Interview - Kynn Bartlett

SP: Why, in your opinion, is accessibility often relegated to an afterthought?

Because there's so much else to worry about. Within the safe shelter of the Web Accessibility Initiative or other accessibility groups, it's easy to forget that there's anything else important in the world, but the truth is that Web developers these days have more on their minds than ever before. A Web developer today has to be some combination of graphic artist, programmer, user interface designer, database administrator, marketing expert, sysadmin, usability guru, markup language developer, animator, and systems integrator, in varying amounts. We've come a long way from just making HTML pages that look good in Lynx and Mosaic.

With those other issues competing for his or her time, is it any wonder that the typical Web developer hasn't placed Web accessibility at the forefront of her thoughts, if she's even aware of the issues? Most of the time, Web accessibility isn't a consideration because the Web developers are simply ignorant -- and I mean that in the most judgment-neutral way. They just don't know, and despite what some may tell you, there's no shame in not knowing. It's not like Web developers are born with the innate knowledge of how accessible Websites are made, nor is it considered an essential part of most learning programs, from classes to books.

But let's assume that our hypothetical Web developer has considered the issues and decided to learn more. Where do they look? Well, the Web Accessibility Initiative is a good start, and pretty much the definitive source for Web accessibility knowledge. So they go there, and do some reading, and what does they find? The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0, a long checklist that you use on a completed site in order to see if it's likely to be accessible. They can use the Bobby program from CAST to review the site for compliance with the WCAG recommendation.

By reducing Web accessibility to a QA process with checklists and evaluation tools, the W3C is in effect endorsing the notion of Web accessibility as an afterthought. I can't blame Web designers with no specific expertise in accessibility for getting the wrong impression when the leading body for Web accessibility sends the same message.

The real lesson to be learned is that Web accessibility is about the process, which flows from the mindset -- the idea that all along you need to consider not only how your site will be used, but also who will use it.

SP: Who are the big players in accessibility and what Websites do you visit regularly on the subject?

The centre of the Web accessibility universe is the Web Accessibility Initiative at the W3C. This branch of the international consortium for Web specifications is concerned with creating guidelines and recommendations for Web developers, browser programmers, and authoring tool creators to improve access by people with disabilities.

Of particular importance to anyone who works for the US federal government is the Section 508 Website run by the Access Board. Section 508 is a federal policy which establishes that U.S. government Websites (and other computer systems) must be accessible to people with disabilities, both employees of the agencies and the general public. The Section 508 regulations for sites are a partial adaptation of the W3C's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.

Two good informative sites are the Web Accessibility In Mind (WebAIM) and International Center for Disability Resources on the Internet (ICDRI) sites. WebAIM has extensive tutorials, demonstrations, and research articles, while ICDRI has a great collection of policy links and information on Web use by disabled users.

Wisconsin's Trace Center, the University of Toronto's ATRC, and the Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) are all also great sites. More links can be found on the AWARE Center's Website.

SP: What advice can you give to Web developers who want to get involved, advocate and educate about Web accessibility?

Learn, create, and share. That's the magic formula.

Learn more about Web accessibility by visiting the sites listed above, by taking a Web accessibility course, or by joining a mailing list on Web accessibility. Good lists are run by the HTML Writers Guild, WebAIM, Trace, and the W3C.

Create by putting these principles into action on your own Website, blending your exciting visual designs with the principles of Web accessibility that let you extend those designs to all audiences.

Share by telling other Web developers, your co-workers, and your clients why it's important that everyone has access to the 21st Century Web. This is not about dogmatic HTML validation or about dumbing-down Websites -- this is about real people like you or I, who want to use the Web as much as we do.

I very much recommend getting to know some users with disabilities. Join a Web or email group for users with special needs, or meet some in your own community. Talk to them about what's easy to use, and what's hard. Get critiques of your own sites and others. Don't just rely on some W3C document or a book to tell you how to create accessible Web sites. Accessibility is about people, and we should never lose sight of that.