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WAI: Strategies, guidelines, resources to make the Web accessible to people with disabilities

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[Draft] Web Accessibility and Older Users

Introduction

Many older people have age-related impairments that can affect how they use the Web, such as declining:

• vision - including reduced contrast sensitivity, color perception, and near-focus, making it difficult to read web pages
• physical ability - including reduced dexterity and fine motor control, making it difficult to use a mouse and click small targets
• hearing - including difficulty hearing higher-pitched sounds and separating sounds, making it difficult to hear podcasts and other audio, especially when there is background music
• cognitive ability - including reduced short-term memory, difficulty concentrating, and being easily distracted, making it difficult to follow navigation and complete online tasks

These issues overlap with the accessibility needs of people with disabilities. Thus, websites and tools that are accessible to people with disabilities are more accessible to older users as well.

Older users are an increasing market segment and an important target group for many businesses, governments, and other organizations.

Resources

The following resources address various aspects web accessibility related to web users who are older and the overlap with web users who have disabilities.

• "Web Accessibility for Older Users" Presentation
  Presents the changing worldwide demographics, the prevalence and impact of age-related limitations and older people's use of the Web, some requirements of older users, and the role of WAI accessibility guidelines in meeting these requirements.
• Older Users Online - WAI Guidelines address older users' Web experience
  (User Experience Magazine, Vol 8, Issue 1, 2009)
  Explains age-related impairments that impact Web use, requirements for web design that enhance the ability of older people to use the Web, how existing accessibility guidelines for people with disabilities cover the needs of older users, and future work in this area.
• Web Accessibility for Older Users: A Literature Review
  Provides detailed research on ageing age-related impairments and Web accessibility.
• [Additional materials will be available in 2010.]

The following resources addressing different aspects of web accessibility include information directly related to older web users.

• Developing a Web Accessibility Business Case for Your Organization
  Presents benefits and costs of Web accessibility and includes guidance on incorporating these aspects into a specific organization's business case. Sections that specifically address older users include: Overlap with Older Users' Needs and Access for Older People.
• How People with Disabilities Use the Web
  Provides detailed scenarios of people with disabilities using websites, applications, browsers, and authoring tools. Describes how different disabilities impact web use, and the types of assistive technologies and adaptive strategies that people use.
• Involving Users in Web Projects for Better, Easier Accessibility
  Describes how project managers, designers, and developers can better understand accessibility issues and implement more effective accessibility solutions in their websites and web applications; browsers, media players, and assistive technologies; authoring tools such as content management systems (CMS), blog software, and WYSIWYG editors; standards and policies on accessibility; web technologies and technical specifications.
• Better Web Browsing: Tips for Customizing Your Computer [coming in 2010]
  Provides guidance for users on how to set your computer to work better for your specific needs and preferences so it's easier to use websites; for example, enlarging text, making the mouse pointer bigger, and using the keyboard instead of the mouse to browse websites.
• Contacting Organizations about Inaccessible Websites
  Provides guidance on what to do when you come across a website that has accessibility barriers that make it hard to use. Explains how to identify key contacts, describe the problem, and follow-up as needed. Includes sample e-mails.
• Additional resources are available from the WAI home page.

WAI-AGE Project

Web Accessibility Initiative: Ageing Education and Harmonisation (WAI-AGE) is a European Commission IST Specific Support Action with the goal of increasing accessibility of the Web for older people as well as for people with disabilities in European Union Member States. It focuses on:

• Better understanding the needs of older web users
• Participation of older users in W3C standardization
• Development of educational materials and resources
• Pursuit of international standards harmonization

To learn more about the WAI-AGE project, see the WAI-AGE Project page, which includes:

• About WAI-AGE
• WAI-AGE Publications and Presentations

Content last updated: $Date: 2010/02/09 21:27:04 $
Editor: Shawn Lawton Henry. Developed by the Education and Outreach Working Group (EOWG), as part of the WAI-AGE Project (IST 035015) funded by the European Commission under the 6th Framework.

[Contacting WAI] Feedback welcome to wai-eo-editors@w3.org (a publicly archived list).