28 December 2006

Websites should be considered in a similar way to public places when it comes to accessibility, according to a new report.

The National Council on Disability, a US-based organisation, has released a publication highlighting how the nature of business and commerce has changed through the use of the Internet over the last decade.

With small retailers and niche businesses across the world increasingly moving into the e-commerce arena and away from a physical, face-to-face environment, the council has raised concerns that many Internet businesses have not given the same thought to the accessibility of their websites as they would to their physical premises.

The authors of the report remarked: "The Internet and other virtual environments ... are becoming central to almost every activity in life and a powerful tool in enabling individuals with disabilities to live productively and independently."

Earlier this year, Donna Smillie, senior web accessibility consultant at the Royal National Institute for the Blind, said that an increasing number of web developers have been incorporating features of accessibility into websites without compromising on usability or aesthetics.

She added that the technology used to implement new website features for disabled users has "improved hugely", giving designers a more diverse and powerful "starting point".

© Adfero Ltd

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