Re: Accessible does not imply usable (was International Web Access Guidelines "Ineffective", PhD thesis Claims)

Ian Sharpe wrote:

> this distinction by adding that accessibility does not imply usability 

There is something wrong with the standards if that is not the case. 
I would have said that usability was a pre-requisite for accessibility. 
   For example, if it is difficult to understand how to use a site, you 
are probably making it inaccessible to people with cognitive disabilities.

> and that when we talk about inclusive design or universal design we 
> should be aiming to achieve usability, not just accessibility.
>  

> While for the most part it is true that compliance to WCAG is likely to 
> mitigate the potential risk of litigation under antidiscrimination 
> legislation and result in a more usable site or service than a site or

This is one of the big problems now.  Accessibility compliance is just 
another compliance chore that has to be done to the  minimum level 
needed to avoid prosecution.

> service which does not conform to WCAG, it is absolutely not the case 
> that the site or service will be "usable".
>  
> The problem is that it is harder to test usability and as far as I'm 
> aware, the process cannot be automated.
>  

I don't think accessibility can be reduced to machine checkable rules 
either.


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David Woolley
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Received on Sunday, 2 June 2013 09:16:31 UTC