Richard Sheppard

UK

Web User and Designer

Who is responsible for fixing this?
There are several views:
1. The Government should pay.
2. The Companies should pay.
3. The Disabled users should pay.

My view is that all three should be involved.

Government
The NHS has recently started the bulk purchase of digital hearing aids. This has greatly reduced their cost. In the same way, the bulk purchase of computer accessibility aids and training would make them much more affordable. The government is very ready to impose regulations and new duties on the rest of us. It would be nice if government web sites were to demonstrate best practice (or any practice) on accessibility. LearnDirect!!

Companies
The attitude of some companies and organizations is hard to understand. Some time ago my professional institution asked for comments on their new web site. In reply to my comments that parts were "inaccessible" or very slow to download across a dial-up link the web designer said that: "The Marketing Department had insisted on those elements for reasons of corporate branding."

Presumably, people in the Marketing Department had only viewed their web site with perfect eyesight, on large VDUs, across a high speed ethernet. They had completely forgotten the needs of the ordinary remote user.

Individuals
People with disabilities should expect to adapt their PCs and software. This will need training and instruction. I believe that the range of special needs and disabilities is too wide and the requirements too mutually exclusive for one solution to fit all needs. For example, it would be wrong to insist that all web sites must use an approved restricted vocabulary or a prescribed colour scheme.