There are around two million people in the UK with sight
problems and the Royal National Institute for the Blind's
(RNIB) work on web accessibility has a high profile. But many
people with other disabilities that affect their use of technology
– at home, in education or in the workplace – have benefited from
the work of AbilityNet. Among other activities, it supplies
assistive technology and consultancy for employers on system and
workstation adaptations.
RNIB's web access consultants have been carrying out
accessibility audits of websites since March 2000. AbilityNet has
been offering a disabled user testing service since the Disability
Rights Commission's (DRC) report on web accessibility was published
in April 2004, recommending the use of disabled users to test
websites rather than relying on automated tests.
The charities announced "See it Right with UseAbility" today,
which combines RNIB's "See it Right" expert accessibility
assessment with accessibility and usability testing carried out by
AbilityNet's panel of web users with a range of disabilities.
Sites which successfully pass the joint audit will be eligible
to display a joint RNIB/AbilityNet "See it Right: UseAbility"
logo.
Launching within the next couple of weeks, RNIB and AbilityNet
are confident that the new logo will increase awareness of the
issues and satisfy a growing demand for independently assessed user
testing of websites as part of an accessibility audit.
Bob Niven, Chief Executive of the DRC, welcomed the initiative.
"We believe the inclusion of disabled people in evaluating
accessibility sets an example of good practice by recognising the
value of involving the end user in determining what is or isn't an
accessible website," he said.
RNIB will continue to offer the existing "See it Right" expert
audit, and AbilityNet will continue to offer independent user
testing of sites. However, website managers who are keen to use
both of these services will no longer need to arrange each
assessment separately. And if all of the recommendations from the
combined assessments are implemented successfully, sites will be
eligible to display the new "See it Right: UseAbility" logo.
