18-12-2012, 04:36 PM
ONLINE MUSIC STORE ACCESSIBILITY
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Introduction
The Internet has established itself as one of the most frequently used means of
exchanging information among people. Whether it is used for keeping in touch, doing
business, research, shopping or entertainment, the Internet has become the most pervasive
global social infrastructure. The electronic data transmission breaks the distance barrier.
Nowadays, there is a lot of business going on exclusively online. Paperless billing, for
example, might become a regular practice for banks and other institutions.
Because of its ubiquitous presence in every area of human activity especially
today and in the future, it is vital that everyone has the ability to access the Internet.
Furthermore, everyone should be able to browse the same websites and have the
opportunity for equal user experience in the Internet. In other words, the Internet should
be usable by everyone.
Accessibility is a category of usability (Accessibility Definition, 2007). In this
light, a web page that is not usable by someone is not accessible to that person.
Accessible websites are those that give users with and without disabilities equal
opportunity to “perceive, understand, navigate and interact” (W3C, 2007a) with the
information they contain. The Internet relies heavily on text and image content as a
primary way of retrieving and delivering information. This graphic user interface (GUI)
method of providing access to the web, however, is not particularly suited for a large
segment of the user population. People with sensory disabilities have been isolated from
the Internet because many websites are not designed to fit their needs.
Background & Research
The major focus of this research is web accessibility for blind and low-vision
users. To better understand the magnitude and depth of the study, it is essential to gather
some background information about the types of visual disabilities, the technology that
exists for visually disabled users and some of the legislature that is associated with the
subject.
Visual Disabilities and the Internet
Even though the Internet now provides a lot more multimedia than at its
inception, it is still mainly a text-based means of delivering information to the user. That
is why, of all disability communities that use the Internet, people with visual disabilities
have the most limited accessibility to it.
The population of blind and visually impaired Internet users is growing rapidly.
According to the American Foundation for the Blind, a minimal estimate is that there are
1.5 million visually impaired computer users, including those who are blind. The total
number of people ages 15 and older with any "limitation in seeing", who report they have
access to the Internet is just over 1.5 million (1,549,000). The number of people ages 15
and older, with a limitation in seeing, who use a computer regularly is a bit under one
million (979,000). Of those, about 196,000 people with a "severe" limitation in seeing
have access to the Internet, and about 102,000 persons with a severe limitation in seeing
use a computer on a regular basis. (Gerber, 2004)
Low Vision
Anyone with non-correctable reduced vision is regarded as visually impaired.
People with low vision are not blind. They have useful vision and can improve it using
visual devices. The impairment levels range from mild to severe.
Color Blindness
Roughly one in every 20 people has some kind of color vision disability. They
have difficulty recognizing certain pairs of colors. Deuteranomaly is the most widespread
kind of color blindness. It affects about 5% of the world male population and is
associated with mild red-green hue discrimination. Protanomaly is a color vision defect,
which results in poor red-green hue discrimination. It is inherited, gender-specific, and
present in 1% of all males. Tritanomaly is the rarest, color blindness affecting blueyellow
hue discrimination (Cassin, 1990).
Blindness
In the United States, anybody whose vision cannot be improved to better than
20/200, or whose diameter is 20 degrees or less of visual field remaining, is legally blind.
Anyone who has no light perception and is completely sightless is considered blind.
Blindness can be caused by many diseases such as cataract, cerebral palsy, diabetes,
glaucoma and sclerosis. (Paciello, 2000)
Internet Barriers Faced by People with Disabilities
Poorly designed websites create additional barriers for people with visual
disabilities the way inadequately designed buildings prevent some from entering. Web
developers often do not realize how simple features built into a web page’s source code
can greatly help someone who cannot see a computer monitor.
As high speed Internet becomes more widespread in the U.S. and around the globe,
Web designers are tempted to make the best use of the higher bandwidth and deliver
multi- media content through the Internet. With this the line between software
applications and web pages becomes ambiguous. For example, the CNET website
(CNET, 2007) combines of text, graphics, Flash animation, and video interviews. It is
essential that every component be coded in a way that allows screen reader applications
to read the content. For the same reason, Flash animation or online video should have
captions. Overall, the font and background colors should have an acceptable contrast
difference and text should be sufficiently large. Detailed rules are listed in the WCAG.
Standards and Policies
The recent growth and expansion of the use of the Internet as a completely
independent medium for exchange of information has raised the need for standardization
and unification. Its virtual existence has also brought up interesting issues regarding the
application of existing laws and policies in this new environment and the importance of
all members of society, including people with disabilities, being able to get to this
information. There is a growing number of national and global laws and regulations that
address accessibility on the Internet.
Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)
The W3C started the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) as an effort to improve
the accessibility of the World Wide Web for people with physical disabilities who require
special devices and software to access the Web. The WAI has developed a number of
guidelines that can help to make Web sites more accessible. It also ensures that the
current core technologies of the Internet support accessibility, designs evaluation and
repair tools for accessibility and coordinates with research and development the future
effects on accessibility of the Web. (WAI Mission and Organization, 2007)
[attachment=44266]
Introduction
The Internet has established itself as one of the most frequently used means of
exchanging information among people. Whether it is used for keeping in touch, doing
business, research, shopping or entertainment, the Internet has become the most pervasive
global social infrastructure. The electronic data transmission breaks the distance barrier.
Nowadays, there is a lot of business going on exclusively online. Paperless billing, for
example, might become a regular practice for banks and other institutions.
Because of its ubiquitous presence in every area of human activity especially
today and in the future, it is vital that everyone has the ability to access the Internet.
Furthermore, everyone should be able to browse the same websites and have the
opportunity for equal user experience in the Internet. In other words, the Internet should
be usable by everyone.
Accessibility is a category of usability (Accessibility Definition, 2007). In this
light, a web page that is not usable by someone is not accessible to that person.
Accessible websites are those that give users with and without disabilities equal
opportunity to “perceive, understand, navigate and interact” (W3C, 2007a) with the
information they contain. The Internet relies heavily on text and image content as a
primary way of retrieving and delivering information. This graphic user interface (GUI)
method of providing access to the web, however, is not particularly suited for a large
segment of the user population. People with sensory disabilities have been isolated from
the Internet because many websites are not designed to fit their needs.
Background & Research
The major focus of this research is web accessibility for blind and low-vision
users. To better understand the magnitude and depth of the study, it is essential to gather
some background information about the types of visual disabilities, the technology that
exists for visually disabled users and some of the legislature that is associated with the
subject.
Visual Disabilities and the Internet
Even though the Internet now provides a lot more multimedia than at its
inception, it is still mainly a text-based means of delivering information to the user. That
is why, of all disability communities that use the Internet, people with visual disabilities
have the most limited accessibility to it.
The population of blind and visually impaired Internet users is growing rapidly.
According to the American Foundation for the Blind, a minimal estimate is that there are
1.5 million visually impaired computer users, including those who are blind. The total
number of people ages 15 and older with any "limitation in seeing", who report they have
access to the Internet is just over 1.5 million (1,549,000). The number of people ages 15
and older, with a limitation in seeing, who use a computer regularly is a bit under one
million (979,000). Of those, about 196,000 people with a "severe" limitation in seeing
have access to the Internet, and about 102,000 persons with a severe limitation in seeing
use a computer on a regular basis. (Gerber, 2004)
Low Vision
Anyone with non-correctable reduced vision is regarded as visually impaired.
People with low vision are not blind. They have useful vision and can improve it using
visual devices. The impairment levels range from mild to severe.
Color Blindness
Roughly one in every 20 people has some kind of color vision disability. They
have difficulty recognizing certain pairs of colors. Deuteranomaly is the most widespread
kind of color blindness. It affects about 5% of the world male population and is
associated with mild red-green hue discrimination. Protanomaly is a color vision defect,
which results in poor red-green hue discrimination. It is inherited, gender-specific, and
present in 1% of all males. Tritanomaly is the rarest, color blindness affecting blueyellow
hue discrimination (Cassin, 1990).
Blindness
In the United States, anybody whose vision cannot be improved to better than
20/200, or whose diameter is 20 degrees or less of visual field remaining, is legally blind.
Anyone who has no light perception and is completely sightless is considered blind.
Blindness can be caused by many diseases such as cataract, cerebral palsy, diabetes,
glaucoma and sclerosis. (Paciello, 2000)
Internet Barriers Faced by People with Disabilities
Poorly designed websites create additional barriers for people with visual
disabilities the way inadequately designed buildings prevent some from entering. Web
developers often do not realize how simple features built into a web page’s source code
can greatly help someone who cannot see a computer monitor.
As high speed Internet becomes more widespread in the U.S. and around the globe,
Web designers are tempted to make the best use of the higher bandwidth and deliver
multi- media content through the Internet. With this the line between software
applications and web pages becomes ambiguous. For example, the CNET website
(CNET, 2007) combines of text, graphics, Flash animation, and video interviews. It is
essential that every component be coded in a way that allows screen reader applications
to read the content. For the same reason, Flash animation or online video should have
captions. Overall, the font and background colors should have an acceptable contrast
difference and text should be sufficiently large. Detailed rules are listed in the WCAG.
Standards and Policies
The recent growth and expansion of the use of the Internet as a completely
independent medium for exchange of information has raised the need for standardization
and unification. Its virtual existence has also brought up interesting issues regarding the
application of existing laws and policies in this new environment and the importance of
all members of society, including people with disabilities, being able to get to this
information. There is a growing number of national and global laws and regulations that
address accessibility on the Internet.
Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI)
The W3C started the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) as an effort to improve
the accessibility of the World Wide Web for people with physical disabilities who require
special devices and software to access the Web. The WAI has developed a number of
guidelines that can help to make Web sites more accessible. It also ensures that the
current core technologies of the Internet support accessibility, designs evaluation and
repair tools for accessibility and coordinates with research and development the future
effects on accessibility of the Web. (WAI Mission and Organization, 2007)