18 October 2006

Improving the accessibility of a website can have a major impact on the lives of users who have special requirements, an expert at the University of Virginia (UVa) has claimed.

Nancy Tramontin, director of web communication and UVa's lead webmaster, commented as the university has made a number of accessibility improvements to its own websites.

University officials claim that the alterations will make the sites more compatible with assistive technology, such as screen readers which are designed for blind and visually impaired users.

The new accessibility functions are also designed to make the online content more compatible with cell phones, PDAs and other browsers which have limited graphical capability.

"Accessible web design techniques can make a world of difference for users who need them, yet are often subtle enough to escape notice by the rest of users," remarked Ms Tramontin.

UVa also states that it is committed to helping the education of its students with disabilities, by providing assistive technology and software for those who require it.

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