Good website design

Websites should be easily navigable whether viewed on a PC, laptop, mobile phone or PDA. Similarly, websites should be navigable not just by those using conventional software, but by those who have some form of disability and may need to view websites in different ways.

An option for internet users who have no sight at all is to use a screen reader, which scans the HTML code of the page and reads the content of the page back to them. Similarly, users with poor or partial sight may need to use a screen magnifier, or be able to enlarge the text on the site to make it easier to read. If you are thinking of a colour scheme for your website, it is worth remembering that up to 1 in 12 men (fewer women) suffer from colour blindness, which may also affect how accessible they find your website.

The Disability Discrimination Act of 1995

The DDA act 1995 makes it unlawful for a service provider to discriminate against a disabled person by refusing to provide any service which it provides to other members of the public. Part III of the Act states specifically that service providers are required to ensure that disabled users are not disadvantaged by design which fails to take account of their needs.

The code of practice deals with the duties placed by part III of the Act on those providing goods, facilities or services to the public. The following excerpts from the code of practice show that this Act very definitely applies to websites:

"An airline company provides a flight reservation and booking service to the public on its website. This is a provision of a service and is subject to the Act."

"For people with visual impairments, the range of auxiliary aids or services which it might be reasonable to provide to ensure that services are accessible might include ... accessible websites."

"For people with hearing disabilities, the range of auxiliary aids or services which it might be reasonable to provide to ensure that services are accessible might include ... accessible websites."

This code of practice was published on 27th May 2002. The DRC has since lauched a formal investigation into 1000 websites websites, of which over 80% were nearly impossible for disabled people to use. They issued a stern warning that organisations will face legal action and possible unlimited compensation payments if they continue to fail to make websites accessible for people with disabilities. The RNIB has also approached two large companies regarding the accessibility of their sites under the DDA. Both companies made the necessary changes to their sites rather than face the prospect of legal action.

We can discuss your web accessibility needs with you, and offer advice about making your site fully accessible to all visitors. To see some of the accessibility options which can be implemented on your site, see our Text Size and Shortcuts pages.