Making Online Easier For The Partially Sighted
1.8 million people in the UK are partially sighted. With this in mind, technology magazine PCPro has joined forces with theRoyal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) to encourage companies to make their websites more accessible to blind and partially sighted people. This involves getting their websites and apps to a minimum standard so that partially sighted users still have the opportunity to access their goods and services.
Websites need to be accessible for partially sighted people
Robin Spinks, principal manager for digital accessibility at RNIB, explained why their joint 180 Day WebSight Pledge is so important. Robin grew up with extremely poor vision and has therefore always struggled to read print. However, developments in technology – including the introduction of eBooks and apps has really made a huge difference to his life. He can now enjoy books, choose his own preferred font size and even browse the web.
For Robin, access to the Internet has made his life both more enjoyable and more fulfilling. As well as reading books and magazines on line. The internet has opened up a whole host of opportunities for him – online banking, shopping, and catching up on the latest headlines and social networking.
Good web design is extremely important. If a site works for him, he will use it regularly and of course, recommend it to other people. On the other hand, if a website is poorly designed, he won’t use the website again, recommended it or bookmark it for future use. This also goes for apps. For Robin and other partially sighted individuals, they have to be accessible, easy to use and easy to configure.
Guidelines for improving digital services for the partially sighted
This brings us back to the 180 Day Website Pledge. First of all, what exactly is it? PC Pro and RNIB are asking companies to adjust their websites and apps by using five key design guidelines to help blind and partially sighted users. These guidelines are aimed at improving the user experience for such people. In addition, RNIB will offer their advice and consultancy services to companies who agree to do it, throughout the process.
The five criteria that companies should follow are:
• Avoid fixed-size fonts, and make text size and colour user-configurable where possible and avoid using pattered backgrounds
• Websites and apps should be compatible with popular screen readers such as JAWS for Windows, SuperNova, VoiceOver and NVDA
• Use a consistent interface throughout the website or app
• Ensure that websites and apps are fully accessible using the keyboard alone
• Websites and app should be tested by blind and partially sighted users and their support groups before implementing major changes
Robin Spinks is delighted to support this campaign and believes that asking companies to pledge their support will really make a huge difference to blind and partially sighted people. He said that in making these small changes to their websites will make the user experience of these individuals so much easier. Robin said that we are all familiar with improving access to shops and public facilities and should now apply the same spirit to similar digital services.
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