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CHAPTERMaking Sites Accessible 10
Benefits to Nondisabled Users
Almost everything you do to make your site accessible also benefits your users who do
not have disabilities. Videos with closed captions can be viewed by users in busy office
environments who cannot turn on speakers. Pages with logical layouts and well-written
content are easier for everyone to follow and understand. Menus that do not require
mousing over small targets are easier to follow.
Accessibility and Search Engines
Google has sometimes been called the largest blind user on the Web. The
search engine and its competitors do not care what your page looks like.
Accessible sites are those that provide clear, well-written, logically organized
content, which are precisely the same things search engines look for in
cataloging sites. Therefore, accessible pages are more likely to get good
search engine rankings than nonaccessible sites.
Search:Accessibility Is Not Hard or Expensive
A common myth is that creating accessible Web
pages is difficult and expensive. If you plan for
accessibility from the beginning of your
development process and adhere to Web standards,
you will discover that your pages end up being
mostly accessible without any additional work, and
thus you incur little additional development cost.
Accessibility and the Law
Many jurisdictions have laws requiring that Web
sites be made accessible. In the United States, for
example, an amendment to the Rehabilitation Act,
commonly referred to as Section 508, requires
government sites be made accessible, and a
growing body of legal precedent is forcing private
industry to follow suit. Be sure to check your local
and federal regulations to see what requirements
might apply in your area.