Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Accessibility shopping experience:
1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Accessibility offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Accessibility at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.
2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about
3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Accessibility? Wrong! If the Accessibility is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.
4. Questions - Got a question about Accessibility then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....
5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Accessibility? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Accessibility and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.
6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Accessibility wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.
7. Feedback - happy with your Accessibility then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.
8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Accessibility site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site
9. Contact - got a question about Accessibility, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.
10. Payment - ready to pay for your Accessibility, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.
Accessibility is a general term used to describe the degree to which a system is usable by as many people as possible. In other words, it is the degree of ease with which it is possible to reach a certain location from other locations. It is not to be confused with
usability which is used to describe how easily an entity (e.g., device, service, environment) can be used by any type of user. Accessibility can also be viewed as the "ability to access" the functionality, and possible benefit, of some system or entity; such a definition brings in access-based individual rights laws and regulations that are discussed below. One meaning of accessibility specifically focuses on people with disabilities and their right of access to entities, often through use of assistive devices such as screen-reading web browsers or wheelchairs. Other meanings are discussed below.
Accessibility is strongly related to universal design when the approach involves "direct access." This is about making things accessible to all people (whether they have a disability or not). However, products marketed as having benefited from a Universal Design process are often actually the same devices customized specifically for use by people with disabilities. An alternative is to provide "indirect access" by having the entity support the use of a person's assistive technology to achieve access (e.g., screen reader).
Disabilities
The disability rights movement advocates equal access to social, political, and economic life which includes not only physical access but access to the same tools, services, organisations and facilities which we all pay for.
While it is often used to describe facilities or amenities to assist people with disabilities, as in "
Easy Access", the term can extend to
Braille signage, wheelchair ramps, audio signals at pedestrian crossings, walkway contours,
website accessibility, and so on.
Various countries have legislation requiring physical accessibility which are (in order of enactment):
- In the US, under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, new public and private business construction generally must be accessible. Existing private businesses are required to increase the accessibility of their facilities when making any other renovations in proportion to the cost of the other renovations. The U.S. Access Board is "A Federal Agency Committed to Accessible Design for Americans with disabilities." Many states in the US have their own disability laws.
- In Australia, Disability Discrimination Act 1992 has numerous provisions for accessibility.
- In the UK, the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 has numerous provisions for accessibility.
- In South Africa The Promotion of Equality and the Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act 2000 has numerous provisions for accessibility.
- In Ontario, Canada, the Ontarians with Disabilities Act of 2001 is meant to "improve the identification, removal and prevention of barriers faced by persons with disabilities..."^^
Transportation
In transportation, accessibility refers to the ease of reaching destinations. People who are in places that are highly accessible can reach many other activities or destinations quickly, people in inaccessible places can reach many fewer places in the same amount of time.
A measure that is often used is to measure accessibility in a traffic analysis zone
i is:
Accessibility_i = \sum_j {Opportunities_j } \times f\left( {C_{ij} } \right)where:
- i = index of origin zones
- j = index of destination zones
- f\left( {C_{ij} } \right) = function of generalized travel cost (so that nearer or less expensive places are weighted more than farther or more expensive places).
For a non-motorized mode of transport, such as
walking or cycling, the generalized travel cost may include additional factors such as
safety or gradient.
Automobile accessibility also refers to ease of use by disabled people.
Housing
Most existing and new housing, even in the wealthiest nations, lack basic
accessibility features unless the designated, immediate occupant of a home currently has a disability. However, there are some initiatives to change typical residential practices so that new homes incorporate basic access features such as zero-step entries and door widths adequate for wheelchairs to pass through.
Great Britain applies the most widespread application of home access to date. In 1999, Parliament passed Section M, an amendment to residential building regulations requiring basic access in all new homes. ("Doors to Be Swept Away in New Rules for Builders", Rachel Kelley, The Times,
December 5,
1997.) In the United States, the 1988 Amendments to the
Fair Housing Act added people with disabilities, as well as familial status, to the classes already protected by law from discrimination (race, color, sex, religion and country of origin). Among the protection for people with disabilities in the 1988 Amendments are seven construction requirements for all multifamily buildings of more than four units first occupied after March 13, 1991. These seven requirements are as follows:
An accessible building entrance on an accessible route.
Accessible common and public use areas.
Doors usable by a person in a wheelchair.
Accessible route into and through the dwelling unit.
Light switches, electrical outlets, thermostats and other environmental controls in accessible locations.
Reinforced walls in bathrooms for later installation of grab bars.
Usable kitchens and bathrooms.
(From Fair Housing First, a website sponsored by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development).
In spite of these advancements, the housing types where most people in the United States reside --single-family homes--are not covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Fair Housing Act, or any other federal law with the exception of the small percentage of publicly-funded homes impacted by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. As a result, the great majority of new single-family homes replicate the barriers in existing homes.
The broad concept of Universal Design is relevant to housing, as it is to all aspects of the built environment. Furthermore, a
Visitability movement begun by grass roots disability advocates in the 1980s focuses specifically on changing construction practices in new housing. This movement, a network of interested people working in their locales, works on educating, passing laws, and spurring voluntary home access initiatives with the intention that basic access become a routine part of new home construction.
Telecommunications and information technology access
Another dimension of accessibility is the ability to access information and services by minimizing the barriers of distance and cost as well as the usability of the interface. In many countries this has led to initiatives, laws and regulations that aim toward providing universal access to the internet and to phone systems at reasonable cost to citizens.
Currently there are a few major movements to coordinate a set of guidelines for accessibility for the web. The first and most well known is The Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI), which is part of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). This organization developed the
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 1.0...which explain how to make Web content accessible to people with disabilities. Web "content" generally refers to the information in a Web page or Web application, including text, images, forms, sounds, and such. (More specific definitions are available in the WCAG documents.)http://www.w3.org/WAI/gettingstarted/Overview.html
The WCAG is separated into 3 levels of compliance, A, AA and AAA. Each level requires a stricter set of conformance guidelines, such as different versions of
HTML (Transitional vs Strict) and other techniques that need to be incorporated into your code before accomplishing validation. Online tools such as the Watchfire WebXACT engine will allow users to submit their website and automatically run it through the WCAG guidelines and produce a report, stating whether or not they conform to each level of compliance.
Adobe Dreamweaver also offers plugins which allow web developers to test these guidelines on their work from within the program.
Another source of web accessibility guidance comes from the
US government. Section 508 of the US Rehabilitation Act is a comprehensive set of rules designed to help web designers make their sites accessible. They've also developed a website where you can take online training course for free to learn about these rules. 508 Universe
In general, for a website to comply with accessibility standards, they should at least have the following:
- (X)HTML Validation from the W3C for the pages content
- CSS Validation from the W3C for the pages layout
- At least WAI-AA (preferably AAA) compliance with the WAI's WCAG
- Compliance with all guidelines from Section 508 of the US Rehabilitation Act
- Access keys built into the HTML
- Semantic Web Markup
- A high contrast version of the site for individuals with low vision
- Alternative media for any multimedia used on the site (video, flash, audio, etc)
Another good idea is for websites to include a web accessibility statement on the site. This page details the accessible status of the page, lists access keys and can display which validations have been achieved for the site as well as include their pledge for accessibility. Example of a accessibility statement
1 The Web Accessibility Initiative's Introduction to the WCAG link
Accessibility plannings
In the
United Kingdom, the Department for Transport have mandated that each Local authority#England produce an Accessibility Plan that is incorporated in their Local Transport Plan. An Accessibility Plan sets out how each local authority plans to improve access to employment, learning, health care, food shops and other services of local importance, particularly for disadvantaged groups and areas. Accessibility targets are defined in the accessibility plans, these are often the distance or time to access services by different modes of transport including walking, cycling and public transport.
See also
References
External links
- National Register of Access Consultants (NRAC) - a national register persons in the United Kingdom capable of auditing premises or designing modifications to them to raise their accessibility
- Society for Accessible Travel & Hospitality
- Fair Housing First
- Road Access for Disabled
- Home Access Program
- March for Accessibility - Organization fighting for a Swedish equivalent to the US, UK etc. accessibility laws.
Technology accessibility
- Accessibility - American Foundation for the Blind
- Accessibility from the Bartiméus Accessibility Foundation
- Technology Center - National Federation of the Blind (U.S.)
- Research Studies about Accessible Technology - Microsoft Corporation & Forrester Research, Inc.
- Accessible Website Design Tips - Web design & Accessibility
- Rehab Engineering Research Center on Accessible Medical Instrumentation
- The Web Accessibility Initiative of the World Wide Web Consortium
- Section 508 Training Online
- EU4ALL - European Unified Approach for Accessible Lifelong Learning
Accessibility is a general term used to describe the degree to which a system is usable by as many people as possible. In other words, it is the degree of ease with which it is possible to reach a certain location from other locations. It is not to be confused with usability which is used to describe how easily an entity (e.g., device, service, environment) can be used by any type of user. Accessibility can also be viewed as the "ability to access" the functionality, and possible benefit, of some system or entity; such a definition brings in access-based individual rights laws and regulations that are discussed below. One meaning of accessibility specifically focuses on people with disabilities and their right of access to entities, often through use of assistive devices such as screen-reading web browsers or wheelchairs. Other meanings are discussed below.
Accessibility is strongly related to
universal design when the approach involves "direct access." This is about making things accessible to all people (whether they have a disability or not). However, products marketed as having benefited from a Universal Design process are often actually the same devices customized specifically for use by people with disabilities. An alternative is to provide "indirect access" by having the entity support the use of a person's assistive technology to achieve access (e.g., screen reader).
Disabilities
The disability rights movement advocates equal access to social, political, and economic life which includes not only physical access but access to the same tools, services, organisations and facilities which we all pay for.
While it is often used to describe facilities or amenities to assist people with disabilities, as in "
Easy Access", the term can extend to
Braille signage,
wheelchair ramps, audio signals at pedestrian crossings, walkway contours, website accessibility, and so on.
Various countries have legislation requiring physical accessibility which are (in order of enactment):
- In the US, under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, new public and private business construction generally must be accessible. Existing private businesses are required to increase the accessibility of their facilities when making any other renovations in proportion to the cost of the other renovations. The U.S. Access Board is "A Federal Agency Committed to Accessible Design for Americans with disabilities." Many states in the US have their own disability laws.
- In Australia, Disability Discrimination Act 1992 has numerous provisions for accessibility.
- In the UK, the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 has numerous provisions for accessibility.
- In South Africa The Promotion of Equality and the Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act 2000 has numerous provisions for accessibility.
- In Ontario, Canada, the Ontarians with Disabilities Act of 2001 is meant to "improve the identification, removal and prevention of barriers faced by persons with disabilities..."^^
Transportation
In transportation, accessibility refers to the ease of reaching destinations. People who are in places that are highly accessible can reach many other activities or destinations quickly, people in inaccessible places can reach many fewer places in the same amount of time.
A measure that is often used is to measure accessibility in a traffic analysis zone
i is:
Accessibility_i = \sum_j {Opportunities_j } \times f\left( {C_{ij} } \right)where:
- i = index of origin zones
- j = index of destination zones
- f\left( {C_{ij} } \right) = function of generalized travel cost (so that nearer or less expensive places are weighted more than farther or more expensive places).
For a non-motorized mode of transport, such as
walking or cycling, the generalized travel cost may include additional factors such as
safety or
gradient.
Automobile accessibility also refers to ease of use by disabled people.
Housing
Most existing and new housing, even in the wealthiest nations, lack basic accessibility features unless the designated, immediate occupant of a home currently has a disability. However, there are some initiatives to change typical residential practices so that new homes incorporate basic access features such as zero-step entries and door widths adequate for wheelchairs to pass through.
Great Britain applies the most widespread application of home access to date. In 1999, Parliament passed Section M, an amendment to residential building regulations requiring basic access in all new homes. ("Doors to Be Swept Away in New Rules for Builders", Rachel Kelley,
The Times, December 5, 1997.) In the United States, the 1988 Amendments to the
Fair Housing Act added people with disabilities, as well as familial status, to the classes already protected by law from discrimination (race, color, sex, religion and country of origin). Among the protection for people with disabilities in the 1988 Amendments are seven construction requirements for all multifamily buildings of more than four units first occupied after
March 13, 1991. These seven requirements are as follows:
An accessible building entrance on an accessible route.
Accessible common and public use areas.
Doors usable by a person in a wheelchair.
Accessible route into and through the dwelling unit.
Light switches, electrical outlets, thermostats and other environmental controls in accessible locations.
Reinforced walls in bathrooms for later installation of grab bars.
Usable kitchens and bathrooms.
(From Fair Housing First, a website sponsored by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development).
In spite of these advancements, the housing types where most people in the United States reside --single-family homes--are not covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Fair Housing Act, or any other federal law with the exception of the small percentage of publicly-funded homes impacted by
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. As a result, the great majority of new single-family homes replicate the barriers in existing homes.
The broad concept of Universal Design is relevant to housing, as it is to all aspects of the built environment. Furthermore, a
Visitability movement begun by grass roots disability advocates in the 1980s focuses specifically on changing construction practices in new housing. This movement, a network of interested people working in their locales, works on educating, passing laws, and spurring voluntary home access initiatives with the intention that basic access become a routine part of new home construction.
Telecommunications and information technology access
Another dimension of accessibility is the ability to access information and services by minimizing the barriers of distance and cost as well as the usability of the interface. In many countries this has led to initiatives, laws and regulations that aim toward providing universal access to the internet and to phone systems at reasonable cost to citizens.
Currently there are a few major movements to coordinate a set of guidelines for accessibility for the web. The first and most well known is The
Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI), which is part of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). This organization developed the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 1.0...which explain how to make Web content accessible to people with disabilities. Web "content" generally refers to the information in a Web page or Web application, including text, images, forms, sounds, and such. (More specific definitions are available in the WCAG documents.)http://www.w3.org/WAI/gettingstarted/Overview.html
The WCAG is separated into 3 levels of compliance, A, AA and AAA. Each level requires a stricter set of conformance guidelines, such as different versions of HTML (Transitional vs Strict) and other techniques that need to be incorporated into your code before accomplishing validation. Online tools such as the Watchfire WebXACT engine will allow users to submit their website and automatically run it through the WCAG guidelines and produce a report, stating whether or not they conform to each level of compliance.
Adobe Dreamweaver also offers plugins which allow web developers to test these guidelines on their work from within the program.
Another source of web accessibility guidance comes from the
US government. Section 508 of the
US Rehabilitation Act is a comprehensive set of rules designed to help web designers make their sites accessible. They've also developed a website where you can take online training course for free to learn about these rules. 508 Universe
In general, for a website to comply with accessibility standards, they should at least have the following:
- (X)HTML Validation from the W3C for the pages content
- CSS Validation from the W3C for the pages layout
- At least WAI-AA (preferably AAA) compliance with the WAI's WCAG
- Compliance with all guidelines from Section 508 of the US Rehabilitation Act
- Access keys built into the HTML
- Semantic Web Markup
- A high contrast version of the site for individuals with low vision
- Alternative media for any multimedia used on the site (video, flash, audio, etc)
Another good idea is for websites to include a web accessibility statement on the site. This page details the accessible status of the page, lists access keys and can display which validations have been achieved for the site as well as include their pledge for accessibility. Example of a accessibility statement
1 The Web Accessibility Initiative's Introduction to the WCAG link
Accessibility plannings
In the United Kingdom, the Department for Transport have mandated that each Local authority#England produce an Accessibility Plan that is incorporated in their Local Transport Plan. An Accessibility Plan sets out how each local authority plans to improve access to employment, learning, health care, food shops and other services of local importance, particularly for disadvantaged groups and areas. Accessibility targets are defined in the accessibility plans, these are often the distance or time to access services by different modes of transport including walking, cycling and public transport.
See also
References
External links
- National Register of Access Consultants (NRAC) - a national register persons in the United Kingdom capable of auditing premises or designing modifications to them to raise their accessibility
- Society for Accessible Travel & Hospitality
- Fair Housing First
- Road Access for Disabled
- Home Access Program
- March for Accessibility - Organization fighting for a Swedish equivalent to the US, UK etc. accessibility laws.
Technology accessibility
- Accessibility - American Foundation for the Blind
- Accessibility from the Bartiméus Accessibility Foundation
- Technology Center - National Federation of the Blind (U.S.)
- Research Studies about Accessible Technology - Microsoft Corporation & Forrester Research, Inc.
- Accessible Website Design Tips - Web design & Accessibility
- Rehab Engineering Research Center on Accessible Medical Instrumentation
- The Web Accessibility Initiative of the World Wide Web Consortium
- Section 508 Training Online
- EU4ALL - European Unified Approach for Accessible Lifelong Learning
BBC - My Web My Way - Homepage
Explains common web accessibility options on Windows, Mac and Linux machines.
Sky Accessibility
Sky's accessible website for our disabled customers Welcome to the Accessibility pages on Sky.com, designed to help Sky's disabled customers make the most of the fantastic ...
Accessibility : Directgov - Accessibility
Information on the accessibility standards of the Directgov website and practical help with your computer and your web browser
Accessibility
Accessibility
We at EDINA are currently reviewing our accessibility policy. We are currently working towards compliance with the W3C Web Accessibility Guidelines Level AA for the EDINA website ...
Bupa UK - accessibility statement
Accessibility. BUPA is committed to providing all of our users with equal access to our information. With accessibility as an integral and essential aspect of the design and build ...
Accessibility
Accessibility. Cardiff University is committed to making the information and resources provided via its web site accessible to all users. We aim to be standards compliant and ...
Accessibility Links - Accessibility | University of Greenwich
The University of Greenwich is currently building a new, state-of-the-art website, and this page is part of it. We are using a content management system which allows us to present ...
Accessibility
Accessibility. UCL, with its strong commitment to excellence in both teaching and research and its radical, pioneering tradition in innovation in higher education, seeks to ...
Accessibility
This page contains information on how to get the most out of your NHS Choices browsing experience. It contains information targeted at increasing accessibility for all users ...
