Web AccessibilityWeb Accessibility

Paul BoothProject Officer

DISinHE Support Centre

2: What is web 2: What is web accessibility?accessibility?Making sure your information is available to everyone. Regardless of:• Software• Platform• Ability……..

3:3: Why is it Why is it important?important?Prevention of barriers to information• Higher quality of material• Increase in potential audience • Happier end usersBut also:• Legal issues

4: Accessibility = 4: Accessibility = Dull web sites?Dull web sites?• Not at all! Be creative and accessible.• Only takes a bit of forward planning &

common sense.• Web masters can still use up to the

second technology - just remember to provide for those who cant support it.

5: How do I go 5: How do I go about it?about it?There is a lot to web accessibility, but the fundamentals are basic:

• Plan• Check• Think!

Rule of Thumb: Make sure everything fails gracefully.

6: Is there any help?6: Is there any help?Yes! There are lots of on-line resources. In particular:• W3C’s Web Accessibility Initiative pages:

http://www.w3c.org/WAI• Bobby - online accessibility checking:

http://www.cast.org/bobby• November launch of the DISinHE centre...

7: What is 7: What is DISDISininHE HE ??A central clearing house for Information

Technology for Accessibility, and Disability in Higher Education.

Funded by JISC.

8: Dissemination8: Dissemination• Index of R & D and service provision• Website with signposts to other work• Good practice guides for equipment and

support strategies for institutions• Database of key people and institutions• Attend national and regional

conferences, and workshops for policy makers and IT providers

• Case studies & other commissioned work

9: In a nutshell…. 9: In a nutshell….

We’re here to keep track of the issues….

….So you don’t have to!

10: To Find out more10: To Find out moreOur Web site is under development and is due to Launch in November.

Please look us up at:

http://www.disinhe.ac.uk