18 March 2005
The Royal National Institute for the Deaf has launched a new online resource centre to help the needs of the nine million deaf and hard of hearing people in the UK.
The Internet service proves accessible websites can be well designed, according to RNID and comes as part of a national drive operating under the "Accessibility Makes Business Sense" banner.
"One in seven of the UK population is deaf or hard of hearing. It goes without saying that they and the professionals who work with them - teachers, audiologists, social services staff and so on - need to have easy access to vital information," RNID chief executive John Low commented.
"We wanted our website to be the destination of choice for anyone looking for information on deafness, hearing loss and tinnitus. By making user-testing integral to its design, our site actively reflects the ways in which people intuitively search for information. The site also demonstrates that it is possible to combine the highest levels of accessibility with a strong design."
The development represents a positive social step according to various experts, including Geoff Adams-Spink, Disability Affairs journalist, and helps promote website accessibility as an issue for everyone, not just the voluntary sector.© DeHavilland Information Services plc
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