1. RNIB & Web Accessibility The experience of RNIB in the UK Donna Smillie Best Practice Officer (Accessible Websites) Royal National Institute of the Blind Braillenet Colloquium, Paris April 2003

2. RNIB & Web Accessibility2 Impact of the DDA Disability Discrimination Act 1995 RNIB started actively campaigning for accessible Web design in 1996. Section 3 of the DDA (Provision of access to goods and services) came into effect in October 1999 - no specific reference to websites. Mid 1999 - large commercial companies start to ask if DDA might apply to websites. Because of RNIB’s campaign activities, these companies approach RNIB for advice on DDA and accessible web design. March 2000 - RNIB sets up Accessible Website Consultancy to deal with these enquiries.

3. RNIB & Web Accessibility3 Campaigning and Consultancy Campaigns Officer raising awareness and advising Government and other organisations on the need for accessible Web design. Consultancy to provide specific advice and website audits for companies and organisations who seek guidance on how to make their sites more accessible. Campaigns Officer tells companies WHY they should make their websites accessible; Consultancy team tells companies HOW they should make their websites accessible.

4. RNIB & Web Accessibility4 Development of the Consultancy, 2000 Establishing the service. One consultant. Establishing the principle that even charities are entitled to charge for commercial services. Services offered - website audits, seminars on accessible web design, direct consultancy. Clients mostly large commercial companies - particularly banks and financial institutions. Income over the year: £20k. Didn’t cover cost of providing the consultancy service.

5. RNIB & Web Accessibility5 Development of the Consultancy, 2001 Introducing the See it Right logo. Logo to be awarded to websites which achieve a good standard of accessibility. Aims of logo scheme - to encourage accessible design, to reward web designers/owners who design for accessibility, to generate greater awareness of accessibility and to promote the Consultancy. Extremely successful - a growing number of companies and organisations contact the Consultancy for website audits and advice. Leads to offer of sponsorship by Standard Life. Income over the year: £45k. Covers the cost of running the Consultancy.

6. RNIB & Web Accessibility6 Development of the Consultancy, 2002 Sponsorship and Expansion. Additional member of staff on secondment from Standard Life. Second RNIB consultant recruited mid-2002. Interest in logo continues to grow rapidly, aided by sponsored audit scheme. Clients now include a growing number of smaller companies, local organisations, central government departments and local government authorities. Services on offer are unchanged, but majority of clients want website audit and follow-up consultancy in order to acquire RNIB’s See it Right Accessible Website logo. Trialling the use of “sub-contract” consultants for audits. Income over the year: £80k. Exceeds income target - small net contribution to RNIB income.

7. RNIB & Web Accessibility7 Development of the Consultancy, 2003 Partnerships, focus on designers, expanding services. Third RNIB consultant recruited March 2003. Trialling partnerships with other organisations and companies to increase the potential “reach” and capacity of the Consultancy. Standard Life sponsorship focused on creating resources, advice, tools for web designers. Reviewing services with a view to expanding and amending the services offered to fit changing client requirements. Income target for the year: £250k. Will consolidate Consultancy’s position as a net contributor to RNIB income, helping to fund other RNIB services.

8. RNIB & Web Accessibility8 UK Government RNIB input to Government Guidelines for Central and Local Government websites. SOCITM Insight assessments of local authority websites, now published annually. Similar assessment of all police authority websites published in 2002. Assessments include accessibility assessments carried out by RNIB. Working with web designers on several central government websites (e.g. www.ukonline.gov.uk). UK Online initiative - government aim to provide access to the Web for all in the UK by the end of 2005. Many UK Online centres being created around the UK. Growing awareness that these centres need to have access technology installed.

9. RNIB & Web Accessibility9 Working closely with the WAI RNIB a full member of the W3C. RNIB’s Campaigns Officer for Web Access active member of WAI Education & Outreach Working Group. “Websites That Work” video produced jointly by WAI and RNIB. Consultancy uses WAI Web Content Accessibility Guidelines as the basis for all website audits and all guidance and advice on how to design accessible websites.

10. RNIB & Web Accessibility10 Audit Methodology Site is first checked using automated tools, such as Bobby. Site is then manually inspected using graphic browsers, text only browsers and screen readers. Source HTML code is also examined where necessary. Focus is on assessing a representative sample of pages, unless the site is small (<20-30 pages). Detailed report is produced, describing all accessibility issues identified, and suggesting necessary amendments and solutions. Client carries out the recommended work, then RNIB re-check the site. If all is well, the See it Right logo is issued for one year.

11. RNIB & Web Accessibility11 Ongoing Issues Small companies and web design firms may be missing the messages about Web Accessibility. Even when they are aware of the issue, they may not feel they can afford consultancy/audit fees. Continuing belief that “accessibility” = dull, boring, text-only, or that all that is needed is a text-only version of a website. Many companies waiting to see what happens when the first case of a company being sued under the DDA is tried in court - until a legal precedent is created, they are not willing to spend any time making their site accessible. RNIB can’t, on their own, audit every website in the UK!

12. RNIB & Web Accessibility12 Further information... RNIB Campaign for Good Web Design http://www.rnib.org.uk/digital/ RNIB ‘See it Right’ Consultancy, Website Audits and the ‘See it Right’ Accessible Website logo http://www.rnib.org.uk/digital/siraccess/ Tel: +44 20 7391 2178 Email: webaccess@rnib.org.uk