Internet ADA: What's the Problem?

If the Web existed today as it did when Tim Berners-Lee first invented it, accessibility wouldn't be the issue it is. When it was plain text, no graphics and colorless, screen readers could recite the content. But the graphical user interface (GUI) is a key reason the Web became so commercially attractive and usable in the first place. Pictures that say a thousand words, eye-candy that make it attractive and links hidden in buttons that glow as you move your pointer over them made this an appealing medium. This graphical nature of the Web causes those with a sight disability the most problems.

Several key disabilities affecting Web users include:
Low vision. This means the person's vision cannot be totally corrected, but they have some usable vision.

Color blindness. These people have difficulties distinguishing between combinations and/or pairs of colors.

Blindness. This can occur in varying degrees from corrected vision being 20/200 or less to total blindness where absolutely no vision is present.

Deaf or hard of hearing. While these person's are not so affected by the GUI interface, the increased usage of multimedia without the benefit of closed captioning or transcript alternatives deprives the user of the item's content.

Physical disabilities and motor impairments. When a person is using a mouth stick, head pointer or other device, the ease of navigation can be crucial.

Copyright © 2001 Compliance Action. Originally appeared in Compliance Action, Vol. 6, No. 10, 9/01