Accessibility statements required by Web Accessibility Directive are quite efficient indicators of websites accessibility, when sites are audited by professionals with some experiences. We don’t have better data than this at the moment, so let’s process this a bit and then dive into numbers and findings.
Category: Laws and regulations
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I stumbled upon a lot of websites that had untrue accessibility statements. It’s quite easy to know when they are not being honest actually. Some goes even so far to claim they are compliant and conform to WCAG 2.1 on AAA level while their autoplaying hero video with no controls is screaming “lies” to me.
I received a brief question about Web Accessibility in Norway and if it is different from the EU and decided to write a short post as an answer.
In 2023 we got some updates to Norwegian accessibility legislation and I try to summarize the newest situation in this short post.
Some reflections after two years. Progress is slow, but steady. Personally I would invest into automatic testing solutions to monitor some basics, but that’s probably not possible before stakeholders, politicians and organizations really understand the impacts.
Need for quicker digital product deliveries connected with remote work due to pandemics and the soon-coming European Accessibility Act will most certainly make a gap in the need for accessibility specialists. Current situation of certified accessibility professionals by the IAAP may indicate which countries are more prepared and which less. The fact remains that we need more accessibility specialists and we need them now!
If you own an online shop I really suggest that you make it as accessible as possible. European Accessibility Act will require it from you, but let’s rather think about getting more customers, non-discrimination of people with disabilities and better search engine optimization as the main drivers for making eCommerce accessible.
Time flies, pandemic has for sure thought us about the value of digital parallel world and that unfortunately not everybody can be a part of it. European Accessibility Act will try to do something about it. Soon but not so soon. If you are a bank or maybe just a one-person-online-shop, then you should be a bit more serious about your accessibility!
23th of June 2021 is the final step of Web Accessibility Directives mission to improve accessibility of web and native mobile. WCAG 2.1 applies for mobile as well, but there are some exceptions. At the same time I touch the importance of accessibility in our Covid / Corona pandemics situation.
European Accessibility Act became law in 2019 but it will be adopted in 2022. This will add benefits of web accessibility directive also for selected parts of private sector. E-commerce accessibility efforts will benefit all of us, that’s for sure.
Today, 5th of February 2021 a decision was made – EFTA member states – Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland will start to integrate European Web Accessibility Directive. Another big step towards an more accessible future.
When taking care of accessibility you are actually doing your future self a favor. Or maybe your parents, grandparents or even children!
Extremely valuable documentation that reveals some interesting points about future of Web Accessibility Directive monitoring methods, tools and also some less clarified reporting matters. The accessibility statement automatic analysis will most certainly also have a central role and it is worth following on the Accessibility Conformance Testing rules that are the engine of all automatic tools out there.
Night before Christmas – and besides all the usual wishes – I also wish a more accessible web!
I have now evaluated some simple and complex websites, and even a whole banking digital presence and here are some notes and thoughts about lessons learned.
Some thoughts and investigations of mine on compliance and what does it really mean to be compliant. This seems like a simple declaration but is it really so simple?
Today is a big day for accessibility in the European Union and beyond. Still long to the ultimate goal but an important milestone.
Exactly one month until all public sector websites in the European Union must be accessible. Or to be more realistic – until they will have to let the users know where they still need work on accessibility. A positive direction nonetheless.
Americans with Disabilities Act was signed into law on 26th of July 1990. And it has improved accessibility for other countries too.
Public sector websites published before 23 September 2018 must be compliant by 23 September 2020.
Public sector in the European Union requires accessibility statement within Web Accessibility Directive, but that does not mean that you should not have such a statement even if you are not a part of public sector or even if you reside outside EU.