accessibility

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Jeff Mirro

Comm 391 F

Dr. Moore

November 11, 2005

                                        Accessibility

       Introduction- The user population of the Internet is diverse. It includes people of

all ages, education levels, and computer knowledge. There are many web users that have

disabilities that make it very difficult to access and use the Internet like the average

person can. These disabilities include sensory, motor, and cognitive impairments. Users

with disabilities need assistive technology to browse web sites. These technologies

include hardware and software such as voice recognition, screen readers, alternative

pointing devices, alternate keyboards, and Braille displays. (10/31/05

www.apa.org/divisions)

       Definition- Accessibility is defined as providing flexibility to accommodate each

user’s needs and preferences. It is making computer technology and Internet resources

useful to more people than would otherwise be the case. Internet accessibility allows for

a larger participating audience. Accessible web sites will expand a site’s potential

audience to millions who are disabled, or to those who may have slow connections.

Accessibility involves the ability of a web page to be read and understood, using adaptive

technologies where necessary. The blind and the visually impaired are the most affected

by the advances in the graphical nature of web sites. However, web designers are now
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able to make web pages both accessible and visually appealing by following good HTML

programming practices. (10/31/05 www.un.org)

       Blogging and Accessibility- There are several accessibility benefits of blogging.

The most important one is that it forces a separation of content from presentation. Blog

posts are created separately from the page layout and appearance, so they allow for many

alternate interfaces for content to be easily generated at the time the blog is updated. An

RSS reader, which is an XML-based language used for content syndication, is the most

common application, and it can pull together several web site’s news feeds and read them

all at once. (11/4/05 http://www.csun.edu/cod/conf/2004/proceedings/150.htm)

       Another benefit is that anyone can publish to the web using a blog. Users do not

have to learn HTML, CSS, XML, or other web technologies to use a blog. This is good

for users with disabilities because it lowers requirements for communication. Users do

not have to learn how to code a web page’s layout. They can simply use a default

template, or install a set of accessible templates provided by other users of the same

software. (11/4/05 http://www.csun.edu/cod/conf/2004/proceedings/150.htm)

       However, there are some accessibility problems with blogging. Many authors of

web sites are unaware of the benefits of providing alternative text and long descriptions

on visual images. Also, most bloggers are text-oriented, and they may not be aware that

graphics enhance the understanding of a web page for people with cognitive disabilities.

There are other types of blogs being created that are inaccessible. Photoblogs and

audioblogs are usually not equipped with necessary text alternatives. Some software

tools may lack required accessibility features, such as publishing tools, templates, and
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software to read RSS files. (11/4/05

http://www.csun.edu/cod/conf/2004/proceedings/150.htm)

       Yet, there are several ways in which blogs can promote accessibility. Education

and outreach to the blogger community, especially those who create them, can help to

improve accessibility on blogs. More importantly, the blogs that are somewhat

accessible can be used by people with disabilities to make their voices heard. The best

aspect of the blogging revolution is that it empowers everyone with a voice, including

those with disabilities. (11/4/05

http://www.csun.edu/cod/conf/2004/proceedings/150.htm)

       Discussion- According to a study done by Jakob Nielson, users without

disabilities experience three times higher usability than users who are blind or have low

vision. Nielson believes that it is time for us to move beyond technical accessibility

when discussing how to improve the web for people with disabilities. They have jobs to

perform and goals to accomplish just like evryone else. Therefore, we must be able to

provide task support for them and increase the usability of web sites and intranets. The

study compared the usability capabilities of non-disabled users to those with low-vision

and to those who were blind. Along with the large advantage that people without

disabilities had in using web sites effectively and quickly, the report also pointed out

numerous design flaws that reduced the web’s usability for disabled users. Many of these

problems are cheap to fix, especially if designers know the usability guidelines before

creating their site. (11/4/05 http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20011111.html)
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       The way a web page is designed and its layout are very important in creating an

accessible web site. According to the book Information Architecture, there are five key

principles to remember when designing a web site. The first is simplicity and elegance.

This means that each element on the page should have a purpose, and the writing should

be kept simple and concise. The second is proximity and relevance. This means that all

like items should be placed or grouped together. The third is focus and feedback. This

principle states that users should be kept on track when attempting to complete a task,

and the layout should help them succeed in that task. The fourth is a hierarchy of

importance, and a hierarchy of task. This means that common tasks are located higher up

on a page then less-common tasks. Finally, the fifth principle is the right tool for the

right job. This means that you should use tools like drop-down lists and tabs only when

necessary, and not for inappropriate tasks (Wodtke 203-208).

       Conclusion- The ideal user for my web site would be a possible employer that is

looking for someone to hire. More specifically, it would be a newspaper editor or

someone else in the field of journalism that would hire me for a job. My site will serve

first and foremost as a marketing tool to sell myself as a qualified person to fill some type

of career position. Although this is the ideal user I have in mind, I am also aware that

other users will access my site, which may include people with disabilities. With that in

mind, it is important to make the web site accessible to all possible users.

       As long as companies, government agencies, personal sites, and other web sites

view accessibility as a matter of complying with regulations, and not supporting the

customer needs of people with disabilities, equal opportunity for all users will remain a
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problem. Web sites must follow usability principles and make it easier for employees

and customers with disabilities to do what they need to do. Although many

advancements in technology and the design of web sites have greatly improved the

accessibility of the Internet, there is still more work to be done in trying to make the

entire web accessible for users with disabilities.
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                                      Works Cited

The American Psychological Association official web site. 10/31/05

   <http://www.apa.org/divisions/div21/MemberActivities/chb2004/jl.pdf>

The United Nations official web site. 10/31/05

   <http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/enable/disacc00.htm>

California State University Northridge web site. 11/4/05

   <http://www.csun.edu/cod/conf/2004/proceedings/150.htm>

Nielson, Jakob. UseIt.com. 11/4/05

   <http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20011111.html>

Wodtke, Christina. Information Architecture. New York: New Riders Publishing, 2003.