Web Development to Increase Accessibility for Disabled People.

The Disability Discrimination Act says that web development must be done to make websites more accessible to the disabled. There are a number of factors that you should make sure are present on your website. To improve the accessibility for disabled people follow the below guidelines:

1. Alternative text

If a surfer places the pointer over an informational picture on your professional web site, for example, the club logo, then a yellow box should become visible with a concise, correct explanation of the image. For users whose browsers do not support images, this alternative text is what they will see or hear instead of the image.

2. A decorative image must not have alternative text.

A decorative image has no other purpose but to look attractive. Its only use is to improve the look and feel of the website. Web development should be done so that when the pointer is placed over such images the above-mentioned yellow box does not appear. The reason for this is that, these kinds of images serve no purpose for information. There is no reason for users whose browsers do not support images to know that they are there.

However, you should check coding for the confirmation. If a yellow box doesn’t appear then there are two possibilities:

1. The alternative text of the image is assigned a null value (alt=’’’). In this case, browsers that do not support the images will ignore the image.

2. The alternative text hasn’t been set in the first place. If that is the case, then browsers that do not support images will know of its existence, but will not be able to find out what purpose it carries.

If you look at it from the users point of view the first option is better.

3.If the volume is turned off, can you ‘listen’ to video or audio content?

You will definitely not be able to hear or follow any audio content with the speakers turned off. A deaf person on a daily basis faces this situation. To make your website more accessible to them, you must make sure that your website provides written transcripts as an alternative to audio content. If this option is provided then deaf people will be able to understand the message placed on your website.

4. Online forms must be made more accessible.

For web development there should be prompt text tags next to each item in the form. A contact form, for example, must provide the prompt text ‘name’, ‘email’ and ‘comments’. The text tags should be placed next to a box where the site users will place their details. If the prompt text is clicked on, a flashing cursor should appear in the box next to that text. Using this approach will make your website more accessible.

5. Resizing of text should be allowed

If the text on your website is not flexible, then the accessibility of your website is restricted, especially to those users with poor visibility.

6. Check your website in the Lynx browser.

The Lynx browser is a text-only browser and does not support many of the features that other browsers such as Internet Explorer have. Using the Lynx Viewer, you can check how your page looks in this browser. If your website makes sense and can be navigated through the Lynx browser, then many of the accessibility guidelines will be fulfilled.

7. The website should be completely accessible with just the use of the mouse.

If the website is cannot be navigated through with just the use of tab, shift-tab and return then it will become very difficult for keyboard and voice only users.

8. Site map

You must remember to place a proper and easy site map on your website. Web development India in this area will enable people to navigate easily through your website.

9. Make sure link text makes sense out of context.

Internet users who are blind often surf by tabbing from one link to another. ‘Click here’ and ‘More’ are two examples of non-descriptive text links.

10. Regular check ups on your website.

There can be some areas, which need web development and improvement. You should check your web pages for any such errors like dead links, slow loading images etc.

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