Berners-Lee, Director of W3C and 'inventor' of the World Wide Web said:

"The power of the Web is in its universality. Access by everyone regardless of disability is an essential aspect."

General Page Design

A well-organized Website helps visitors to find and use any available information.

• Simple, consistent page layout throughout a website.
  A consistent design and look makes it easier for visitors to locate the specific information they seek. For example, a feature presented on every page, such as a standard navigation menu or logo for the site should always appear in the same place. A clear, consistent presentation will especially assist people with visual impairments or learning disabilities who have difficulty using disorganized navigation schemes.

• Simple backgrounds with enough contrast.
  People with low vision or colorblindness, or those using black and white monitors, can have difficulty reading information on websites with busy backgrounds and dark colors. Some background images and colors obscure text and make reading difficult. There should be enough contrast between text and the background on each page. Background, text and link colors should be chosen carefully and always tested by viewing it at different resolutions and color depths.

• Use of standard HTML.
  Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) is the standard code used to create Websites. HTML was designed to be a universal format outside the bounds of proprietary software and computer operating systems. The code works via tags that tell a Web browser where to find and how to display information. While non-standard tags exist, using standard HTML as defined by the W3C will ensure that content can be accessed by all browsers used by visitors to a website.

• Video and audio transcriptions.
  Multimedia formats that include audio can present barriers to people with hearing impairments as well as to people with less sophisticated computer systems. Providing captions and transcriptions for these resources to visitors offers an alternative method for accessing the information.

• Using descriptive links so that they are understood out of context.
  Visitors who use screen reading software can adjust their software to read only the links on a page. For this reason, links should provide enough information when read out of context. Using a more descriptive phrase than "click here" as a text link or next to a graphic link is more helpful.

Graphical and Audio Features

People who are blind cannot view the graphical features of a website. Many people with visual impairments use speech output programs with non-standard browsers (such as IBM's Home Page Reader or Lynx) or graphical browsers with the feature that loads images turned off. Including text-only alternative pages can vastly help users.

Resources

W3C's Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)
http://www.w3.org/WAI/

EASI (Equal Access to Software and Information)
http://www.isc.rit.edu/~easi/

International Center for Disability Resources on the Internet
http://www.icdri.org/

National Center on Accessible Information Technology in Education (AccessIT)
http://www.washington.edu/accessit/

National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM) resources
http://ncam.wgbh.org/

Web Accessibility in Mind (WebAIM)
http://www.webaim.org/