Southwest Educational Development Laboratory
Volume 2, Number 1, 1997
The Internet: A Word from the Director
Accessible Information on the World Wide Web
→ Who Uses the Internet?
General Guidelines For Improving Accessibility of World Wide Web Pages
Accessibility Design Considerations and Examples
NIDRR Project Results Used by Special Olympics International to Evaluate Impact of Sports Program
Recent studies vary greatly in their reports regarding who makes up the Internet audience. The New Networks Institute (NNI) reviewed a number of studies from 1994-1996 and found variances due to definitions and what was actually studied, in addition to methods used for collecting data. For example, households, adults over 16, families, computers, and subscriptions were all counted in different surveys. 'Access' included electronic mail, bulletin boards, the Internet, WWW, as well as commercial accounts. Methods included random telephone surveys, self-selecting online surveys, and estimates based on other figures (NNI, 1996). Totals from 5.8 million 'adults connected to the Internet' to 50 million 'adults over 16 with access to the Net' were reported (NNI, 1996). Surveys conducted by Louis Harris (11/96) and IntelliQuest (7/96) both reported 35 million U.S. adult Internet users (CyberAtlas, 1996; NNI, 1996).
Some surveys indicated users are more likely to be males in their early 30's, better educated, and employed in computer and technology fields. English is the primary language found on over 90% of the Internet (GVU, 1996). Over time, these numbers have changed to reflect more variety and diversity among Internet users (GVU, 1996; NNI, 1996). Disability data were not reported in any of the studies reviewed.
Estimates of the numbers of Americans with disabilities vary depending on the criteria used and the extent of limitations due to disabling conditions. The Disability Statistics Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (a NIDRR grantee located at the University of California, San Francisco) proposed a figure of 36.1 million, or 14.5 percent of the total population, based on data from the 1990 National Health Interview Survey and additional sources (LaPlante, 1992). Numbers in the range of 50 million people have also been cited (Hagins, 1995). One source (unverified) suggested that only five percent of people with disabilities have computers, compared with 30 percent of the general population (Hagins, 1995). If correct, this would still yield from 1.8 to 2.5 million people with disabilities who have computers.
On A Roll, a live weekly syndicated radio talk show on life and disability issues, is trying to identify at least one million regular users of the Internet who have a disability or chronic health condition, or a direct and personal interest in disability issues. The purpose of the research being carried out in February and March, 1997 is to "justify to the major media, advertisers, content developers, hardware and software manufacturers, legislators and others that people with disabilities are a viable consumer market and political force that cannot be ignored" (Smith & Kimball, 1997).
The NCDDR carried out field tests with consumers and administrators affiliated with 12 Centers for Independent Living (CILs) to learn more about how consumers with disabilities receive and like to receive information. Only four percent of consumers reported using the Internet 'Very Often' to get information. About 12% reported using the Internet 'Often,' with another 12% using it only 'Once or Twice' to get information. Fully 70% of consumers reported 'Never' getting information from the Internet, with 2% reporting 'Don't Know' or no answer. This contrasted with CIL administrators, who reported 17% use the Internet 'Very Often,' 41% 'Often,' 25% 'Once or Twice,' and 17% 'Never' (NCDDR, 1997). Following are these results in a graphical format:
Text version of the following table
| Number | Percent | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Response | Both | Administrators | Consumers | Both | Administrators | Consumers |
| Very Often | 5 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 17 | 4 |
| Often | 13 | 5 | 8 | 16 | 41 | 12 |
| Only Once Or Twice | 11 | 3 | 8 | 14 | 25 | 12 |
| Never | 50 | 2 | 48 | 62 | 17 | 70 |
| Don't Know | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | - | 1 |
| No Answer | 1 | - | 1 | 1 | - | 1 |
| TOTALS | 81 | 12 | 69 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
Anyone with access to a computer with the minimum technical requirements can find information on the Web. In order for it to be useful, the developers of Web sites must consider who their audiences may be, and prepare Web pages with attention to both technology and content. Many organizations, including several grantees funded through NIDRR, are focusing on ways to help increase accessibility of information on the Internet. This newsletter will provide NIDRR grantees with some general conceptual guidelines for designing World Wide Web sites with accessibility in mind, as well as some specific examples of modifications that can be made to increase accessibility for visitors with disabilities. A listing of resources available on the WWW is also included.
The concepts of Universal Design and Universal Access focus on making materials/space available to and usable by as many people as possible. This perspective looks at trying to accommodate the greatest number of people in a cost-effective way so that it is not necessary to develop special, alternative technologies for a few. This may be expressed in areas such as housing, transportation, and communication. This is a definition used by a NIDRR grantee at the Center for Universal Design (CUD) at North Carolina State University:
"Universal design is the design of products and environments to be usable by all people, to the greatest extent possible, without the need for adaptation or specialized design. The intent of the universal design concept is to simplify life for everyone by making products, communications, and the built environment more usable by more people at little or no extra cost. The universal design concept targets all people of all ages, sizes, and abilities" (CUD, 1996).
Another NIDRR grantee, The Trace Center at the University of Wisconsin, states:
"It must be acknowledged that the principles of universal design in no way comprise all criteria for good design, only universally usable design. Certainly, other factors are important, such as aesthetics, cost, safety, gender and cultural appropriateness, and these aspects should be taken into consideration as well when designing. (Trace Center, 1995)"
The WWW is not just a tool for researchers, academics, and more recently, the business world. It is potentially available to anyone, and those making information available on the Web should strive to make it accessible as well. Increasing accessibility does not mean the site will be less useful for non-disabled viewers. New advances in technology should not leave Web users with disabilities behind. Using universal design as a guiding principle, Web designers can provide sites with high quality content that also provide a similar informational experience as possible for all users.
A Web Access Symbol has been developed by the CPB/WGBH National Center for Accessible Media (NCAM), another NIDRR grantee, to denote that a site reflects accessibility features to accommodate the needs of users with disabilities. At this time, there are no specific eligibility criteria for displaying the symbol. A site displaying the Web Access Symbol has not been verified as accessible, but demonstrates intent to make the site accessible. As of December 1996, over 87 sites had reported to NCAM that they are displaying the symbol. NIDRR grantee sites listed in addition to NCAM include the ADA Technical Assistance Coordinator (KRA Corporation) and the Trace Center.The NCDDR is currently working toward development of criteria for accessibility of its WWW site, and intends to use the Web Access Symbol after that accomplishment. We would like to encourage all grantees with Web sites, as well as those in the process of planning and developing sites, to consider the needs of consumers with disabilities and make appropriate changes or modifications to allow all potential users to access and use the information provided.
NCAM sponsored a contest to develop the Web Access symbol. The winning image, selected from a field of 17 entries, was created by Stormship Studios of Boston, Massachusetts. When used, the Web Access Symbol should always be accompanied by its description D and alternate text tag, ALT="Web Access Symbol (for people with disabilities)", which displays when the image is not loaded.
For more information contact:
CPB/WGBH National Center for Accessible Media
WGBH Educational Foundation
125 Western Avenue
Boston, MA 02134
http://www.wgbh.org/wgbh/pages/ncam/symbolwinner.html
The Speech Friendly Ribbon Award was developed to recognize those sites that are completely accessible to users of non-graphical browsers and screen reading software. Over 190 sites have received the Speech Friendly Ribbon Award, including two NIDRR-funded projects, the RERC on Technology Evaluation and Transfer/AZtech (SUNY, Buffalo) and the RRTC on Blindness and Low Vision (Mississippi State University). Web developers may request that their site be reviewed for accessibility.
There is also a guide to Making Your Site Speech Friendly. If you would like to submit a site for consideration, be sure to review the guide first to ensure that you have implemented all appropriate alternatives to make it accessible. Following are some of the criteria that must be met in order for a site to be deemed "speech friendly:"
Web Accessibility | Site Map | Feedback
NIDRR Project Number: H133A990008
Last Updated: Tuesday, 29 January 2008 at 04:13 PM,
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