Business websites ignoring accessibility for disabled users
21 January 2004
In a survey of 100 top company websites, users of assistive devices such as screenreaders and Braille displays appear to be ignored.
Web agency and usability company Nomensa studied the websites of FTSE 100 companies and concluded they were largely failing in their legal and moral duty to make their websites accessible.
Results showed that 79 per cent of the sites did not provide alternative text for images, 56 per cent did not use alternative text and 77 per cent did not allow the font size to be rescaled.
Only one site according to Nomensa had a valid HTML and even then this was the use of access keys for quicker navigation by keyboard.
The report also found just 10 per cent of websites showed good structure and layout, and only about half had unique descriptive page titles, so users can quickly confirm that they've landed at the right page.
Top companies were Barclays, Exel Group, HSBC, Lloyds TSB and Reed Elsevier, with sites for Capita Group, Hanson and Severn Trent scoring no points.
Nomensa told Internet Magazine: 'The report strongly suggests that accessibility and usability are not considered during the formulation of Web strategy for many companies. This of course means that the flow of communication between any given company and its customer base is severely restricted.'
Nearly 90 per cent of the sites failed to meet basic levels of accessibility when checked against Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, meaning that many users probably find it difficult and maybe even impossible to access information.
Similarly poor results were found when Nomensa previously studied websites for UK universities.
Under the Disability Discrimination Act, companies are obliged to make reasonable adjustments to their services to make them accessible to people using assistive devic
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