Web Accessibility: changes and developments over 10 years from a UK perspective
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The document summarizes the development of web accessibility over the past 10 years from a UK perspective in 4 stages: 1) Early days focused on guidelines to make the web accessible to disabled users. 2) Accessibility became part of web standards and was embraced by developers. Research showed guidelines were not enough. 3) Surveys found many sites still not conformant with guidelines, but some disabled users could use sites successfully. A holistic approach was needed. 4) Web 2.0 introduced new challenges. A practical view recognizes value of multiple formats. Tools now support inclusive authoring. Maintaining accessibility remains an ongoing challenge.
Web Accessibility: changes and developments over 10 years from a UK perspective
- 1. WEB ACCESSIBILITY Accessibilitat de Web 10 years of development and changes from a UK perspective School of Computing University of Dundee, Scotland David Sloan Universitat de Barcelona, 16 de Abril, 2009
- 2. Outline of my talk Developments in Web accessibility research, policy and practice My view as a researcher and consultant A Web accessibility timeline: 10 years in 4 stages Early days - all about guidelines Accessibility becomes part of Web standards movement Evidence emerging that guidelines weren’t working Now: a more enlightened approach to using the Web to improve accessibility?
- 3. Who am I? Researcher and consultant at University of Dundee, Scotland A research centre specialising in information technology for older and disabled people since 1980 Worked in web accessibility and user experience since 1999 My PhD is in the impact of web accessibility evaluations on organisations and individuals I run the University of Dundee Web Accessibility service
- 4. Supporting disabled people on the web Impairments Visual Hearing Mobility Cognitive Solutions: User has assistive technology Web site designer uses best practice in accessible design
- 5. Disability and innovation Examples of disability triggering innovation with wider benefit: Cassette tape recorder Kerb/curb cuts Predictive text for mobile phones Ford Focus car
- 6. Web Accessibility in the Beginning “ The power of the web is in its universality…” Accessibility to computing technology had been badly affected by the emergence of the graphical user interface (GUI)… … so W3C established the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) in 1997 Bringing together expertise and knowledge Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG version 1) published 1999
- 7. Stage 1 - Advocacy and compliance Raising awareness of accessibility as an issue Developing business, moral, technical and legal arguments Explaining how disabled people use the Web Encouraging conformance with WCAG 1.0 Tutorials Evaluation tools Web audits
- 8. Research and development UK: Awareness-raising in Higher Education community RNIB and other charities begin promoting accessibility Elsewhere: WebAIM established Mike Paciello publishes first book on web accessibility The rise of the ‘Text only’ web site Evaluation tools: Bobby, The WAVE Flash, PDF - accessibility problems
- 9. Web design 1999: BBC News
- 10. Business and policy milestones Legislation: Australia: Sydney Olympics 2000 web site unlawfully inaccessible under DDA US and UK: unclear as to whether disability discrimination legislation applies to Web UK: Tesco supermarket creates accessible version of their grocery web site
- 11. Stage 2: Accessibility and Web Standards Jeffrey Zeldman writes ‘Designing with Web Standards’ Web accessibility books from Joe Clark; Jim Thatcher and colleagues; John Slatin and Sharron Rush WCAG conformance becomes a technical skill along with knowing (X)HTML and CSS So accessibility is embraced by grass-roots web developers
- 12. Research and development Innovation in Standards-based approaches for web development Showcasing good practice - CSS Zen Garden More evaluation tools, some commercially priced/aimed at large organisations Yahoo! promoting web standards Academic research - transcoding existing sites to improve accessibility Jakob Nielsen talks about usable accessibility Accessibility surveys begin to be published regularly: mainly using automated tools
- 13. Web design 2003: BBC News
- 14. Business and policy milestones UK: encouraging better design RNIB and Standard Life: See it Right web accessibility award Visionary Design web site awards Global: benchmarking of accessibility begins to be a major activity US legislation: Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act has impact on accessibility of web technologies: Flash, PDF Southwest Airlines web site case: confusion over ADA and the Internet
- 15. Stage 3: Guidelines are not enough! UK Disability Rights Commission survey (2004) Most web sites failed basic WCAG conformance Yet some could be used successfully by disabled people E-learning developing concept of ‘blended learning’ Using multiple channels of supporting learning tailored to individual needs Using available and appropriate resources This inspires development of ‘Holistic Accessibility’ approach
- 16. Research and development Ongoing developments in web standards Refining design techniques to be more accessible Rejection of parts of WCAG 1.0 becoming obsolete Standardisation in e-learning accessibility Work on accessibility in learner profiles and learning object metadata: basis for ISO 24751 Microsoft research on benefits of accessibility features: useful to c. 60% of people Research on annotating web pages to enhance accessibility (e.g. for non-visual navigation)
- 17. Web design 2006: BBC News
- 18. Business and policy milestones UK: Legal and General case study gave business benefits of accessible web site redesign project Result was more business and reduced costs Policy and guidelines: EU desire to harmonise web accessibility measurement - policy, evaluation processes Global: dissatisfaction with WCAG 2; formation of WCAG Samurai UK: Development of PAS 78 - a standard for commissioning web sites
- 19. Stage 4: Using the web to make the real world accessible Web 2.0 Web applications introduce new challenges User-generated content iPhone gives value to Mobile Web and accessible web crossover Emergence of a more practical view of Web accessibility WCAG 2 published - acknowledging value of formats beyond HTML (PDF, Flash, JavaScript) Holistic, human-centred view of accessibility becoming recognised as of value
- 20. Research and development Rich internet applications and WAI-ARIA Accessibility and user generated content Reviews of accessibility of social networking sites Accessibility and CAPTCHAs Tools to support accessible authoring Content management systems (CMS) Open Source accessibility more visible: research (e.g. AEGIS), products (NVDA screen reader), education (from Opera, Web Standards Project) More focus on ageing and accessibility
- 21. Web design 2009: BBC News
- 22. Business and policy milestones UK: accessibility maturing as a quality control measurement? BBC drops use of microformats because of accessibility issues UK government exposed over Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) web site accessibility problems EU: ‘Mandate 376’ aimed at increasing profile of accessibility in technology procurement And still a desire to harmonise web accessibility measurement across EU
- 23. Achievements? Web Accessibility is no longer a niche issue or specialism The human aspect of accessibility increasingly recognised - not just about automated checking (Many) Organisations have visible accessibility policy Accessible doesn’t have to mean ugly or boring Many good examples of accessible and aesthetically pleasing Emerging technologies and design techniques are considering accessibility early on (or are being forced to!)
- 24. Ongoing challenges Maintaining and enhancing profile of accessibility in evolution of the Web Web content authors are increasingly not professionals How do we help a Facebook or Youtube user - or VLE user - to create accessible content? Matching users to their accessibility requirements Accessible web pages require a user to have the right technology to access them… … how do we meet this challenge if someone doesn’t know they have an accessibility need?
- 25. Thankyou for listening! Questions?
- 26. Contact me David Sloan Digital Media Access Group, School of Computing University of Dundee Dundee DD1 4HN Scotland Email: dsloan@computing.dundee.ac.uk Twitter: @sloandr Blog: http://www.58sound.com