Accessible Web Design - The Future is Now
Published: 15th September 2006
Some time ago, IceGiant released an article for syndication
entitled “The Need for Accessible Web Design”,
highlighting the many good reasons to provide for the
requirements of handicapped internet users; particularly
the blind or partially sighted.
Today, in light of the past week’s developments,
we are revisiting this topic which could soon become a
major issue for many webmasters and web designers.
Whilst many designers and online business owners have
at best displayed an apathetic attitude towards the requirements
of disabled surfers, this week’s court ruling in
a class-action lawsuit by the National
Federation of the Blind (NFB) against U.S. online
retail giant Target.com has highlighted the fact that
the current situation of indifference towards this small
but important facet of internet users cannot continue
indefinitely.
Originally filed on the 7th of February 2006 and charging
that the Target.com web site was falling far short of
even the most basic of accessible web design standards
(image alt-tags and accessible image-maps), the NFB suit
contended that this amounted to discrimination, since
blind or partially sighted internet users were unable
to make purchases or even navigate the site without the
aid of a third party.
Accordingly, the site was in direct disobedience of the
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the California
Disabled Persons Act and the California Unruh Civil Rights
Act.
Target, filing for the dismissal of all charges, argued
that the above listed acts only applied to real world
shop-fronts and had no pertinence to the virtual world
of the internet, in effect stating that civil liberties
cannot be extended to the World Wide Web.
After due consideration of the facts, Judge Marilyn Hall
Patel held that:
“The ‘ordinary meaning’ of the ADA’s prohibition against discrimination
in the enjoyment of goods, services, facilities or privileges, is that whatever
goods or services the place provides, it cannot discriminate on the basis of
disability in providing enjoyment of those goods and services.”
Called a “resounding victory” for blind
internet users throughout the United States, this judgment
enforces the widely held view that disability discrimination
should no more be tolerated on the internet than it is
in the real world.
So, in spite of the fact that laws forcing commercial
internet establishments to adhere to accessible web design
standards are still not an immediate threat to webmasters,
the doors have nevertheless been opened for civil suits
against companies by disabled rights organisations.
Furthermore, we at IceGiant shall be following the future
ramifications of this ruling with great interest to ascertain
not only the number of new suits filed during coming months
but also its impact (if any) on the development and implementation
of future legislation in the United states and the E.E.C.
Accessible Web Design is no longer a fringe discussion
about the internet’s future, it is becoming a matter
for immediate debate.
Webmasters; take note of the World Wide Web Consortium’s
Web Accessibility Initiative, otherwise your company may
be the next Target.
Accessible Web Design is becoming a heated topic
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