Choosing the right web developer to ensure an accessible website
Web accessibility is a label which few web designers, let alone their clients, fully understand.
Many web design agencies mention accessibility on their website, but research by the Disability Rights Commission (DDA) found that only nine per cent of developers 'claimed any sort of expertise' in terms of accessibility.
Additional research by Professor Helen Petrie showed that a majority of web design companies who displayed accessibility statements or logos on their client' site did not actually meet basic requirements. Many companies are unintentionally misleading customers by claiming to design accessible websites due to the lack of technical skills and understanding of the accessibility guidelines (WCAG 1.0).
Unfortunately, web accessibility is not yet written into law. This makes it impossible for web designers to guarantee that their work is DDA compliant, although these false claims are common. Equally, it is difficult for those commissioning websites to be sure that the company they choose is equipped to do a good job.
Until an accreditation system is introduced, it is up to the customer to perform their own checks to ensure that the web design company can create a site that is usable by its target audience. If your organisation is looking to commission an effective, accessible website, read on for tips on how to identify the best companies to meet your needs.
The proof is in the "testing"
A good starting point is to look at the web design company's own website. Even commissioners with no knowledge of accessibility can run their own basic tests on a company's site and those in its portfolio using free online resources, such as Cynthia Says.
Another good basic check is to run websites through the W3C Markup Validation Service at http://validator.w3.org. This is a basic check and does not test the website for Level AA WCAG 1.0 compliance, but errors will indicate that the web designer is very unlikely to uphold accessibility standards.
It is a good idea to look through the agency's portfolio of websites. If the clients include charities supporting people with disabilities, then there is a high chance that its websites are accessible. However, a lack of such experience does not mean that the company has no accessibility expertise. You can also run these websites through the same basic accessibility tests mentioned above.
Company credentials
Beyond a good track record, it is also essential to check out a web design company's credentials, ensuring that they have the skills and experience to build you an accessible site.
The best guarantee is logos displayed on home pages. Labels to look for include 'See It Right' or even better, the 'See It Right: UseAbility' logo, accredited by RNIB and AbilityNet. However, it is worth noting that the accreditation process for these logos is expensive so many websites complying with at least Level AA of the WCAG 1.0 will not necessarily display these logos.
Another valuable credential to look for is membership of GAWDS (Guild of Accessible Web Designers). This organisation assesses member sites to qualify membership. A list of members and their companies is listed on the group's website, so this is a good place to look for accessibility experts. For free expert advice to evaluate website accessibility, some forum members on www.accessifyforum.com, might be willing to give you some advice if you post the URL of a site you would like to know more about.
Accessible web designers follow standards
Although there is no one law which sets out what companies must do to create an accessible website, there are several sets of standards which good web designers should follow.
The company should have a practical knowledge of the most recent UK government guidelines relating to web accessibility. They should demonstrate a good understanding of PAS 78 (Publicly Available Specification 78) and be able to explain how their design process allies to ISO 13407 guidelines.
It is also worth checking that the designer has a practical knowledge of the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 (WGAG 1.0). W3C's rating system is written into to EU law as a standard rating for accessibility. Websites should meet Level AA of the WCAG 1.0, which means that each Priority 2 checkpoint in these guidelines should be satisfied.
Designers should also have a good knowledge of assistive technologies as well as adaptive strategies. Assistive technologies are hardware or software which enables disabled users to use the internet, such screen readers for blind users.
Testing with disabled users
If you are investing time and money into creating a quality website, it is important that it is accessible to the right people.
You should ask the designer whether the testing methods meet the requirements of the site's users. If the site is targeted at blind people, they should be included in the testing process. But ideally, you should get a good cross section of disabled testers with at least:
- A blind user;
- Medium impaired user;
- Severe motor difficulties user;
- Medium motor difficulties user;
- Dyslexic user;
Ask for a test plan for the web site you want to create, and be wary of proposals which only use one method of testing. Putting the website through automated testing systems such as Cynthia Says can highlight initial barriers to accessibility, but are not enough in themselves. Manual testing should also be carried out.
