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Benefits of accessibility

A good way to think of this is 3 carrots (positive benefits)...
... and a stick (pressure to apply accessibility).

The stick - legislation and organisational requirements

  • You have a legal obligation under various different pieces of legislation, the most important being:
    • The Disability Discrimination Act (1995)
      • Part 3 - access to goods and services
      • Supplemented by the Disability Rights Commission code of practice (2002) - clarifies that web sites are included
      • You must make reasonable adjustments to ensure that your site is accessibility to people with disabilities
  • The office of the e-envoy recommends you conform to WAI double-A standard for accessibility
  • All NICS sites are to be WAI double-A standard (WAI standards explained)

Carrot #1 - Increased audience reach

  • By definition increased accessibility increases the number of people who have access to your information
    • More people will be able to benefit from what you provide
    • This includes people with disabilities (estimated at about 10% of the population) and people who use alternative browsing software and devices
  • Accessibility also increases the ease and effectiveness of placement on search engines
  • Increased accessibility leads to increased usability
    • More people will be able to use your site easily and effectively

Carrot #2 - Increased efficiency

  • Accessibility reduces the need for the provision of alternative formats (e.g. large print, Braille)
  • Accessibility increases 'self service', reducing the load on support services such as phone support
  • Accessible sites are easier to maintain, modify, update and repurpose for newer technologies, e.g.
    • Use of CSS means a single change in one file can make changes site wide
    • Coding to standards makes transforming to new standards possible using software rather than by hand
    • Accessible sites are essentially self documenting, making them easier to modify and update by people other than the original designer or author

Carrot #3 - Display of social responsibility

  • Accessible sites are an overt demonstration of your commitment to openness, fairness and non-discrimination
  • In the current climate of generally poor accessibility this can bring gains over and above just 'doing the right thing', e.g.
    • Positive PR
    • Being used as best practice exemplars

 

Summary

Gain the positive benefits from implementing good levels of accessibility, as well as being safe from possible legal action.