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Nav: [[Main Page|EOWG wiki main page]] > [[Curriculum & Course Materials]]
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<span style="color: #808080;">{@@editorial note: We'd like to '''use wording from approved WAI publications where it works''', rather than using lots of new wording on this page. (for consistency and to shortcut additional vetting needed)}</span>


([http://www.w3.org/WAI/EO/wiki/Basics_25May Archive of Basics from 25 May])
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'''comments [[Basics with Notes]] '''
'''Version with changes marked and comments: [[Basics with Notes]]''' - please make comments and edits in that page


<hr />
<hr />
<br />
<br />


=Web Accessibility Basics =
 
=Web Accessibility Basics=


On this page:
On this page:
*[[#The Web is for all people]]
*[[#The Web is for all people]]
*[[#Understand how people use the Web]]
*[[#Understand how people use the Web]]
*[[#Accessibility requirements]]
*[[#Accessibility requirements]]
*[[#The components of web accessibility]]
*[[#The components of web accessibility]]
*[[#Business case]]
*[[#Business case]]
*[[#Learn more from W3C WAI]]
*[[#Learn more from W3C WAI]]
*[[#References and acknowledgements]]
*[[#References and acknowledgements]]




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When the Web meets this goal, it is accessible to people with a diverse range of hearing, movement, sight, and cognitive ability. Thus the impact of disability is radically changed on the Web because the Web removes barriers to communication and interaction that many people face in the physical world.
When the Web meets this goal, it is accessible to people with a diverse range of hearing, movement, sight, and cognitive ability. Thus the impact of disability is radically changed on the Web because the Web removes barriers to communication and interaction that many people face in the physical world.


However, when websites, web technologies, or web tools are badly designed, they can create barriers that exclude people from using the Web. For example, an inaccessible website could prevent people who are deaf from getting information from a podcast or video; or prevent people with cognitive impairments from reading the content because of moving, blinking, or flickering images; or prevent people with physical impairments from completing a transaction because they cannot use a mouse.
However, when websites, web technologies, or web tools are badly designed, they can create barriers that exclude people from using the Web. For example, an inaccessible website could
prevent people who are deaf from getting information from a podcast or video
prevent people with cognitive impairments from reading the content because of moving, blinking, or flickering images
prevent people with physical impairments from completing a transaction because they cannot use a mouse.


===What is web accessibility===
===What is web accessibility===
<p>Web accessibility means that people with disabilities can use the Web. More specifically, it means that people with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with the Web, and that they can contribute to the Web. For an introduction to <strong>why</strong> - case for web accessibility, <strong>what</strong> - examples of web accessibility, and <strong>how</strong> to make your website and web tools accessible, see [http://www.w3.org/standards/webdesign/accessibility Accessibility - W3C].</p>
<p>Web accessibility means that people with disabilities can use the Web. More specifically, it means that people with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with the Web, and that they can contribute to the Web. For an introduction to <strong>why</strong> - case for web accessibility, <strong>what</strong> - examples of web accessibility, and <strong>how</strong> to make your website and web tools accessible, see [http://www.w3.org/standards/webdesign/accessibility Accessibility - W3C].</p>


<p>Web accessibility encompasses all disabilities that affect access to the Web, including people with auditory, cognitive, neurological, physical, speech, and visual disabilities. Accessibility includes people with impairments due to ageing.</p>
<p>Web accessibility encompasses all disabilities that affect access to the Web, including people with auditory, cognitive, neurological, physical, speech, and visual disabilities. Accessibility includes people with impairments due to ageing.</p>


<p>While accessibility focuses on people with disabilities, it also benefits others, such as people using mobile devices and people in limiting situations (e.g., in a loud environment where they cannot hear audio). <strong>Accessibility supports social inclusion</strong> for people with disabilities, older people, mobile users, people in rural areas, people with low bandwidth connections, people with low literacy, etc. More information is in [[#Mobile users]] below, [[#Older people]] below, and [http://www.w3.org/WAI/bcase/soc.html#groups Web Accessibility Benefits People With and Without Disabilities].</p>
<p>While accessibility focuses on people with disabilities, it also benefits others, such as people using mobile devices and people in limiting situations (e.g., a loud environment where they cannot hear audio). <strong>Accessibility supports social inclusion</strong> for people with disabilities, older people, mobile users, people in rural areas, people with low bandwidth connections, people with low literacy, etc. More information is in [[#Mobile ]] below, [[#Older ]] below, and [http://www.w3.org/WAI/bcase/soc.html#groups Web Accessibility Benefits People With and Without Disabilities].</p>


===Web accessibility is essential for equal opportunity===
===Web accessibility is essential for equal opportunity===
 
<p>The Web is increasingly an essential resource for many aspects of life: education, employment, government, commerce, health care, recreation, social interaction, and more. The Web is used not only for receiving information, but also for providing information and interacting with society. Therefore, it is essential that the Web be accessible in order to provide equal access and equal opportunity to people with disabilities. Indeed, the United Nations recognizes web accessibility as a basic human right. Learn more from [http://www.w3.org/WAI/bcase/soc#social Web Accessibility is a Social Issue] in the Social Factors page.</p>
<p>The Web is increasingly an essential resource for many aspects of life: education, employment, government, commerce, health care, recreation, social interaction, and more. The Web is used not only for receiving information, but also for providing information and interacting with society. Therefore, it is essential that the Web be accessible in order to provide equal access and equal opportunity to people with disabilities. Indeed, the United Nations recognizes web accessibility as a basic human right. Learn more from the [http://www.w3.org/WAI/bcase/soc#social Web Accessibility is a Social Issue] in the Social Factors page.</p>


==Understand how people use the Web==
==Understand how people use the Web==
Line 53: Line 50:
<ul>
<ul>
<li>Ms. Olsen attends middle school, and particularly likes her literature class. She has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and dyslexia, and the combination leads to substantial difficulty in reading.</li>
<li>Ms. Olsen attends middle school, and particularly likes her literature class. She has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and dyslexia, and the combination leads to substantial difficulty in reading.</li>
   <li>Ms. Laitinen is the chief accountant at an insurance company that uses web-based documents and forms over a corporate intranet. She is blind and, like many other people who are blind, she does not read braille.</li>
   <li>Ms. Laitinen is the chief accountant at an insurance company that uses web-based documents and forms over a corporate intranet. She is blind and, like many other people who are blind, she does not read braille.</li>
   <li>Mr. Yunus is 85 years old and started to use the Web several years ago to stay in touch with family and friends, and to read about art history. He has reduced vision, hand tremor, and mild short-term memory loss due to ageing.</li>
   <li>Mr. Yunus is 85 years old and started to use the Web several years ago to stay in touch with family and friends, and to read about art history. He has reduced vision, hand tremor, and mild short-term memory loss due to ageing.</li>
   </ul>
   </ul>
<p>More details on how these and others use the Web are in [http://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/people-use-web/stories Stories of Web Users].</p>
<p>More details on how these and others use the Web are in [http://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/people-use-web/stories Stories of Web Users].</p>


People have a diverse range of abilities that impact how they use the Web. Some people have age-related impairments, some have temporary impairments, and some have multiple disabilities; some disabilities are caused by health conditions, and sometimes abilities change for an individual based on time of day, medication, and other factors. To learn about the diversity of abilities, and about the types of web accessibility barriers that people commonly encounter from poorly designed websites and web tools, see [http://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/people-use-web/diversity Diversity of Web Users].</p>
People have a diverse range of abilities that impact how they use the Web. Some people have impairments, some have impairments, some have disabilities some disabilities health conditions, and abilities change based on , medication, . To learn about the diversity of abilities, and about the types of web accessibility barriers that people commonly encounter from poorly designed websites and web tools, see [http://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/people-use-web/diversity Diversity of Web Users].</p>
<p>People with disabilities access and navigate the Web in different ways. Sometimes people configure standard software and hardware according to their needs, and sometimes people use specialized software or hardware that help them perform certain tasks. To learn about the techniques and tools that people with disabilities use to interact with the Web, such as browser settings, text-to-speech, voice recognition, see [http://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/people-use-web/browsing Tools|Techniques|Diversity in Web Use].</p>
<p>People with disabilities access and navigate the Web in different ways. Sometimes people configure standard software and hardware according to their needs, and sometimes people use specialized software or hardware that help them perform certain tasks. To learn about the techniques and tools that people with disabilities use to interact with the Web, such as browser settings, text-to-speech, voice recognition, see [http://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/people-use-web/browsing Diversity in Web Use].</p>


==Accessibility requirements==
==Accessibility requirements==
<p>Accessibility requirements can be categorized under 4 basic principles:</p>
<p>requirements principles:</p
 
>


<ul>
<><strong>and , see //..//-.</strong></>
  <li><strong>Perceivable</strong> information and user interface - e.g., text alternative for images and captions for video; adaptable content; content that is easy to see and hear </li>
  <li><strong>Operable</strong> user interface and navigation - e.g., keyboard access; users can easily navigate, find content, and determine where they are </li>
  <li><strong>Understandable</strong> information and user interface - e.g., content works in predictable ways; users are helped to avoid and correct mistakes </li>
  <li><strong>Robust</strong> content and reliable interpretation - e.g., works with users&#39; browsers and other tools </li>
</ul>


<p>A short preview of 3 web accessibility issues (alternative text for images, keyboard input, and transcripts) is in [http://www.w3.org/standards/webdesign/accessibility#examples What: Examples of Web Accessibility].</p>
<p>short web accessibility issues (alternative text for images, keyboard input, and transcripts)[http://www.w3.org/standards/webdesign/accessibility#examples What: Examples of Web Accessibility].</p>


<p><strong>See [http://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/people-use-web/principles Accessibility Principles] to learn more about web accessibility requirements.</strong> This page has short paragraphs, lists, and descriptions that provide a better introduction to accessibility requirements than the formal standards/guidelines. It includes links to the standards so that you can get the definitive information when you want it.</p>
==The components of web accessibility==
==The components of web accessibility==
<p>It is essential that several different components of Web development and interaction work together in order for the Web to be accessible to people with disabilities. WAI provides accessibility guidelines that cover these components.</p>
It is essential that components of development and interaction work together in order for the Web to be accessible to people with disabilities. WAIprovides guidelines that cover components.


===Web Content===
===Web Content===
<p>Content is the information in a web page or web <strong>application</strong>, including: natural information such as text, images, and sounds; code or markup that defines structure, presentation, interaction, etc. Content requirements are covered in Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (<strong>WCAG</strong>).</p>
<p>Content is the information in a web page or web <strong>application</strong>, including: natural information such as text, images, and sounds; code or markup that defines structure, presentation, interaction, etc. Content requirements are covered in Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (<strong>WCAG</strong>).</p>


<p>The WCAG documents explain how to make web content (including web applications) more accessible to people with disabilities. To learn more about WCAG, see:</p>
<p>The WCAG documents explain how to make web content (including web applications) more accessible to people with disabilities. To learn more about WCAG , see :</p>


<ul>
<ul>
   <li><strong>[http://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/wcag.php WCAG Overview ]</strong></li>
   <li
   <li>[http://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG20/glance/ WCAG 2 at a Glance] </li>
><strong>[http://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/.php Overview]</strong></li>
   <li >[http://www.w3.org/WAI///]</li>
</ul>
</ul>


<p>Most people will use the supporting materials when developing Web content and Web tools, instead of the actual technical standards document. The WCAG supporting technical materials are introduced in [http://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/wcag20 The WCAG 2.0 Documents].</p>
content and


<p>WCAG Techniques give specific guidance for developers on how to develop accessible web content. The techniques are &quot;informative&quot;, that is, you do not have to use them. The basis for determining conformance to WCAG 2.0 is the <strong>success criteria</strong> from the WCAG 2.0 standard, not the techniques. To learn more about techniques, see [http://www.w3.org/QA/2012/01/wcag_techniques_learn_more.html#abouttech About the Techniques].</p>
<p>to web content are .</p>


===Tools===
<><strong>create content</strong> need to understand and implement accessibility. This includes designers, authors, managers, etc., anyone who is involved with developing content (including applications), authoring tools, evaluation tools, browsers and other user agents.</p>
The tools that we use to create and use web content play an important role in accessibility.
<ul>
  <li><strong>Authoring tools</strong> are software and services that are used to create and edit websites; for example, content management systems (CMS), HTML editors, websites that let users add content, and other tools. These tools can help create accessible content, or make it more difficult. <span style="color: #808080;"> {@@ OR: These tools can help or hinder the creation of accessible content.}</span> Tools should support developers in making their web content accessible, and should be accessible themselves so that people with disabilities can use them. This is covered in Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines, see <strong>[http://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/atag.php ATAG Overview]</strong>.</li>
  <li><strong>Evaluation tools</strong> help check if websites meet standards. (Relevant information is in [http://www.w3.org/WAI/eval/selectingtools.html Selecting Web Accessibility Evaluation Tools].) </li>
  <li><strong> Web browsers</strong>, media players, and other &quot;user agents&quot; are covered in User Agent Accessibility Guidelines, <strong>[http://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/uaag.php UAAG Overview]</strong>. </li>
  <li><strong>Assistive technologies</strong>, such as screen readers, alternative keyboards, switches, scanning software, etc., are used by some people. (Introduced in [http://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/people-use-web/browsing.html Tools|Techniques|Diversity in Web Use].) </li>
</ul>
 
===People - content creators and users===
<p><strong>Content creators</strong> need to understand and implement accessibility. This includes designers, coders, authors, managers, etc., anyone who is involved with developing content (including applications), authoring tools, evaluation tools, browsers and other user agents.</p>


<p><strong>Users</strong>&#39; knowledge, experiences, and skill using the Web — including for some users, assistive technologies or other adaptive strategies — also impact accessibility.</p>
<p><strong></strong> knowledge, experiences, and skill for , assistive technologies or adaptive strategies.</p>


<p>For more information on these components, see [http://www.w3.org/WAI/intro/components.php Essential Components of Web Accessibility] and the [http://www.w3.org/WAI/presentations/components/Overview.php &quot;Components of Web Accessibility&quot; Presentation].</p>
<p>For more information on these components, see [http://www.w3.org/WAI//components.php Components of Web Accessibility] [http://www.w3.org/WAI//components.php Components of Web Accessibility].</p>


==Business case==
==Business case==


 
In order for organizations to be willing to make the initial investment in accessibility, many need to understand the financial benefits of web accessibility. For an introduction, see [http://www.w3.org/WAI/presentations/bcase/Overview.php &quot;Web Accessibility is Smart Business&quot; Presentation]
In order for organizations to be willing to make the initial investment in accessibility, many need to understand the financial benefits of web accessibility. For an introduction, see [http://www.w3.org/WAI/presentations/bcase/Overview.php &quot;Web Accessibility is Smart Business&quot; Presentation]


To learn more about the social, technical, financial, and legal and policy factors, see [http://www.w3.org/WAI/bcase/Overview.html Developing a Web Accessibility Business Case for Your Organization]. This set of pages presents different aspects of web accessibility along with guidance on developing a customized business case.
To learn more about the social, technical, financial, and legal and policy factors, see [http://www.w3.org/WAI/bcase/Overview.html Developing a Web Accessibility Business Case for Your Organization]. This set of pages presents different aspects of web accessibility along with guidance on developing a customized business case.


For example, one aspect of the business case is reaching more users, including mobile users and older users.
For example, one aspect of the business case is reaching more users, including mobile users
 
and olderusers.


===Mobile Web===
===Mobile Web===
<p>With global mobile phone use at an all time high, there has been a surge of interest in developing websites that are accessible from a mobile device. Users of mobile devices and people with disabilities experience similar barriers when interacting with Web content.  Websites can more efficiently meet both goals when developers understand the significant overlap between making a website accessible for a mobile device and for people with disabilities. For more information, see [http://www.w3.org/WAI/mobile/ Web Content Accessibility and Mobile Web: Making a Web Site Accessible Both for People with Disabilities and for Mobile Devices].</p>
<p>With global mobile phone use at an all time high, there has been a surge of interest in developing websites that are accessible from a mobile device. Users of mobile devices and people with disabilities experience similar barriers when interacting with Web content.  Websites can more efficiently meet both goals when developers understand the significant overlap between making a website accessible for a mobile device and for people with disabilities. For more information, see [http://www.w3.org/WAI/mobile/ Web Content Accessibility and Mobile Web: Making a Web Site Accessible Both for People with Disabilities and for Mobile Devices].</p>
===Older users===
<p>Older web users are an increasing market segment and an important target group for many businesses, governments, and other organizations. Many older people have age-related impairments that can affect how they use the Web, such as declining vision, physical ability, hearing, and cognitive ability. These issues overlap with the accessibility needs of people with disabilities. Thus, websites and tools that are accessible to people with disabilities are more accessible to older users as well. For more information, see [http://www.w3.org/WAI/older-users/Overview.php Web Accessibility and Older People: Meeting the Needs of Ageing Web Users].</p>


==Learn more from W3C WAI==
==Learn more from W3C WAI==

Latest revision as of 20:41, 6 September 2012

Nav: EOWG wiki main page > Curriculum & Course Materials

Status: Updated 28 June 2012

{editorial notes: See the Discussion tab for audience analysis, approach, etc.} 

* Please put any comments in the Basics with Notes page


Web Accessibility Basics

On this page:


This page provides an overview of web accessibility and links to resources for more information. We suggest that you read through this whole page first, then go back and follow the links to learn more.

The Web is for all people

The Web is fundamentally designed to work for all people, whatever their hardware, software, language, culture, location, or physical or mental ability.

When the Web meets this goal, it is accessible to people with a diverse range of hearing, movement, sight, and cognitive ability. Thus the impact of disability is radically changed on the Web because the Web removes barriers to communication and interaction that many people face in the physical world.

However, when websites, web technologies, or web tools are badly designed, they can create barriers that exclude people from using the Web. For example, an inaccessible website could:

  • prevent people who are deaf from getting information from a podcast or video
  • prevent people with cognitive impairments from reading the content because of moving, blinking, or flickering images
  • prevent people with physical impairments from completing a transaction because they cannot use a mouse.

What is web accessibility

Web accessibility means that people with disabilities can use the Web. More specifically, it means that people with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with the Web, and that they can contribute to the Web. For an introduction to why - the case for web accessibility, what - examples of web accessibility, and how to make your website and web tools accessible, see Accessibility - W3C.

Web accessibility encompasses all disabilities that affect access to the Web, including people with auditory, cognitive, neurological, physical, speech, and visual disabilities. Accessibility includes people with impairments due to ageing.

While accessibility focuses on people with disabilities, it also benefits others, such as people using mobile devices and people in limiting situations (e.g., a loud environment where they cannot hear audio). Accessibility supports social inclusion for people with disabilities, older people, mobile users, people in rural areas, people with low bandwidth connections, people with low literacy, etc. More information is in Mobile Web below, Older users below, and Web Accessibility Benefits People With and Without Disabilities.

Web accessibility is essential for equal opportunity

The Web is increasingly an essential resource for many aspects of life: education, employment, government, commerce, health care, recreation, social interaction, and more. The Web is used not only for receiving information, but also for providing information and interacting with society. Therefore, it is essential that the Web be accessible in order to provide equal access and equal opportunity to people with disabilities. Indeed, the United Nations recognizes web accessibility as a basic human right. Learn more from Web Accessibility is a Social Issue in the Social Factors page.

Understand how people use the Web

Stories about people using the Web help to illustrate the everyday needs of people with disabilities. For example:

  • Ms. Olsen attends middle school, and particularly likes her literature class. She has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and dyslexia, and the combination leads to substantial difficulty in reading.
  • Ms. Laitinen is the chief accountant at an insurance company that uses web-based documents and forms over a corporate intranet. She is blind and, like many other people who are blind, she does not read braille.
  • Mr. Yunus is 85 years old and started to use the Web several years ago to stay in touch with family and friends, and to read about art history. He has reduced vision, hand tremor, and mild short-term memory loss due to ageing.

More details on how these and others use the Web are in Stories of Web Users.

People have a diverse range of abilities that impact how they use the Web. Some people have temporary impairments, some have age-related impairments, some have disabilities from birth, some develop disabilities from injuries or health conditions, and some have multiple disabilities. Some people's abilities change based on fatigue, inflammation, medication, etc. To learn about the diversity of abilities, and about the types of web accessibility barriers that people commonly encounter from poorly designed websites and web tools, see Diversity of Web Users.

People with disabilities access and navigate the Web in different ways. Sometimes people configure standard software and hardware according to their needs, and sometimes people use specialized software or hardware that help them perform certain tasks. To learn about the techniques and tools that people with disabilities use to interact with the Web, such as browser settings, text-to-speech, voice recognition, see Diversity in Web Use.

Accessibility requirements

In order for people with disabilities to be able to use the Web, there are certain things that websites and web tools need to do. These accessibility requirements fulfill four underlying principles:

  1. Perceivable information and user interface.
    Accessibility requirements include: providing text alternative for images, providing captions or transcripts for video and audio, and providing sufficient color contrast between text and background.
  2. Operable user interface and navigation.
    Accessibility requirements include: enabling navigation using only a keyboard, providing meaningful hyperlinks, and allowing enough time for users to complete a task.
  3. Understandable information and user interface.
    Accessibility requirements include: making content readable, providing predictable functionality, and helping users avoid and correct mistakes.
  4. Robust content and reliable interpretation.
    Accessibility requirements include: maximizing compatibility with current and future tools (web browsers, assistive technologies, etc.).

To learn more about these web accessibility principles and requirements, see Accessibility Principles.

For a short introduction to three web accessibility issues (alternative text for images, keyboard input, and transcripts), see What: Examples of Web Accessibility.

The components of web accessibility

The accessibility principles apply to the components introduced below. It is essential that the components of web development and interaction work together in order for the Web to be accessible to people with disabilities. The W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) provides guidelines that cover the accessibility requirements of the technical components.

Web Content

Content is the information in a web page or web application, including: natural information such as text, images, and sounds; code or markup that defines structure, presentation, interaction, etc. Content requirements are covered in Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).

The WCAG documents explain how to make web content (including web applications) more accessible to people with disabilities. To learn more about how WCAG is structured and about the supporting documents that provide practical advice for meeting accessibility requirements, see the WCAG Overview.

Tools

The tools that we use to create and use web content can help or hinder web accessibility.

  • Authoring tools are software and services that are used to create and edit websites; for example, content management systems (CMS), HTML editors, websites that let users add content (such as social media), and other tools. Tools should support people in making their web content accessible, and the tools should be accessible so that people with disabilities can use them. This is covered in Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines, see ATAG Overview.
  • Evaluation tools help check if websites meet standards. (Relevant information is in Selecting Web Accessibility Evaluation Tools.)
  • Web browsers, media players, and other "user agents" that access web content are covered in User Agent Accessibility Guidelines, see UAAG Overview.
  • Assistive technologies are software or hardware that people with disabilities use to improve interaction with the Web, e.g., screen readers that read aloud web pages, voice recognition software, alternative keyboards, etc. (Introduced in Tools|Techniques|Diversity in Web Use.)

People - web content creators and web users

In addition to web content and tools, people are an important component of web accessibility.

People who create content need to understand and implement accessibility. This includes developers, designers, authors, managers, etc., anyone who is involved with developing content (including applications), authoring tools, evaluation tools, browsers and other user agents.

People who use the Web have different knowledge, experiences, and skill levels that affect accessibility; for example, how well a person knows how to use assistive technologies or adaptive strategies, and if they can get tools to meet their needs.

For more information on these web content, tools, and people components, see the "Components of Web Accessibility" Presentation or Essential Components of Web Accessibility.

Business case

In order for organizations to be willing to make the initial investment in accessibility, many need to understand the financial benefits of web accessibility. For an introduction, see "Web Accessibility is Smart Business" Presentation.

To learn more about the social, technical, financial, and legal and policy factors, see Developing a Web Accessibility Business Case for Your Organization. This set of pages presents different aspects of web accessibility along with guidance on developing a customized business case.

For example, one aspect of the business case is reaching more users, including older users and mobile users.

Older users

Older web users are an increasing market segment and an important target group for many businesses, governments, and other organizations. Many older people have age-related impairments that can affect how they use the Web, such as declining vision, physical ability, hearing, and cognitive ability. These issues overlap with the accessibility needs of people with disabilities. Thus, websites and tools that are accessible to people with disabilities are more accessible to older users as well. For more information, see Web Accessibility and Older People: Meeting the Needs of Ageing Web Users.

Mobile Web

With global mobile phone use at an all time high, there has been a surge of interest in developing websites that are accessible from a mobile device. Users of mobile devices and people with disabilities experience similar barriers when interacting with Web content. Websites can more efficiently meet both goals when developers understand the significant overlap between making a website accessible for a mobile device and for people with disabilities. For more information, see Web Content Accessibility and Mobile Web: Making a Web Site Accessible Both for People with Disabilities and for Mobile Devices.

Learn more from W3C WAI

The W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) brings together people from industry, disability organizations, government, and research labs from around the world to develop guidelines and resources to help make the Web accessible to people with disabilities. We encourage you to look around the WAI website and find more information that is useful to you. See Finding Your WAI ("way") to New Web Accessibility Resources.

References and acknowledgements

Referencing this information: Most of the text on this page comes from other documents, which are linked within each section. For references, please use the source document. (See Using WAI Material: Permission to Use with Attribution.)

Editors: Shawn Lawton Henry, Shadi Abou-Zahra, Suzette Keith, Vicki Menezes Miller.

Contributors: Denis Boudreau, Sharron Rush, and other W3C WAI Education and Outreach Working Group (EOWG) participants.



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