2/14/2010

The secret benefits of web accessibility

Link to us : http://snipr.com/ud0bj

As all of you know, web accessibility have many benefits. One of the main benefits is increased usability, which according to usability guru, Jakob Nielson, can increase the sales or conversion rate of a website by 100% and traffic by 150%.


An accessible website is not automatically more usable but there are many areas of overlap.

1) Descriptive link text

Visual impaired users can scan web pages by tabbing from link to link and listen to the content of the link text in an accessible website must always be descriptive of its descriptions.

Equally, regularly sighted web users don't read web pages in word-for-word, but scan them looking for information they wanted to search.


2) Site map Provided

Site maps is a useful accessibility tool for visually impaired users as they provide a site straightforward list of links to the main pages on the site, without any of the fluff in between. Site maps are useful for everyone as they provide us with a way of finding pages quickly and help us visualize the structure of the website.

With site maps, it will be easier for them to search the information they want and would not have any difficulties on finding the information especially the visually impaired users.


3) Simple and easy language

From an accessibility point of view, it is important for people with cognitive disabilities and site visitors who first language isn't the one they are writing in.

From a usability point of view, it helps everyone. Reading from computer screens is tiring for the eyes and about 25% slower than reading from papar. The easier the style of writing the easier it is for site visitors to absorb the words of wisdom. Shorten sentences would be more easier for them to read and this would help them to absorb the words of wisdom easily. Use, "apply" instead of "make an application".


4) CSS used for layout

CSS - based sites are generally have a greater ratior of content to HTML code so that there are more accessibile to screen readers and search engines. Websites using CSS for layour can also be made accessible to in-car browsers such as WebTV and PDAs.

As well as improved accessibility, CSS - based websites have one large usability benefits which is increased the download speed. Broadband is not as widespread as what you all think. In the UK for example, just one in four web users are booked up to broadband. Even in Malaysia not much people using broadband as their connection.

Improving the download speed of the web pages could provide a great usability advantage over the competitors if possible.


With all this overlap between web usability and web accessibility there are no excuses for not implementing basic accessibility on the website. Outside of the ethical argument there will be many reasons to make one website accessible, on of the main one being that its usability will be improved. No one can argue with that.

So, in my opinion, I think that, every website should make it accessible to prevent any difficulties that occur on people with disability and it could give a hard time for them to figure what the websites are all about.


4 comments:

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  3. I think the color of the layout of a web page plays a part too. Sometimes if the color is too bright or there is a huge contrast, people may find it difficult to read especially those with eyesight problem.


    P.S. Sorry for removing the 2 previous comments.

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  4. Agreed with you. color is important for them as normal people could see different color easily but for people with eyesight problem would have difficulty if the color is not bright or clear for them to see. thanks for the comment jason :)

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