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Nicole -> Internet Cops (8/17/2005 5:24:21)
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It’s not at all my intent to go searching for sites that aren’t accessible. I certainly don’t want the reputation of Internet Cop, especially as I can’t fully advertise my services to AAA Accessibility standard. Even if I could I believe that this would give a negative impression of my business as one which sulks when it doesn’t get a job and viciously attacks its competitors.
But, last week I read in the newspaper of the launch of a new website for a Government affiliated organisation and was interested to take a look at the new site. Not surprising was the fact that it had visible errors on my screen the minute the opening page loaded, and more unsurprising was the fact that it failed to validate against the W3C standards and also faired woefully in the Accessibility stakes.
It happens, I know, but what I really took offense to, reiterating that my sites are as accessible as I can currently make them though I strive for better compliance in the near future, was that the designer (who’s design credit was in the footer), had included a page within this Government affiliated site titled “Accessibility” and claimed the following alongside the WAI AAA WCAG 1.0 and WAI AA WCAG 1.0 logos:
Over 95% of the pages on the subject Web site conform to W3C Triple-A Conformance (highest level).
The remaining pages conform to W3C Double-A Conformance. These pages are mainly those containing forms. Please contact us if you need help with these pages
Both of these claims are incorrect as the opening page of this site which has no forms except a simple search feature when checked with the Firefox Web Developer Toolbar contains 8 errors, 127 warnings and 826 Access Warnings. The same page when attempted to be validated according to its HTML 4.01 Transitional declaration returns 86 errors.
As a designer who strives for higher levels of Accessibility and respects these standards and those who are currently achieving them, is there anyone I can do besides contact the site owner and point out that the claims made on their site are incorrect or misleading?
Is there anything that can be seriously done to a “web designer” who seems to be displaying such a blatant disregard for the importance, legality and rightfulness of Accessibility in web design?
Nicole
Edit: If there is a reporting system with the W3C or anyone else, what is the reasonable time period given to a site claiming accessibility when it isn't compliant at all, as my email was officially received by this organisation almost a week ago and there appears to be no change to the site and no email response either?
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