Many of the features that make the Internet a popular means of accessing and providing information can also create barriers for people with disabilities. Many internet users need adaptive technologies to access the Internet. It is important to design web pages that allow the largest possible audience, taking into consideration the needs of users with disabilities and the wide range of hardware and software available.

Fortunately, there is a lot of support available on the Internet to help Webmasters design pages that can be accessed by a wide variety of users. Listed below are multiple links to pages that provide guidelines for Universal Accessibility and even some sites that will review your page and point out any possible barriers. A brief description of each page is included below with the link.

Please keep in mind that programming and technology are rapidly changing. New developments are often inaccessible to many uses because they were not designed with universal accessibility in mind or because users do not have the neccessary hardware or software. It is up to the Webmaster to design pages in ways that allow everyone to benefit.

Links to Web Pages on Accessibility

Accessible Web Page Design by DO-IT provides links and resources that may be helpful in creating pages that are accessible.

disABILITY Information and Resources This page provides information on disability related products and services, information on designing accessible web pages, and links to other pages on accessibility.

Designing an Accessible World (DAAW) , a division of Trace Research and Development Center, provides this is an excellent resource on the Web Accessibility Initiative, as well as, Java access, accessible Web site guidelines, browsers with access features, browser design, accessible HTML guidelines, and virtual reality access.

On a related page, DAAW provides links to pages on universal design principles and standards, universal design interface standards, universally accessible computers and software, telecommunications, kiosks and ATMs, consumer products, housing and built environments, trails and recreation, a portfolio of universal design examples, and other disability related resources.

Mosaic Access Page from NCSA, the National Center for Supercomputing Applications at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. This well organized page provides information on access to coputers, the Internet, and the World Wide Web, access methods organized by disability, access methods organized by platform/operating system, mosaic access, resources, and related research.

The Blindness Resource Center page provides multiple web accessibility links in the categories: accessible web design (including some sites from Microsoft), Lynx web browser, Net-Tamer, Unix access, Windows access, Java access, access resources, and other blindness links.

The Federal Government's Center for Information Technology Accomadation provides this site on universal access.

The WGBH Educational Foundation page includes links to the National Center for Accessible Media, under web access in this link information is provided on incorporating captioning and descriptive video services into web pages. There are also links from this page to general information on captioning and descriptive video.

Starling Access Services Accessible Web Page Design Main Menu provides links to general design tips as well as accessibility instructions for audio clips, graphs, bullets, background, tables, forms, frames, and more. There is also an accessibility self test for HTML and JAVA webpages.

The CAST - Center for Applied Technology page includes a universal design laboratory and a link to Bobby, which can be used to test HTML web pages for accessibility.

Bobby is a free service of CAST that will analyze single web pages for their accessibility to people with disabilities. Bobby will also examine a page's HTML to see if it is compatible with various web browsers or HTML specifications.

The Alliance for Technology Access page has information on how to make your web page more accessible and over sixty links to assistive devices and software.

The Adaptive Technologies Resource Center Universal Internet Access Projects contains information about alternative keyboards, morse code input, scanning and switch access, crean enlargers, screen readers, voice recognition, browsers, and more.

EASI - Equal Access to Software and Information page contains information regarding on-line and on-site workshops on adaptive technology, accessible web pages, access to scienc, engineering, and math, K12 information technology center, libraries without walls, adaptive technology publications and legal documents related to disability. This site is supported by the National Science Foundation.

IBM has a tradition in providing accessible technologies to people who have disabilities. We are sharing our guidelines with developers of hardware, software, Javatm, and Web solutions. The resources found on this page can be used to produce accessible solutions.

Unified Web Site Accessibility Guidelines can be found at this site.

NCSA Mosaic Access Page is a resource for those interested in how people with disabilities can use the internet and the World Wide Web.

Last updated: March 25, 2005