Web Accessibility

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Web Accessibility

• Paul Booth
• Project Officer
• DISinHE Support Centre

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2 What is web accessibility?

• Making sure your information is available to
  everyone. Regardless of
• Software
• Platform
• Ability..

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3 Why is it important?

• Prevention of barriers to information
• Higher quality of material
• Increase in potential audience
• Happier end users
• But also
• Legal issues

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4 Accessibility Dull web sites?

• Not at all! Be creative and accessible.
• Only takes a bit of forward planning common
  sense.
• Web masters can still use up to the second
  technology - just remember to provide for those
  who cant support it.

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5 How do I go about it?

• There is a lot to web accessibility, but the
  fundamentals are basic
• Plan
• Check
• Think!
• Rule of Thumb Make sure everything fails
  gracefully.

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6 Is there any help?

• Yes! There are lots of on-line resources. In
  particular
• W3Cs Web Accessibility Initiative pages
  http//www.w3c.org/WAI
• Bobby - online accessibility checking
  http//www.cast.org/bobby
• November launch of the DISinHE centre...

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7 What is DISinHE ?

• A central clearing house for Information
  Technology for Accessibility, and Disability in
  Higher Education.
• Funded by JISC.

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8 Dissemination

• Index of R D and service provision
• Website with signposts to other work
• Good practice guides for equipment and support
  strategies for institutions
• Database of key people and institutions
• Attend national and regional conferences, and
  workshops for policy makers and IT providers
• Case studies other commissioned work

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9 In a nutshell.

• Were here to keep track of the issues.
• .So you dont have to!

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10 To Find out more

• Our Web site is under development and is due to
  Launch in November.
• Please look us up at
• http//www.disinhe.ac.uk