UK website legal requirements article

03-08-2004, 03:58 AM

I’ve written and researched an article about the legal requirements for websites under the Disability Discrimination Act. Hopefully it might clear up some of the confusion surrounding the DDA, although until a case goes to court and a precedence is set it will always be a 'grey area'.

Check it out: UK website legal requirements

You might also find this article, 10 basic tests to check your website for accessibility of interest.

unclewilco · 03-08-2004, 04:17 AM

very intresting, i need to do a bit of work on www.readersheds.co.uk

keep up the good work...

***armstrong*** · 03-08-2004, 05:07 AM

I guess they could implement this for UK-based sites. But there's no way to force everyone else to conform. Besides, it just seems too impractical, and goes against the internet culture of just letting everyone do their own thing. If this pushes through, would it then be criminal to put up a 'quick and dirty' website?

adam_uk · 03-08-2004, 09:40 AM

wow

great links ill read the website requirements one later

when u say about uk does that mean websites hosted in the uk?

i have a website (if u can call it that) but isnt hosted in the uk?

Pablo · 03-08-2004, 07:49 PM

This is a stupid law, there are programs and things on IE that can help semi blind people, for example you can enlarge the font in view menu. Theres is already much debates about websites styles for instants 800-1240 view which is best? etc.. If you goto www.w3.org which are the web standards organisation they have a few tools you can use to check or theres a plug-in for dreamweaver if you use it. But most of the report is filled with pointless things that hardly anyone would reconise.

Why should the web designer be sued when the deaf/visual people cant be bothered to find out things like the menu and tools to help them, instead of blaming us for not considering there needs. Which by the way i have tryed to make a page which suited everyones needs, but it turned out to be a blob of sh**. The way i ended up doing it was by useing 2 CSS pages which when you click the link it switched the css link to another page instead of a standard css, it only increases the font by 2 times, which turns it into the ruined blobed page.

03-09-2004, 12:49 AM

adam_uk, I don't know how it'll work if your website is hosted outside of the UK. Bear in mind though, pretty much every developed country in the world has made a law about this in the past few years.

Like you say, armstrong, it will be impossible for them to enforce this to every website. If disabled people don't use your website, are never likely to, and it's not a major website, then you should be OK. The BBC, for example, were effectively forced to make their website accessible (forecd is the wrong word, I'm sure they wanted to). Actually, the Disability Rights Commission is about to publish a report on 1000 websites and their accessibility. Anyone on this list will basically have to sort out their website.

But as form most of us regular folk, if you don't choose to abide by this law, there shouldn't be a problem. Just remember, making websites accessible does have huge additional benefits. You can read all about these benefits in a couple of reports on our website (really sorry for the plug, but I can't list them all here) at:

http://www.webcredible.co.uk/user-fr...bsites-1.shtml

http://www.webcredible.co.uk/user-fr...bsites-2.shtml

I hope all that's helpful!

03-08-2004, 03:58 AM	THREAD STARTER #1 (permalink)
trenton Guest Posts: n/a	UK website legal requirements article I’ve written and researched an article about the legal requirements for websites under the Disability Discrimination Act. Hopefully it might clear up some of the confusion surrounding the DDA, although until a case goes to court and a precedence is set it will always be a 'grey area'. Check it out: UK website legal requirements You might also find this article, 10 basic tests to check your website for accessibility of interest.

03-08-2004, 05:07 AM	#3 (permalink)
*armstrong* Man from Manila Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: The Net Posts: 6,022	I guess they could implement this for UK-based sites. But there's no way to force everyone else to conform. Besides, it just seems too impractical, and goes against the internet culture of just letting everyone do their own thing. If this pushes through, would it then be criminal to put up a 'quick and dirty' website? __________________ Apollo's excellent 3-letter .BIZ auction; $1 starting bid!

03-08-2004, 07:49 PM	#5 (permalink)
Pablo NamePros Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 44	This is a stupid law, there are programs and things on IE that can help semi blind people, for example you can enlarge the font in view menu. Theres is already much debates about websites styles for instants 800-1240 view which is best? etc.. If you goto www.w3.org which are the web standards organisation they have a few tools you can use to check or theres a plug-in for dreamweaver if you use it. But most of the report is filled with pointless things that hardly anyone would reconise. Why should the web designer be sued when the deaf/visual people cant be bothered to find out things like the menu and tools to help them, instead of blaming us for not considering there needs. Which by the way i have tryed to make a page which suited everyones needs, but it turned out to be a blob of sh**. The way i ended up doing it was by useing 2 CSS pages which when you click the link it switched the css link to another page instead of a standard css, it only increases the font by 2 times, which turns it into the ruined blobed page. __________________ Click Link for Java IRC PHP-Live IRC: pgardner.net:6667, Channel: #php.

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03-08-2004, 04:17 AM	#2 (permalink)
unclewilco NamePros Regular Join Date: May 2003 Location: wales,UK Posts: 768	very intresting, i need to do a bit of work on www.readersheds.co.uk keep up the good work...

03-08-2004, 09:40 AM	#4 (permalink)
adam_uk Senior Member Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 2,187	wow great links ill read the website requirements one later when u say about uk does that mean websites hosted in the uk? i have a website (if u can call it that) but isnt hosted in the uk?

03-09-2004, 12:49 AM	THREAD STARTER #6 (permalink)
trenton Guest Posts: n/a	adam_uk, I don't know how it'll work if your website is hosted outside of the UK. Bear in mind though, pretty much every developed country in the world has made a law about this in the past few years. Like you say, armstrong, it will be impossible for them to enforce this to every website. If disabled people don't use your website, are never likely to, and it's not a major website, then you should be OK. The BBC, for example, were effectively forced to make their website accessible (forecd is the wrong word, I'm sure they wanted to). Actually, the Disability Rights Commission is about to publish a report on 1000 websites and their accessibility. Anyone on this list will basically have to sort out their website. But as form most of us regular folk, if you don't choose to abide by this law, there shouldn't be a problem. Just remember, making websites accessible does have huge additional benefits. You can read all about these benefits in a couple of reports on our website (really sorry for the plug, but I can't list them all here) at: http://www.webcredible.co.uk/user-fr...bsites-1.shtml http://www.webcredible.co.uk/user-fr...bsites-2.shtml I hope all that's helpful!

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