dwain wrote:
if accessibility isn't cracked up to what it's supposed to be, then
why are there laws about the subject?
The laws are probably there to prevent "accessibility" from falling
through the cracks. Consciously or unconsciously ignoring "access for
all" is after all more the norm than the exception, and that has to change.
The two levels of accessibility have been mention.
- The first level, where access to content and functionality should be
guaranteed on a "technical" level, is not much of a problem. Basic
understanding of how to build a site is all that's required to reach
that level.
The "challenged" user-groups I ask for advice, expect me to meet them at
that level - which is (slowly being) required by law for public sites in
my country anyway.
- The second level, where some kind of optimizing for specific
user-groups and their hardware/software solutions has to take place, is
of course harder.
I'm being told *not to go there* by the same "challenged" user-groups,
as "more accessible solutions for smaller groups" may end up being
tied to some weak end-user solutions that should rather be
upgraded/replaced and brought in line with the "technical" level most of
them are comfortable with. They work for improvements and solutions that
are tailor-made to the individual's needs - at their end, based on
common delivery-methods and techniques that can be made to work for all
- as long as we developers/designers don't get in their way.
A requirement for common delivery-methods and techniques is being
introduced by law in my country now anyway - for public sites, which
should mean solutions at the user-end will make the need for "more
accessible" solutions at our end a non-issue over time - in Norway.
What kind of "leveling" that is missing/introduced/necessary in other
parts of the world is somewhat unknown to me, but providing accessible
solutions on a "technical" level - and pretty much limit it to that, is
the only common and sensible approach if we want some progress, IMO.
Promoting the need for accessible solutions on a "technical" level on
top of existing and future web standards, should keep us busy enough for
quite a while.
regards
Georg
--
http://www.gunlaug.no
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