[WebPub] A Must Read Article: An Idiot¹s Guide To Accessible Website Design

[David J Conlon]

Sandy Butler¹s article ³An Idiot¹s Guide To Accessible Website Design²
<http://webdesignledger.com/tips/an-idiot%E2%80%99s-guide-to-accessible-webs
ite-design>  in Web Design Ledger <http://webdesignledger.com/>  is a great
overview of the benefits and necessity of accessible web design.

One important statistic she offers is how, ³According to a report by the
Danish Center for Accessibility, as many as 25% of the world¹s Internet
users have some sort of visual, auditory or mobility disability. Fail to
take into the consideration the needs of these people and you are depriving
your client the opportunity to connect with a huge audience.² So it¹s not
simply a concern about complying with Section 508 or Section 504
requirements, it¹s simply a matter of reaching 1/4 of your possible audience
and also improving your SEO!

Most importantly, she give detailed examples of some great tools and
resources to help you analyze your websites to ensure you¹re reaching the
widest possible audience. These tools include:
* Wave <http://wave.webaim.org/> , a site that shows the original web page
with embedded icons and indicators that reveal the accessibility of that
page, 
* Color Oracle <http://colororacle.cartography.ch/index.html>  ‹ a
cross-platform color blindness simulator, and
* Document Readability
<http://www.online-utility.org/english/readability_test_and_improve.jsp>  to
analyze the writing on your site.
A must-read article and, if you have the time, check out some of the related
articles listed at the bottom such as ³The Four Key Components of a Great
Web Design² and ³Most Used and Abused Web Design Trends of All Time².


--------
David J. Conlon
Web and Database Consultant
Departmental Consulting & Application Development - Client Support Services
Information Services & Technology (IS&T)
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
77 Massachusetts Avenue, Building N42-240g
Cambridge, MA 02139