The document discusses e-accessibility and the importance of making websites accessible to disabled users. It notes that while internet access in the UK is high, many websites fail accessibility standards, excluding over 10 million disabled people. Ensuring accessibility makes ethical, legal, and economic sense by expanding a company's potential customer base. The document outlines Hounslow's efforts to improve its website accessibility through features like adjustable text sizes, contrast controls, and compliance with WAI standards. It emphasizes accessibility as an ongoing process requiring user testing and engagement.

1. e-Accessibility
Welcome
Zoe Laycock – Web Manager
9 March 2006

2. Overview
The Internet has led to substantial cultural transformation
Retail
Banking
Leisure activities
Government services
Social interaction

3. Overview
Internet Access in the UK
29 million adults
64% of the population (86% of these have home access)
12% of homes have broadband access – growing

4. And yet…
Disability Rights Commission Research
Serious accessibility and usability problems in over 1000 main
service websites in the UK
81% of websites tested failed to meet basic (WAI – A)
accessibility standards
Over 45% of problems encountered by disabled users of
websites would not be detected by the automated test check
points

5. UK snapshot
10 million disabled people in the UK
10 million potential customers
People with disabilities don’t live in a vacuum
Wide sphere of influence

6. Consequences
If you ignore the potential of accessible websites:
Lose out on potential revenue
Limit your organisation’s effective communication
Miss the opportunity for efficiency savings
Have negative publicity – sector reports
Be at risk of litigation

7. Accessibility makes sense
It makes sense…
Ethical Sense – age of corporate social responsibility
Legal Sense - DDA
Economic sense – maximises commercial success

8. Experience matters!
Growing realisation
Success of online service delivery & take-up is
dependent on user experience.

9. Experience matters!
Websites that are:
Unintuitive
Difficult to navigate
Complicated
Unclear
FAILURE

10. e-Accessibility
Movement for change….
Legislation – DDA – legal framework
Government Recognition – 2007 Commission Equality &
Human Rights
Awareness – industry participation in conferences
Standards – Launch of PAS 78 – Guide to Good Practice
in Commissioning Accessible websites

11. Hounslow web project
Ongoing commitment to achieving high standards of
accessibility and usability.
Effective:
Communications issue
Provision of customer service

12. Hounslow web project
Key Phases
Phase 1 – key features provision underpinned by compliant
and well formed code
Phase 2 – focus on engagement, inclusion and increased
take-up by improving website usability & enhancing the user
experience.

13. Phase 1 features
Key assistive features
Compliant code – WAI AA
Speech enabled
Information availability options
Text only
Change contrast
Adjustable text sizes
Printer friendly formats

14. Change contrast example
Key assistive features
Compliant code – WAI AA
Speech enabled
Information availability options
Text only
Change contrast
Adjustable text sizes
Printer friendly formats

15. Browsealoud example

16. Phase 1 features cont’d…
Key assistive features
Access keys – enables navigation without a mouse
Interpretive and descriptive tags for images

17. Phase 1 features cont’d…
General assistive features
Various navigational options (main, breadcrumb etc..)
Powerful search engine for information retrieval

18. Phase 2
Engagement, inclusion through usability enhancement
User testing integral to further development process
Engagement Disability Forum participants
Website usability and accessibility ‘health check’ audits
Ongoing refinement and improvement of our website

19. Summary
Website accessibility and usability requires commitment
Continuous process of development
If carrots not convincing, then the stick is the DDA

20. Thank you!
Zoë Laycock
Web Manager
e: zoe.laycock@hounslow.gov.uk
Special thanks to: