Member Article

Significant accessibility problems for even best websites

Even the best local authority websites have significant usability and accessibility problems, a new study has revealed. The top twenty local authority websites - as chosen by the Society of Information Technology Management (Socitm) - were tested by a panel of disabled people from Usability Exchange. The panel included people with blindness, partial sight, dyslexia, profound deafness, cerebral palsy, and lack of dexterity in the hands. The group carried out the tests with their own computer equipment including screen readers (for blind users) and screen magnifiers (for the visually impaired). Testers were asked to complete the same two tasks: task one was to use the council website to find the council’s switchboard phone number, and task two was to report an abandoned car through the website. Testers completed the first task in 95% of the websites, but the more complex second task was completed in only 35% of the websites. None of the websites achieved a 3-star rating, meaning that at least one user encountered accessibility or usability problems in every one of the websites. The average website presented 9.5 problems to disabled users. Among the problems reported with task one were difficulty in locating the phone number when it was in a non-standard area of the home page, and use of ‘click here’ links which are not useful to users of screen readers. Difficulties with task two included problems with the accessibility of some web forms to screen reader users, and difficulties in finding the abandoned vehicle form when it was placed under general categories like ‘fault reporting’ or ‘streetcare’. Martin Greenwood, programme manager for Socitm Insight, commented: “An effective local authority website should make it as easy as possible for users, regardless of ability or disability, to find the information or services they are looking for. ..on the whole, local authorities are doing better on these issues than other parts of the public and private sectors. However, what this report demonstrates clearly is the additional value of user testing by disabled users.” Socitm is the professional association for ICT managers working in and for the public sector, and is a forum for the development of ICT best practice. Disability Exchange aims to improve web accessibility by allowing companies to test their websites with people with disabilities.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .