Your Customers with Disabilities -The Ways they Access the Web

The internet is a fantastic tool for people with disabilities. It opens up many opportunities to communicate and do all of the other things that most of us take for granted each day.

However many businesses have websites that are not easily accessible to people with disabilities and this may just reduce the amount of sales the site will make.

If you have an older site it could be that it has been developed using frames rather than CSS (cascading style sheets).

We're not suggesting that any one was wrong in the way they set up their site.

We just to alert people to some of the considerations needed to comply with Disability Legislation.

Over the last few years a lot has been learnt about the interaction between access technologies (also known as assistive or adaptive technologies)

Due to the different needs of each person, a wide range of access solutions have appeared in the market place.

If a person has a difficulty holding a mouse or using a keyboard, the alternatives they can use are

• On Screen Keyboards - the user accesses by using a laser pointer.
• Voice Recognition Software - the user accesses by talking into the pc
• Eye gaze devices

For someone who is Blind or partially sighted they would usually use:

• a Screen Reader - this is for Blind Users, the software talks to the the user by describing what is happening on thescreen. it can also convert to braille if needed
  
• Magnification - the screen or parts of it are enlarged many times

There are also people who do not use any of the above devices but do also need consideration such as those who are deaf or hearing impaired, dyslexic or have colour blindness.

It is important to layout your text in clear easy to read text. By ensuring that you write in a concise way you are making life easier for those customers who have difficulties seeing or reading.

Another good tip is to put the information into smaller bocks on the page. Use plenty of white space around the blocks.

Use bullets or numbering to break up long sentences and also try to make the headings explain what the following text is about.

Don't just rely on the written layout - consider video or audio, a good diagram or a picture to complement the text.

If you found this interesting - more will follow soon.