I want to use your web site, but I can't.
08:18, 16 November 2010
.. Posted in techculture and tech to help0 trackbacks
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I went to your web site. I wanted to buy something. Or I wanted to donate funds. I had my credit card info all ready to go.
But I didn't buy anything. And I didn't donate anything. Because I couldn't use your web site.
I couldn't use it because you designed your web site so that:
- I had to have a particular kind of browser -- one that I don't use.
- The text was too tiny for me to read, even with my reading glasses.
- I couldn't find what I was looking for.
- I got tired of waiting for graphics and videos and all sorts of other bells and whistles to download. before I could read the information I was looking for.
- I had to push down more than one button to make a choice -- and I can't use my hands.
- My special web reader could read it - because I'm blind, and that's what I need to surf the web
- You have to be able to hear essential information, in a podcast or a video, and without subtitles or a text version, I couldn't access that information.
Only four of those circumstances are true for me, actually. But how many are true for users of YOUR organization's web site for thousands, even millions, of people?
Online accessibility is not just for people with disabilities. Research has shown that more than two out of three technology users benefit from accessible design. Additionally, the same techniques used to enable assistive technologies often facilitate access to web sites by mobile phones and other handheld devices.
If you are a web developer, web designer, IT manager, IT policy developer, IT administrator, programmer, anyone with IT responsibilities, an IT student or a manager of any of these folks, you need to reserve your place now at the AccessU West training conference in San Jose, Jan. 10-12. This is a tremendous professional development opportunity for individuals, as well as a way for companies to demonstrate their commitment to usability and accessibility to customers! This is an excellent opportunity to show that you understand how to bridge an important aspect of the digital divide!
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