Technology

Software Access Centre

Summary: Information on all aspects of software accessibility design, development, procurement and testing.

• Background to software accessibility
• Laws and standards
• Procurement
• Testing and evaluation
• Design and development
• Inaccessible environments
• Our top five

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The Software Access Centre is a source of information for software designers and developers, systems integrators, procurement professionals and accessibility policy makers. Here you will find advice on how to design, procure and test the most accessible systems for all manner of users.

Background to software accessibility

Are you new to software accessibility? Find out more about some of the technologies used by the people who benefit most from inclusively designed interfaces, and how usability and accessibility are related.
Background to software accessibility - read more

Laws and standards

Law-making bodies in the UK and around the world have recognised that accessibility is not going to come about solely by market forces and goodwill.
Laws and standards – read more

Procurement

The best way to ensure good accessibility is to specify what is required at the procurement stage, and follow through to ensure that the product delivered meets the specification.
Procuring accessible software – read more

Testing and evaluation

To find out whether software can be used by the widest possible range of users you'll need to think about testing and evaluation. This might be to establish what barriers are likely to exist in software currently being used, during the design cycle, or to tailor an interface.
Testing and evaluation – read more

Design and development

Many software developers that we work with tell us that they rarely meet the users, and have little experience of disability, or the barriers faced by disabled users with non-standard access to computers.
Design and develop accessible software – read more

Inaccessible environments

When software is already in place and causing problems for disabled users, there are a number of different approaches to improve matters. Other barriers sometimes arise from the platform or 'delivery method' for the software, such as the technology known as 'thin client' or 'terminal server'.
Inaccessible environments – read more

Our top five

If you do nothing else, then implement these five recommendations, and start making software more accessible and usable for everyone.
Top five recommendations – read more

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Content author: digitalaccess@rnib.org.uk

Last updated: 20/11/2008 11:13