12 March 2007

The emergence of Web 2.0 technologies means that more must be done to ensure that websites operate with an acceptable level of accessibility, according to a new report.

For people with visual impairments, some types of screen-reading software struggle to decode new website features associated with Web 2.0, such as text that appears in a box without needing to click the mouse, the Associated Press reports.

While many companies are making good progress, much still needs to be done to further the ability of screen-reading software to read the latest websites, according to the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB).

Steven Taylor, Head of Disability Access Services for the charity, remarked: "The new technology being implemented poses even more of a threat to the small accessibility wins we have made."

He added that some eight out of ten websites have concerns regarding their level of accessibility, with many having "considerable" problems.

All versions of Microsoft Windows since Windows 2000 have come equipped with Narrator, a basic screen reader application, although there are many more sophisticated commercial and open source alternatives.

© Adfero Ltd

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