Accessibility can be a huge headache for people who are thinking about having a website, and an even bigger one for people who already have an inaccessible website. To get to grips with accessibility the first step is to understand exactly what it means from a usability and a business perspective.

The Statistics (Source IWDP)

• 14% of the UK population are registered as disabled (8.3 million people).
• 9% of the UK population have some form of colour blindness (5.4 million people).
• 4% of the UK population have a sight problem (2 million people)
• 21% of the UK population are 60 or over (12 million people)

The statistics really are quite astonishing. Can you really afford to alienate this many potential customers?

In addition to the increased potential target market there are many more benefits that an accessible website will bring to your business.

• Avoid incurring legal fees:
  There is legislation in place (Disability Discrimination Act) stating that all websites must be accessible to users who are visually or physically impaired. If your website does not meet the accessibility guidelines set out by the W3C you could potentially be sued.
• Your website will be future-proof and will be compatible with emerging technologies:
  This includes new browsers, PDAs, mobile phones and web tv. These technologies are becoming for more common methods of accessing the Internet.
• Increased search engine performance:
  An accessible website has cleaner code that is easier for search engines to understand. This will help to optimise your search engine position. In fact, many of the methods used to increase accessibility overlap with those used by Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) companies.
• The usability of your site will be improved:
  There are significant similarities and overlap between usability and accessibility. Providing user with a clear navigation and page structure will give the user a positive experience which will increase the likelihood of them making a purchase and returning to the site.
• Positive PR:
  Demonstrating your business as one of the few that cares about accessibility will enhance the positive corporate image of your company.

As a business model an accessible website makes perfect sense. It is a win - win situation where everybody benefits. Can you really afford to leave this many customers locked out of your website.

For more information on how your business can benefit from having an accessible website call free on 0800 019 7034

We have recently completed the website for Business Enterprise Works, a subsidiary of Coventry University Higher Education Corporation.

The website includes a state-of-the-art content management system, news and events management, and a searchable business directory allowing companies to login and manage their company details.

The website has been coded using the latest XHTML and CSS standards with close attention given to the priority 1 and 2 W3C accessibility guidelines.

Click here to visit the Business Enterprise Works website.

The Majestic Paintings website is a fully functional E-Commerce system, allowing users to order custom oil paintings based on a photo or picture of their choice.

Our job was to create a user-friendly system that would allow the user to upload photos and specify their requirements, including canvas size, number of figures and background style.

Click here to visit the Majestic Paintings website.