Design Revelation Launches Its Free Accessibility Service

Design Revelation Launches Its Free Accessibility Service

A new service was launched today providing free advice on website accessibility in line with the Disability Discrimination Act. Comprehensive investigations carried out in accordance with the W3C guidance will provide specific information on improving web site compliance with the legislation.

(PRWEB) January 16, 2005 -- A new service was launched today providing free advice on website accessibility in line with the Disability Discrimination Act. Comprehensive investigations carried out in accordance with the W3C guidance will provide specific information on improving web site compliance with the legislation.

There has been a great deal of interest in the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA), which is intended ensure that all websites offering any kind of service (even sites just providing information) to the public be accessable to blind and disabled users.

The RNIB (Royal National Institute for the Blind) and the DRC (Disability Rights Commission), two of the most renowned advocates for the DDA (Disability Discrimination Act) and accessible websites, have no specific information about the laws and what websites specifically need to do in order to meet the legal requirements.

Section III of the DDA, which refers to accessible websites, came into force on 1st October 1999 and the Code of Practice for this section of the DDA was published on 27th May 2002. This means that many websites are already in serious breach of the law. The NEW legislation (to be implemented later this year), over which there has recently been much media interest, refers to service providers having to consider making permanent physical adjustments to their premises and is not related to the Internet in any way.

The RNIB have considered taking up a number of legal cases against organisations with regard to their websites. When they raised the accessibility issues of the website under the DDA, companies have typically made the necessary changes, rather than facing the prospect of legal action.

The DRC launched a formal investigation into 1000 websites, of which over 80% were next to impossible for disabled people to use. They warned firms that they face legal action under the DDA and the threat of unlimited compensation payments if they fail to make websites accessible for people with disabilities.

All this adds up to a great deal of pressure on companies to review their existing websites and bring them into line with the legislation.

Design Revelation, a reletively new company based in the South West, has taken the bull by the horns in offering a chance for organisations to review their current situation quickly and without financial impact.

To determine how accessible your website is, please contact us. For further details on making your website accessible, visit the Disability Rights Commission or read our report on 8 benefits of Accessible web sites.