here's been widespread Practice, which specifically
speculation about the new mentions websites, can be
legislation being downloaded in its entirety from
introduced under the DDA the DRC website
(Disability Discrimination Act), (http://www.drc-gb.org/open4all/l
which will ensure that websites aw/Code%20of%20Practice.pdf
are accessible to blind and 676kb).
disabled users. Try to find
specific information about it on The relevant quotes from this
the Internet and chances are 175-page document are:
you'll come up empty handed.
2.2 (p7): "The Act makes it
The RNIB (Royal National unlawful for a service provider
Institute for the Blind) and the to discriminate against a
DRC (Disability Rights disabled person by refusing to
Commission), two of the most provide any service which it
renowned advocates for the DDA provides to members of the
(Disability Discrimination Act) public."
and accessible websites, have no
specific information about the 4.7 (p39): "From 1st October 1999
laws and what websites a service provider has to take
specifically need to do in order reasonable steps to change a
to meet the legal requirements. practice which makes it
unreasonably difficult for
So, what does the law state? disabled people to make use of
its services."
Part III of the Disability
Discrimination Act refers to the 2.13 - 2.17 (p11-13): "What
provision of goods, facilities services are affected by the Act?
and services. The Code of An airline company provides a
flight reservation and booking consider making permanent
service to the public on its physical adjustments to their
website. This is a provision of a premises and is not related to
service and is subject to the the Internet in any way.
act."
The law about accessible websites
5.23 (p71): "For people with came into force on 1st October
visual impairments, the range of 1999
auxiliary aids or services which (http://www.drc-gb.org/open4all/l
it might be reasonable to provide aw/code.asp) and the Code of
to ensure that services are Practice for this section of the
accessible might include ... Act was published on 27th May
accessible websites." 2002
(http://www.hmso.gov.uk/si/si2002
5.26 (p68): "For people with /20020720.htm). This means that
hearing disabilities, the range the majority of websites are
of auxiliary aids or services already in breach of the law.
which it might be reasonable to
provide to ensure that services Can you be sued?
are accessible might include ...
accessible websites. " When does Well, probably. The RNIB claim
the law come into force? that they've considered taking up
a number of legal cases against
It's widely believed that the new organisations with regard to
laws will be implemented in their websites. When they raised
October of this year, when the the accessibility issues of the
final part of the DDA comes into website under the DDA, companies
force. This final piece of have typically made the necessary
legislation actually refers to changes, rather than facing the
service providers having to prospect of legal action.
To further complicate matters,
The DRC has now published their the W3C offers three different
findings from their formal levels of compliance. Priority 1
investigation into 1000 websites. guidelines, (which must be
(http://www.drc-gb.org/publicatio satisfied according to the W3C)
nsandreports/2.pdf). If your will almost certainly have to be
website was included then you adhered to. Priority 2 guidelines
will have to start thinking about (which should be satisfied and
making it accessible to all web are the EU recommended level of
users in the very near future. compliance
(http://www.disabilityworld.org/0
What do you need to do to comply? 9-10_02/access/internetaccess.sht
ml), or some part of, will
It's widely believed that if, or probably also need to be adhered
perhaps more appropriately when, to too.
a case makes it to court that the
W3C accessibility guidelines will The courts will also no doubt
be used to assess a website's take guidance from the outcome of
accessibility and ultimately an Australian case in 2000, when
decide the outcome of the case. a blind man successfully sued the
The W3C is the Internet governing Sydney Olympics organising
body and its web accessibility committee over their inaccessible
guidelines can be found at website
http://www.w3.org/TR/WAI-WEBCONTE (http://www.contenu.nu/socog.html
NT/full-checklist.html. ).
About the Author:
This article was written by Trenton Moss. He's crazy about web usability and accessibility - so crazy that he went and started his own web usability and accessibility consultancy ( Webcredible - http://www.webcredible.co.uk ) to help make the Internet a better place for everyone.
Read more articles by:
Trenton Moss
Article Source: www.iSnare.com
