Day 12 1.Designing for Accessibility 2.Heuristic Evaluations

Objectives  Consider different types of impairment and how they affect people’s ability to use software  Learn how assistive technologies such as screen readers and refreshable braille displays help make software more accessible  Consider specific techniques for assuring compliance with accessibility guidelines  Also … heuristic evaluations of projects



Deaf-blindness  Deaf-blind users can neither see nor hear  They can use an electronic device called a refreshable braille display These are designed to fit between the computer keyboard and the user They are used in combination with a screen reader The braille display converts the screen reader’s output to braille

WebAIM’s summary of issues and solutions 

It’s the law in Australia  Section 24 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 

Has anyone ever been sued?

The complaint  The complainant requested that the HREOC make the following orders: That SOCOG include ALT text on all images and image map links on the website; That SOCOG ensure access from the Schedule page to the Index of Sports; and That SOCOG ensure access to the Results Tables on the web site during the Olympic Games. (HREOC 2000)

The decision  The decision was delivered 24 August 2000, with SOCOG found to have engaged in unlawful conduct by providing a web site which was to a significant extent inaccessible to the blind and the web site ordered to be made accessible by the start of the Sydney Olympics (HREOC 2000)

The order  SOCOG was ordered to engage the following by 15 September 2000: include alt text on all images and image map links on its Web site provide access to the Index of Sports from the Schedule page provide access to the Results Tables to be used on the Web site during the Sydney Olympic Games

But …  SOCOG refused to comply with the order and was later ordered to pay Bruce Maguire $20,000 for its refusal to comply

More complaints … 

Also see... 

Today’s lab  What is it like to use a screen reader?  More on tables and accessibility  Heuristic evaluations of projects