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Don't make your web app a web wannabe
26/08/2009
These days software development is all about web apps, but if you don't consider accessibility, and how it can work hard for you, your web app may never be more than a web-wannabe.
Robin Christopherson, Head of Accessibility here at AbilityNet and himself blind, spoke at the leading edge web and software conference 'Epicenter 2009' in Dublin on 26 August.
Robin says; "it’s vital that a web app is designed, developed and maintained with the accessibility and usability considerations of its disabled customers in mind - or its seriously cramping its potential for success. Accessibility not only unlocks your app for an additional 10-15% of potential customers, it has been shown to increase usability for every user by a staggering 35%. The majority of web apps and websites out there are still not aware, or don’t care, so you will also have the edge over your competitors."
His presentation highlighted some of the key issues in this crucial area with a range of real-life examples of good and bad practice. Below are all the links he included in his presentation:
Net usage stats:
http://socialnomics.net
Disability stats:
http://www.census.gov
Liam McGee's article on how accessibility increases SEO:
http://www.communis.co.uk/blog/2009-08-06-seo-and-accessibility-overlap
Demo of embedded static Google Map:
http://devfiles.myopera.com/articles/523/demo01.html
Demo of standard embedded Google map:
http://devfiles.myopera.com/articles/523/demo02.html
Demo of standard embedded Map with added GKeyboardHandler class:
http://devfiles.myopera.com/articles/523/demo03.html
Patrick Lauke article describing invisible layering of keyboard controls on HTML5 video:
http://dev.opera.com/articles/view/keyboard-accessible-google-maps/
Fix My Street with degradable map:
http://www.fixmystreet.com/
AbilityNet video on screen reader user having difficulties with CAPTCHA:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=bPRHPxQMAzE&feature=email
Mark Zurb article on how CAPTCHA reduces conversion by 7.3%:
http://om.ly/GCtY
STC Access contact us form with logic question CAPTCHA and spam trap field:
http://www.stc-access.org/contact-us/
Twitter registration with soundclip audio alternative and no re-entry on invlaid form submission:
https://twitter.com/signup
Solona CAPTCHA solving service:
http://www.solona.net/
Google account sign up with poor audio alternative but contact customer services form:
https://www.google.com/accounts/NewAccount?continue=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.co.uk%2F&hl=en
Christian Heilman's Easy Youtube player:
http://icant.co.uk/easy-youtube/
Christian's article on best practice in online video:
http://www.wait-till-i.com/2008/07/21/so-you-want-to-create-accessible-online-video-huh
Silvia Pfeiffer's article on accessibility of the HTML5 video tag:
http://blog.gingertech.net/2009/08/03/aspects-of-video-accessibility/
Video 'The Elephant's Dream' using HTML5 video:
http://www.annodex.net/~silvia/itext/#play
Accessible drag and drop example using ARIA to make screen reader and keyboard accessible:
http://devfiles.myopera.com/articles/735/example.html
Firefox add-ons page with example of ARIA landmarks:
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/
BBC home page good heading structure and linearisation:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/
New Scientist mobile version has significantly reduced number of headings and links:
http://newscientist.siruna.com/
m.facebook.com - much simpler and much more accessible:
http://m.facebook.com/
Fingertouch on Opera Mobile with links enlarging under finger:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tiVItBOFpt0
AbilityNet Youtube video on magnification user issues:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SafNTEHJ0DM
iPhone 3G S screenreading and magnification Youtube video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4apsIZCKXAY
Feel free to format a bit better of course.