Accessibility - why and how to include people with disabilities

Abstract

The paper provides an overview of what accessibility means, i.e. the ability to make use of the World Wide Web without restrictions or limitations which might be caused by physical, psychological or mental constraints such as problems with sight or hearing, body defects, dyslexia, etc. An overview of the legal situation in the European Union is followed by an introduction to the Web Accessibility Guidelines of the Web Accessibility Initiative which provide some help and orientation for creating accessible Web sites but are not sufficient as several studies and audits show. Therefore the paper advocates the involvement of disabled people and senior citizens in a user-centred design process using personas for accessibility issues. Personas are fictitious representations (archetypes) of typical users or specific user groups which represent them throughout the design process uniting their most important characteristics, needs and goals in one or more personas. The personas process is described and illustrated by two contrasting personas representing visually impaired users.