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womble -> Accessibility - simulations of how disabled web users "see" websites (3/30/2006 9:07:46)
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There's a lot of talk about accessibility and why it's important, but just what is all the fuss about? What is a screen reader? What does it do? How do low vision users see a website? Is your site usable to someone with a cognitive disability?
Now you get a chance to find out first hand!
While searching for something else (which I never did find), I came across some simulations on WebAIM's site - of a screen reader, how a site looks to someone with different types of low vision, and how someone with a cognitive disability might experience a website.
http://www.webaim.org/simulations/
The screen reader simulation's a large file (2.42Mb because of the audio content), and you'll need to have Shockwave installed, but it's well worth a go to get an idea of what the issues are. There are three tasks in the simulation, things that you'd think would be easy to do....(there are some intentional accessibility errors built into the simulation)...see how long you manage before you give up in frustration.
The thing all three simulations have in common is how they show how frustrating it can be for a disabled visitor to your site to do just the simple things you do every day without thinking about it.
Some useful resources for accessibility:
AccessibleNet.org
WebABLE
W3C Web Accessibility Initiative
...and of course the Accessibility forum here on OF! [;)]
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