Web accessibility is the ability to access Web pages that accommodate the needs of a broad range of users, computers, and telecommunications systems. Web accessibility occurs when Web pages are developed and published according to a set of design principles that allow anyone browsing the Web page or site to gain a complete understanding of the information presented, as well as have an undiminished ability to interact with the page or site. Web pages or sites that are accessible to people with disabilities are highly accessible to everyone.

Web pages should allow for the eventuality that some Web surfers may not see, hear, move about, be able to process some types of information, be able to use a mouse or keyboard, or may have difficulty reading or comprehending text. People with disabilities may have the most to gain from new technologies of the information age because computer technology and the Internet have the potential to enhance their lives and increase their independence. For example:

• Those who have difficulty leaving their homes can use the Internet to shop for almost anything, research health questions, participate in online discussions, and stay in constant contact with friends and family.
• People who are blind used to wait indefinitely for the information they needed to be made available in Braille or audiotape. Now, through the Internet, they can obtain immediate access to the very same information and at the same time it is available to people who are sighted.
• People who are unable to hold a pen or use a mouse or keyboard can use speech recognition software to accomplish the daily routines and tasks of life.
• People who live in undeveloped nations or other populations may not have access to state-of-the-art technology.

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has recognized the disparity in accessibility to the Web between persons with and without disabilities and has addressed the issue of accessibility through its Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI). The W3C has published a set of Web page guidelines that address design principles for accessible Web pages. The W3C’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines may be found at http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG10/. \

Copyright © 1995-2008, Pearson Education, Inc., publishing as Pearson Prentice Hall Legal and Privacy Terms