Accessibility is an issue, which every business that runs a web site should be aware of and is an increasingly important legal requirement of your Internet operation. Not taking this seriously could leave you and your company open to prosecution, as the Sydney Olympic Association found out to there cost.

It could also be losing you customers and income.

The technology exists to allow visually impaired people to use computers and surf the Internet. Many people make use of screen readers, using speech synthesis and/or Braille displays to make the text and links usable. However, accessibility is not just about those with impaired vision, this issue includes all disabled people who use Information and Communication Technologies to access the Internet. They are potential users of your web site, whether they access through speech recognition, text readers or other devices and software.

A competently designed web site built by a knowledgeable designer can help to make these access technologies function better and open your web site up to the potential purchasing power of some 8 million disabled people un the UK. An inaccessible web site means that your business could be losing out to a largely untapped and potentially lucrative customer base.

The Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB)have campaigned vigorously for several years to encourage good web design that meets the World Wide Web Consortium's(W3C WAI) accessibility criteria.

Accessibility is good for every one. A web site built to the accessibility standards will work with new, emerging technology, including mobiles and PDA’s. It also improves down load times, make the site easier to use for everyone and accessible to users even on the slowest of communication connections.

A number of software programs are available which can help to make your website more accessible, one of which is Jaws. Jaws is a software program which helps blind user to navigate a website, making your website accessible with this software is criteria.

Useful Accessibility Links

RNIB. Good Web Design
http://www.rnib.org.uk/digital/

W3C's Web Accessibility Initiative http://www.w3.org/WAI/

Technology issues for the deaf and hard of hearing. http://www.rnid.org.uk/index.htm

Jaws Screenreader http://www.freedomscientific.com/fs_products/software_jaws.asp