Web Accessibility and your Small Business website

[mandy]

Accessibility – it’s another one of those passing fads that just happens to be one of the hot topics on the web at the moment. But how many of you are aware of what it means to your business and why should you do anything about it?...

So how do you make sure your website is accessible? Follow some (not so) simple guidelines...

full article: http://www.bytestart.co.uk/content/22/22...ness.shtml

from the World Wide Web Consortium's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines

For those unfamiliar with accessibility issues pertaining to Web page design, consider that many users may be operating in contexts very different from your own:

    * They may not be able to see, hear, move, or may not be able to process some types of information easily or at all.
    * They may have difficulty reading or comprehending text.
    * They may not have or be able to use a keyboard or mouse.
    * They may have a text-only screen, a small screen, or a slow Internet connection.
    * They may not speak or understand fluently the language in which the document is written.
    * They may be in a situation where their eyes, ears, or hands are busy or interfered with (e.g., driving to work, working in a loud environment, etc.).
    * They may have an early version of a browser, a different browser entirely, a voice browser, or a different operating system.

Content developers must consider these different situations during page design...

full Web Content Accessibility Guidelines http://www.w3.org/TR/WAI-WEBCONTENT/

related topic: Websites make poor showing on e-accessibility http://community.tuliptools.com/index.ph...480.0.html

[bargainbloodhound]

may not be able to process some types of information easily or at all.

When I sell on eBay I've noticed that many buyers have a hard time processing any information that contains text.  In order to make my listings more accessible and understandable to the average ebay user I've often considered using only pictures (and perhaps a few other graphics like an arrow pointing to the bid button, etc). 

Accessibility is something that many (including myself) overlook when they are designing their web sites.

[xppman]

Well if:
They have difficulty reading or comprehending text or NOT able to use a keyboard or mouse.

How the hell did they get on the net in the first place?

If they have a text-only screen, a small screen, or a slow Internet connection
or may not speak or understand fluently the language in which the document is written.

How are they going to use that credit card to buy something?

Oh wait if they can't read. Chances are they don't have a credit card anyway.

There may be in a situation where their eyes, ears, or hands are busy or interfered with? 

I wont EVEN go there but GRAPHIC PICTURES of people engaged in very personal situations do come to mind.


They may have an early version of a browser, a different browser entirely, a voice browser, or a different operating system.

Well get with the program and learn to read and write.
Figure out what that mouse and keyboard thingy does, and by all means,
move to a country were you can find some better equipment to use once
you figured out all the above.

Once you get some better equipment DO NOT ever use that little draw that slides in and out as a coffee cup holder either.




Where do these people come up with this stuff? 

[jezebel]

They may be in a situation where their eyes, ears, or hands are busy or interfered with (e.g., driving to work

Be smart, don't drink surf and drive!