People who have disabilities want software to be accessible. But sometimes it's difficult to decide exactly what "accessible" is, and whether the software designers and developers have succeeded in making their products usable as well as accessible.
Accessibility and usability
Accessibility is not always obvious. To establish whether something is accessible, we need a person to test it. We also need an access tool, such as a screen reader, if the person has an impairment preventing them from interacting with a system directly. If we change the person or the screen reader, then an accessible situation could become inaccessible, or vice versa. One person may have the knowledge and experience to use a particular system or tool effectively while another might find it wholly inaccessible.
Something that is accessible may not be usable and vice versa. A software application may have 40 different controls displayed on a particular screen, all of which are in the Tab order. The application is therefore accessible from the keyboard. But, if the control which is most frequently used needs you to press Tab 25 times before you can activate it from the keyboard, this isn't usable. A menu item or hotkey leading directly to the frequently used control would make the accessible application more usable.
Usability increasingly is considered as an essential factor for improving the productivity of work with IT systems. Products with good usability are found to be more efficient, easier to learn, less complicated to operate, and are less likely to be under-used or misused.
Inclusive design
To make a more objective judgement about IT systems, it is helpful to use inclusive design guidelines and standards early in the software design and development process. Then the resulting systems can be tested against these standards. Software designers and developers who apply principles of inclusive design can avoid building in some of the barriers that make systems hard to use.
Inclusive design standards are intended to be objective and testable. Working with these standards principally tests the product itself, and enables access barriers inherent to the product itself to be minimised or eliminated. The testing of its interaction with a particular person via an interface and an access tool (accessibility and usability testing) can then take place separately.
Conformance to standards does not guarantee accessibility, but non-conformance almost certainly means inaccessibility. A product that conforms to standards is less likely to present barriers to users, especially those with disabilities.
The business case
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Good design for people with disabilities results in good design for all, better usability, and reduces hidden costs such as the time spent looking for help, the need for support, and effects of IT-related stress.
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Adopting standards for inclusive design will provide competitive advantage for the developer.
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Inclusive design is not free but any extra cost should be weighed against the benefits.
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UK public sector procurement of software and websites must consider accessibility, according to the Disability Discrimination Act Public Sector Equality Duty.
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Fixing poorly designed material will cost more than designing inclusively from the start.
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Compliance with Section 508 standards for accessibility is required in the US when Federal Agencies procure, develop, maintain and use Electronic and Information Technology (including websites and software).
Further information about the laws and standards.