Government websites more accessible than the private sector.

Just 10 per cent of accessibility statements on local government websites are ‘excellent’, with a further 37 per cent deemed ‘satisfactory’, according to new research from the Society of IT Management The accessibility statement is seen as central to having a website that is accessible to all users, including people with disabilities, the report says. However, despite the low level of excellent practice found, local authority sites fare well when compared with the private sector, it says. No private sector statements were found to be excellent and just 16 per cent were satisfactory. The researchers then looked at other types of accessibility practice, starting with ways of making the site more flexible to use by people with disabilities.

Local authority websites are much more flexible (71 per cent) than private sector websites (25 per cent) in offering an option to change text size on web pages. Many organisations provide information for visitors on how to change text size in their browser. However, many also made it easier by offering links from the home page which increase text size. Some provided both options.

Similarly, local authority websites are more flexible (41 per cent) than private sector websites (11 per cent) in offering an option to change colour contrast, but in both cases this option is less common than changing text size. A ‘Yes’ answer counted if there was information on how to change colours, or if there was a link to an external site such as ‘MyWebMyWay’ in context.

Overall, the Socitm research recommends that an accessibility statement should be central to an organisation’s commitment to an accessible website. It is no surprise that having an accessibility statement increases the likelihood of having an accessible website (by 23 per cent according to this research), but it is no guarantee of having one, as the intention has to be matched with the practice, the report finds.

It concludes with three recommendations for website owners: to review their accessibility statements against best practice criteria; to redevelop statements according to the findings of that review; and to adopt the best practices for implementing the intentions set out in the statement. Something BCIL with limited resources is doing right now!

Modern stories for blind children.

At last month’s launch of Signed Stories (http://www.signedstories.com ),
an online treasure-house of children’s stories in British Sign Language created by broadcaster ITV for free use by teachers, parents and carers of deaf children, the excitement was palpable.

G. P. Taylor, author of the best-selling ‘Shadowmancer’ series of children’s books, said the service was “the most exciting thing to happen in children’s reading since the invention of the book. With first-hand experience of the communication and attainment gap faced by deaf people, as the child of deaf parents, Taylor said the site “hit on something all kids are in love with – the internet,” and would have enormous benefits for all involved.

The creators of Signed Stories, the non-profit accessibility agency within ITV known as SignPost, hope it will grow into the largest online library of contemporary children’s books fully accessible in sign language, sound, animation and text.

Around 25 stories are already available, with a plan to offer 150 by the end of the year, and 300 or more by the end of 2010.