The Internet and Disabled People - Access Denied?
James Byrne (j.byrne@gcal.ac.uk)
The Making Connections Unit (http://www.mcu.org.uk/ )
October 2000
The Digital Economy and Disabled People
"We are moving from an era of ICT exclusion through scarcity to exclusion through ubiquity"1
(Kevin Carey Director of HumanITy)
The phenomenal growth of the internet and Information and Communication technology in general over the last decade is largely seen as presenting new opportunities for disabled people. New ways of delivering information and services are being developed and replacing more traditional methods.
While it is true that there are many advantages there is also a potential downside to this change. When electronic delivery of information and services replace rather than provide alternatives to traditional methods the issue of whether these new methods are accessible to everyone becomes critical. The World Wide Web is a case in point.
The World Wide Web is becoming a mainly graphical and highly design oriented medium. Almost 75% of all Web site traffic is images2. Multi-media rich sites can be inaccessible to many disabled people:
- A blind or visually impaired individual who uses a speech synthesiser to access information from his computer cannot make sense of information when it is purely graphics based.
- Hearing impaired people lose out when there is no captioning on video or audio.
- Physical impaired people can lose out when there is a lack of keyboard/alternative input devices support for navigation
- Those with congitive disabilities can be excluded due to lack of clear logical navigation, overly complex language or lack of non-text material.
Why do we need to tackle this problem now?
The move away from a text based internet will have an impact on the estimated 1.7 million of the population in the UK who are unable to read standard print with any ease, the 17 million adults have literacy problems and 1 million have learning difficulties. (Informability manual Central Office of Information; Gregory, Wendy 1996 HMSO ISBN 0117020389)
5 million disabled people1 in the UK and Scotland are set to miss out on the benefits of the digital revolution unless the issues of access on the Web are addressed.
In two years time it is estimated that 25% of all Western European households will be connected to the Internet and by 2004 almost two thirds of businesses in Europe will have Internet access ( DataMonitor).
The Internet still has the potential to break down many barriers; you don't have to be able to hear to use E-mail, the Web or Usenet; Web pages or e-mail can be made to talk and a physical impairment need not be a barrier to navigating through the rich source of information to be found on the World Wide Web.
But unequal access to the information and resources of the Web should be considered a form of discrimination in the same way as unequal access to jobs, education and or physical access to buildings is considered a form of discrimination.
Excluding a portion of a countries productive and creative talent will have a negative impact on the economy. For businesses innaccessible Web site effectively excludes part of their potential market from buying their goods and services.
What needs to be done
Businesses, public and private organisations need to be made aware of and given the opportunity to seek out affordable expertise to address problems related to Internet based systems that are not accessible to everyone.
The Making Connecitons Unit provides the following services :
- Carries out access audits of private, public and voluntary sector Web sites.
- Provides a service which can transform innaccessible web sites into accessible web sites.
- Provides advice and training to build accessible Web site from the start.
- Builds and manages accessible Web sites.
- Publicises the issues surrounding access on the Web.
- Feeds into national and local information strategies/policies
- Carries out research and keep up with current practice
The Making Connections Unit (in partnership with The Scottish Accessible Information Forum) and will continue to highlight the need for accessible information in general and in particular on the World Wide Web. This in itself will increase the demand for solutions to the problems of making Web based information accessible.
The Making Connections unit is the recognised expert in the area of publishing accessible information on the Internet and World Wide Web in Scotland. Thanks goes to Glasgow Caledonian University who provide accomodation the Unit.
Pressure to make the Web more accessible comes from the implimentation of the Disability Discrimination Act, the proliferation of new Internet connected devices, the governments focus on tackle social inclusion and a desire for companies and organisations to ensure their service and goods are available to everyone.
Web sites which are accessible to disabled people are also easier to use by everyone.
Tackling Information Discrimination - About The Making Connections Unit:
The MCU is an award winning Initiative4 assisting voluntary and statutory sector organisations in the delivery of accessible Internet based information and service to disabled people throughout Scotland. The Unit has had a major impact on the way key organisations are delivering or planning to deliver their information in the future.
Since May 1996 the Making Connections Unit (MCU) has developed considerable technical expertise, knowledge and experience in the field of accessible Internet publishing and Web site management. The unit is based within Glasgow Caledonian University which provides an environment and a pool of technical expertise which makes innovative technological solutions possible.
What has the Making Connections Unit Done?
- Since 1996 the unit has provided a continuous stream of Information, advice and practical help to a large number of organisations both in person and through the Web site at http://www.connections.gcal.ac.uk/
- The MCU has entered into collaborations and partnerships to promote the Internet as a way of providing accessible information. There is a list of some of the organisations below.
- Provided training and education related to the Internet and accessible information.
- Written and published articles and access guides. A set of guides and articles can be found on Web site at http://www.mcu.org.uk
- built accessible Web sites and
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Organised and spoke at numerous conferences.
- The Making Connections Unit in partnership with Glasgow City Council Social Services Department organised Scotlands first conference to look specifically at the issue of accessible information on Internet and World Wide Web. The Conference was over subscribed and feedback indicated that it was considered a great success.
The Making Connections Unit has won an award in the Global Bangemann Challenge; a challenge by the City of Stockholm for cities of the world to show their finest information technology projects. Approximately 900 projects where put forward by cities worldwide. The MCU received and award as finalist in the 'Equal Access to Networking' category.
The MCU has provided advice, training and services to the following:
The Scottish Parliament Web site mangers.
Enable
Glasgow City Council, Social Work Department
Centre for Independent Living in Glasgow
East Dunbartonshire Council, Social Work Department
The Wellbeing Initiative
Glasgow Caledonian University 'Special Needs' Officer
Disability Scotland
Scottish Accessible Information Forum
Scottish Consumer Council
The Centre for Womens' Health in Glasgow
The Coalition of Carers in Scotland
One Plus
Glasgow Organisation of Disabled People
Opening: providing training and employmen opportunities to disabled people
The Loyds TSB Foundation
Scottish Human Services
Department of Social Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University
For More information Contact Jim Byrne 0141 334 1650 e-mail: j.byrne@gcal.ac.uk Web: http://www.connections.gcal.ac.uk/
Footnotes:
1. In the report 'Joined up Citizenship: ICT and Disabled People published by the Department of Trade and Industry)
2. (Information Rules: A Strategic Guide to the Network Economy Nov 1988, authors Shapiro and Varian Harvard Business School ISBN 087584863x)
3. For a further exploration of the issue of accessible web sites see my article 'This HTML Kills: Thoughts on Web Accessibility' http://www.mcu.org.uk
4. The Making Connections Unit, based within the School of Social Sciences, won a category award in the Global Bangemann Challenge - a competition run by the City of Stockholm which invites cities of the world to show off their finest information technology projects.