WWWelcome to the Real World

BUSINESSES worried that their websites flout disability discrimination laws are being offered a unique official stamp of approval from the very people driven to distraction by Internet dead ends.



National charity Shaw Trust includes rigorous scrutiny by a team of testers with disabilities in its web accreditation service, which means companies can boast virtual compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act.

The unique Shaw Trust Web Accreditation (STWA) service, run with award-winning e-technology experts CDSM Design Solutions, offers companies a unique official stamp of approval from the very people driven to distraction by Internet dead ends.

National charity Shaw Trustís service includes rigorous hands-on scrutiny by a team of testers with disabilities, and means companies can boast virtual compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act.

The Trust, which is the largest provider of employment services for disabled and disadvantaged people, is also offering to go into companies to provide Web Awareness sessions, which explain what businesses should be doing to ensure that they reach all of their customers.

The successful STWA has already been endorsed by the highly respected Guild of Accessible Web Developers. GAWDs has set up a partnership with STWA to drive up accessibility standards and is recommending the service to its members.
Recent clients, who range from small businesses to world-wide companies, include the ELWa (Education and Learning Wales), the Welsh Development Agencyís SME project and the ILA.

The STWA involves automated testing by CDSM and hands on testing by a team of people with a broad range of disabilities. A full report highlights strengths and weaknesses, and offers improvement guidance.

The STWA uses a team of people with varying disabilities, who are turning years of frustrated Internet surfing into the campaign to help thousands of businesses to make their websites ALL user friendly.

Automated testing has been done for years, but it only tells part of the story, says Andrea Kennedy, Adaptive Technology and STWA Co-ordinator for Shaw Trust at their Disability Action Centre in Neath, South Wales.

Our team adds actual hands-on testing by people experienced in Internet surfing using adaptive technology. They offer the ultimate test.

It is thought that thousands of business websites currently fall foul of legislation, with many bosses still unaware that the DDA applies to virtual as well as physical access.
A report by the Disabilities Rights Commission, which looked at 1,000 public websites and scrutinised 100 in depth, revealed the woeful inaccessibility of UK sites.
A startling 81% of those tested were found to fall short of even the most basic and fundamental principles of accessibility. Home pages had an average 108 barriers, making them impossible or very difficult for disabled people to use.

STWAís user testing is crucial, not least because hands on testing spotlights accessibility problems not highlighted by the usual automated testing.

Uniquely, the user-testing element of STWA can be tailored to the specific project. For instance, for the website test for Swansea Live, which provides a range of services for people with learning disabilities, people with learning disabilities were asked to join the regular testers to provide feedback on the site.

Andrea adds: Quite apart from the legal requirements, it makes absolute commercial sense for companies to ensure that they are accessible to every potential customer and worker.

Weíre very excited about being able to contribute to web culture in such a positive way. It is a fantastic opportunity to help to shape the future.

Readers can access the service, and book Web Awareness sessions, by contacting Cam Nicholl on 01792 325345, email cam.nicholl@shaw-trust.org.uk