Reality Check for Web Design

" The power of the Web is in its universality. Access by everyone regardless of disability is an essential aspect."

Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web, recognized that universal access is a critical element of good design.

The Web's landscape has altered dramatically since its inception, when many websites completely ignored users with disabilities.

"Most project managers assumed that blind people could not use the Web anyway, so therefore they also could not use the specific website that was being developed," said Web usability guru Jakob Nielsen.

"We have now eradicated this misunderstanding, and most Internet managers do know that they have to care about users with disabilities."

Despite progress, websites today are still three times harder for users with disabilities to use than for other users.

"In most projects, accessibility has fairly low priority because project managers underestimate the number of people who are impacted by design problems," Nielsen said. "They think that they are just losing a handful of customers, whereas in fact they may be turning away millions of customers, especially among senior citizens, who constitute a big and rich group that's getting more and more active online."

Now, a new software product allows developers to check pages for compliance with usability guidelines as they code ... "

http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,55190,00.html