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Blogging About Web Accessibility and Usability

Blogging about web accessibility and usability, web development, and general topics surrounding these issues

 

Web Accessibility and Content Management Systems

October 28th, 2008

Abstract

Web accessibility is an issue that is being spoken about more and more, yet very few Free Open Source Software (FOSS) Content Management Systems (CMS) are truly accessible. A growing number of countries are adopting legislation and regulations requiring a variety of websites to be accessible. Further, commercial interests suggest that a website that is  fully accessible and usable by all visitors would increase revenues. This paper will review the basic concepts of web accessibility and discuss the challenges of implementing accessibility into existing CMS, using Mambo CMS as a case study.

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Nicolas Steenhout to Present at OSDC 2008

September 19th, 2008

My presentation proposal to the Open Source Developers Conference 2008 was accepted. The presentation, titled "Web Accessibility and Content Management Systems", will be one of the "Extended Talks" available at the Conference. There is a lot of room for improvement in the level of accessibility of CMS, and I am both excited and honoured at the chance to discuss these issues with fellow open source developers.

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Google Chrome Browser Released with No Thoughts of Accessibility

September 7th, 2008

So recently Google released a brand new browser called 'Chrome'. It offers a simplified interface and a few "new" features, which are discussed at length already by many other people. I won't go there. But it's worth mentionning that the browser is next to unusable for many people with disabilities. Screenreader software is not supported, and keyboard access is quite limited, among other issues.

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Test-Driving Woopra

June 9th, 2008

Have you heard of Woopra? Probably not. I certainly hadn't until last week. It's a new system to track site statistics à la Google Analytics, only it's in real time, and it lives on your desktop. It's a closed beta release at the moment, though they have over 20,000 testers, including myself now :) I like the idea of being able to get real time information. Of course, all these statistics remind me that we're living in a world where Big Brother is indeed watching, and that anyone can become little brother, watching as well.

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Compliance badges

June 8th, 2008

Years ago, there were sites proudly sporting "Bobby approved" graphics, to denote it was accessible. There are still many of those sites around. There are new badges signifying a site is accessible, or at least it should be. But what is the real value of those accessibility badges? Do they really mean anything? Should we, as accessible web designer, promote their use? Or should we ignore them? There are pros and cons with these badges, as with most things.

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