Accessibility

What is Acce ssibility?

Accessibility is a general term used to describe the degree to which a system is usable by as many people as possible without modification. It is not to be confused with usability which is used to describe how easily a thing can be used by any type of user. One meaning of accessibility specifically focuses on people with disabilities and their use of assistive devices such as screen-reading web browsers or wheelchairs.

In order to measure Website Accessibility, the World Wide Web Consortium (w3c) has established a set of 14 guidelines/general principles of accessible design. Each guideline has a number of checkpoints. These checkpoints are graded priority 1, priority 2 and priority 3, based on the checkpoint's impact on accessibility.

[Priority 1] A Web content developer must satisfy this checkpoint. Otherwise, one or more groups will find it impossible to access information in the document. Satisfying this checkpoint is a basic requirement for some groups to be able to use Web documents.

[Priority 2] A Web content developer should satisfy this checkpoint. Otherwise, one or more groups will find it difficult to access information in the document. Satisfying this checkpoint will remove significant barriers to accessing Web documents.

[Priority 3] A Web content developer may address this checkpoint. Otherwise, one or more groups will find it somewhat difficult to access information in the document. Satisfying this checkpoint will improve access to Web documents.

Accessibility can be measured in 3 levels; these levels are:

• Conformance Level "A" : all Priority 1 checkpoints in each guideline is satisfied;
• Conformance Level "Double-A" : all Priority 1 and 2 checkpoints is satisfied;
• Conformance Level "Triple-A" : all Priority 1, 2, and 3 checkpoints in each guideline is satisfied;

All BLAST web sites automatically conform to the Conformance Level "A". Should you require a higher level of Accessibility, this can be catered for.