accessibility

We have just held the last of Accessibility Workshops for the year ending March 2007. During the course of April 2006 - March 2007 iT4C has run a series of Accessibility Workshops in partnership with AbilityNet. These has proved a great success. Those of you who attended and/or referred friends and colleagues would agree that it presented you with a range of tools and necessary information to make a start on making websites more accessible to the general public. I am sure that everyone is surprised that not even big companies have accessible websites. However, the important thing to note is that private companies or charitable organisations with inaccessible websites are liable for prosecution under the Disability Discrimination Act (1999).

One thing that came up on a few occasions is the need for a definitive, easy to digest guide for web designers and developers. To our knowledge, there isn't such a guide, however there are a lot of resources out there.

If anyone is aware of such a guide please get back to us so that we share this information with the rest of the iT4C Community of Volunteers. In the meantime you can get some handbooks from AbilityNet by calling this number :0800 269 545

When you call ask for handbooks (commissioned by the ICT Hub):

How to Commission and Design Accessible Websites for Voluntary and Community Organisations or

The Easy, Free and Quick ICT Accessibility for Voluntary and Community Organisations.

Or alternatively email info@iT4Communities.org.uk with subject heading: Accessibility Packs

If you are interested in future Accessibility workshops, do email as well. Details will be posted on the website when dates for the next workshops become available.