Disability Rights Commission starts investigating Web site accessibility
Howard Lake | 13 April 2003 | News
The first formal investigation into the accessibility of popular Web sites gets underway today.
One thousand Web sites will be investigated for their ability to be accessed by the 8.5 million disabled people in the UK in the first Formal Investigation of the Disability Rights Commission (DRC).
A key aim of the investigation will be to identify recurrent barriers to Web access and to help site owners and developers recognise and avoid them.
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The first sites selected will cover the public and private sectors, but no mention was made of voluntary sector sites. The sites will be tested for basic compliance with recognised industry accessibility standards. In addition, 50 disabled people will be involved in in-depth testing of a representative sample of these sites for practical usability.
The research supporting this Formal Investigation will be conducted in collaboration with a team from the Centre for Human Computer Interaction Design at City University London, led by Professor Helen Petrie.
Speaking today on the announcement of the Formal Investigation Bert Massie, Chairman of the DRC, said:
“Organisations which offer goods and services on the Web already have a legal duty to make their sites accessible. The DRC is committed to enforcing these obligations but it is also determined to help site owners and developers tackle the barriers to inclusive web design.”
The findings of the investigation are expected by the end of 2003.
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.