Disabled people have been frozen out by the internet revolution. According to a recent survey by the Office of the eEnvoy more than three out of every four public sector web sites failed to meet access standards for users with disabilities.
Whilst the technology is available to improve the accessibility of sites, it is not a straightforward solution. Blind and partially-sighted users use synthesised speech or Braille display technology to understand text and images on screen. For this technology to work correctly, the site must have good web coding and the correct HTML.
In reality, it is more complicated than simply fixing coding. Navigational tools are often complicated and users can feel disorientated on-line. The use of font designs, colour and images can also cause problems. The prevalence and intrusive nature of on-line advertising often means that users are exposed to irrelevant information, before they reach the content they actually require.
