Web accessibility tools and  software look to bring internet technology up-to-date

Adverts, pop-ups, flashing images: web clutter. Sometimes visiting a web page is more like attending a virtual fairground than accessing information. But I’ve discovered a new way get straight to the core of web page content: Textise.

A clever little web tool. Textise has many uses -

• It can improve accessibility for the blind and partially-sighted.
• It creates pages that are better for printing when it’s just the words you’re after.
• It allows safer navigation to suspicious web-sites.
• It can make cluttered pages easier to read.
• It can show you what a search engine sees when it scans a web page.
• It can show you what a screen reader sees when it processes a web page.
• It can help with web research.

As ijaar.com points out, Textise has other uses too: “Your friend sent you a link but you are not sure if it is safe to open at work? Well, Textise can help you to make it relatively safer to check out.” You can even get Textise as an add-on for Firefox.

It seems for the all the internet’s tech-savvy advances and interactive flash content, sometimes there’s a need to go back to basics and get straight to the point – straight to the important information.

Moreover, Textise highlights the importance of web accessibility, not only for increasing SEO – as discussed by Creare Group in their vlog (below) – but in making websites useable by people of all abilities and disabilities; those with partial-sight, or even those prone to seizures from flashing effects, rely upon web tools and software to use the internet.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=an7Y_0nB3h4]

Other tools include:

Screen reader – reads out text using synthesized speech

Screen magnification – increases size of print for partially-sighted

Speech recognition – accepts spoken commands to the computer

In 1999, the Web Accessibility Initiative was set up, led by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), and they produced Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 1.0). Unfortunately, the WAI guidelines have been criticised for being out of step with today’s technologies and techniques for creating and consuming web content.

Joe Clark has even produced WCAG Samurai: an unofficial set of errata in reponse to the WCAG 1.0 shortfalls.

The need to address the disparity between web accessibility and the advances in technology is discussed by Brian Kelly from UKOLN (a national centre expertise in digital information management based at the University of Bath, UK) in his talk titled ‘From Web Accessibility To Web Adaptability’ given as part of RNIB’s Techshare 2009 conference last week.

Brian Kelly coined the term Web Adaptability, which attempts to support the  “interaction between persons with impairments and attitudinal and environmental barriers that hinders their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others”

[slideshare id=1881012&doc=web-adaptability-090819092258-phpapp01]

More than using Textise for ease of printing web pages and ensuring safe navigation (or disguising surfing the web during work hours), this web tool proves that web accessibility is something that should be incorporated into all web sites and pages to bring the latest technology up-to-date with equality achievements beyond the World Wide Web.

You have been Textised!