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State of the eNation Reports
Telecoms websites breaks through the accessibility barrier
18 January 2008
ONETEL is leading the field in the e-commerce accessibility stakes according to computing and disability charity, AbilityNet, in a report on the top telecoms sites released today. The charity's eighth quarterly e-Nation assessment of websites in selected sectors has awarded www.onetel.co.uk a four-star rating - only the second time that any site featured in the on-going survey series has gained such a high score (the Labour Party achieved a similar ranking in the last report on the main political parties).
Kingston Communication's information-only site - www.kcom.com - also gained four-stars - slightly less significant as this site has no ecommerce functionality but nonetheless a considerable achievement.
The survey evaluated the top ten sites for both usability and accessibility with a programme of both automated tools and a wide range of manual checks. Only sites which meet the basic needs of visitors with a vision impairment, dyslexia or physical problem making mouse use difficult, attain three stars and above.
All the sites reviewed were invited to make a public commitment to accessibility and to date, only Vodaphone, Kingston Communications, Onetel, Telewest and O2 have done so. The remaining five sites operated by BT, NTL, Orange, 3 and T Mobile did not respond and intriguingly the same companies also fell short of basic accessibility criteria with scores of one or two stars only - with the exception of BT, which obtained the minimum accessibility criteria of three stars.
The reports author, Robin Christopherson, AbilityNet's Web Consultancy Manager, himself blind says: "We are delighted with Onetel's score although not totally surprised since we have been accessibility advisors to their website provider, Centrica, for some time - a fact we were unaware of until receiving Onetels statement."
The Government's recently published Digital Strategy (March 05) acknowledges the evidence of a 'digital divide'. This tendency to exclude is exemplified in the 'barriers to accessibility' exhibited by some websites preventing disabled people from benefiting from the 'potential to improve quality of life' offered by ICT and the internet.
The Strategy points out that websites, just like other suppliers of services or information, are required to take 'reasonable steps' to ensure accessibility under the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act. Despite the legislation, however, cyberspace, it seems, can contain just as many obstacles as the physical world. A Disability Rights Commission investigation 1 reveals that over 80% of sites fail to satisfy a base level of accessibility.
The Government also promises to ensure that all its websites and on-line services present no barriers to use for those with disabilities and in addition pledges to take a lead in promoting action and raising awareness of this issue within the EU during its period of Presidency.
Christopherson adds: "For the millions of people with a disability or dyslexia the goods and services provided by the organisations featured in our report provide a lifeline - a prerequisite for both independent living and security. Whilst no site would knowingly impose a 'technological lock-out' on its disabled visitors, it is clear that there is still much scope for improvement for many of the sites reviewed in this survey."
"Significantly, many of the special promotions offering on-line customers specific packages of goods or services are particularly inaccessible. This means that disabled people are disadvantaged in a very tangible way as they are unable to benefit from the money-saving deals enjoyed by their 'able-bodied' friends."
Typical problems encountered by Christopherson and his team included:
Text size on some sites, particularly for headings and links is 'hard-coded' so that it cannot be easily enlarged - so vital for many visitors who have a vision impairment or dyslexia. With some sites offering small text and others carrying a watermark, effective access for this group is made very difficult.
The text labels attached to images upon which blind visitors and text browser users rely for an explanation are often uninformative or completely absent. Without these spoken labels on graphical links, navigation for a blind visitor is pure guesswork. "Imagine trying to drive to your destination where exits at each junction are left blank," says Christopherson.
Pictures of text are often used instead of actual text. This not only means that the user cannot modify the text size or colour contrast - essential for those with a vision impairment or dyslexia - it also prevents screen reader users from reading the content when - as so frequently happens - these images are left unlabelled.
Some sites contain adverts and features made up of moving images that will be distracting for visitors with a cognitive impairment, or interactive presentations known as 'Flash Movies' which can present access problems for visitors who cannot use a mouse, are vision impaired or who use speech output or voice recognition software.
Some of the sites are reliant on mini programs embedded in the page called JavaScript. People using older browsers, those with vision impairments using some special browsers and users whose organisations disable JavaScript for security reasons, will not be able to access the sites fully - links to the main sections do not appear or the search and shopping cart facilities do not operate fully.
"In the UK an estimated 2 million people have a vision impairment, some 1.5 million have cognitive difficulties, a further 3.4 million have a disability which prevents them using the standard keyboard, screen and mouse set-up with ease, around 6 million are dyslexic and many millions experience literacy difficulties, not to mention the increasing number of elderly 'silver surfers' with failing eyesight or arthritis. These potential internet users also represent a spending power in excess of £120 billion. The arguments are compelling, whether from a moral, legislative or commercial perspective, suppliers of goods, services and information on the internet are ignoring a highly significant market sector."
Adds Christopherson: "We are now beginning to see examples of highly professional and accessible sites that prove incontrovertibly that an organisation's website can and should be accessible to the broadest audience possible. The Disability Rights Commission 1 shows that able-bodied visitors also benefit from accessible websites, finding them easier and quicker to use by a highly significant factor of 35%. When we visit a website we are seeking critical functionality - namely speed and efficiency - not a life-changing experience. Accessible sites are simply easier and more intuitive to use: they improve productivity for everyone."
State of the eNation reports
AbilityNet is at the forefront of a number of initiatives both at home and abroad to improve website accessibility for disabled people and provide both private and public sector organisations with the expertise they need to ensure that their websites are meeting guideline levels of compliance (such as those recommended by the W3C/WAI).
AbilityNet’s ‘State of the eNation’ reports are designed to draw attention to the issue of accessibility and usability and to help disabled people find the best websites for their needs. AbilityNet’s next report, due to be published in the summer, will focus on the telecoms sector.
For more information on website accessibility, usability and design, contact AbilityNet on 0800 269545 or on accessibility@AbilityNet.org.uk
5 August 2005
Issued by the AbilityNet Press Office - 01926 429595
Editor’s notes
1 The Web: Access and Inclusion for Disabled People – DRC Press Office or http://www.drc-gb.org/PDF/2.pdf
* An event on e-accessibility is planned for October 2005 to focus on an EC communication on e-accessibility to be published in May 2006
W3C/WAI
These guidelines, first published in May 1999, provide a framework for accessibility. There are over 65 individual W3C checkpoints arranged in three levels of compliance to test for and only about a third can be assessed for conformity by an automated tool such as Watchfire’s Bobby. A comprehensive series of manual and automated tools, including the enterprise version of the Bobby accessibility testing solution, AccessibilityXM, is employed by AbilityNet in carrying out its surveys.
Euroaccessibility project
On 28 April 2003 in Paris, 24 European organisations from 12 countries agreed to establish a certification authority for web accessibility leading to an Accessibility Quality Mark. AbilityNet joined other disability charities, universities and communications companies in cooperation with US-based W3C/WA1, to pursue this objective, which aims to harmonise standards Europe-wide.
About AbilityNet
AbilityNet is a charity that brings the benefits of computer technology to adults and children with all types of disabilities. Through its network of eleven centres, it offers a comprehensive range of services to disabled people, professionals, employers and statutory bodies. It provides free information and advice on any aspect of computer use by disabled people including individual assessment of technology needs, adapted computer equipment with full training and technical support, a programme of awareness education, and consultancy for employers on system and workstation adaptations, as well as website accessibility.
In 2004 AbilityNet supplied free advice and information to some 280,000 enquiries through its national freephone and web-based services. In addition, the charity's consultants saw nearly 3,000 disabled children and adults face-to-face for individual assessments, equipment, training sessions and home support visits.
In the same year, AbilityNet's professional education courses and seminars attracted around 5,000 staff from public, private and voluntary sector organisations, seeking to develop their awareness of adaptive technology for those with disabling conditions and learn practical solutions to apply in the workplace, at home or in education.
AbilityNet is dependent both nationally and locally on grants and donations from charitable trusts and companies, to carry out its work on behalf of disabled people and those who support them.
For further details check www.abilitynet.org.uk or call AbilityNet’s freephone helpline on: 0800 269545
Issued by:
Caroline Saint Freedman,AbilityNet Press Office
Tel: 01926 429595
Fax: 01926 407425
Email: AbilityNet Press Office
For more information:
- Email accessibility@AbilityNet.org.uk
- Phone 0800 269545
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