Re: FN-FORUM: Websites for the disabled

date posted 8th January 2008 11:12

-------- Original Message --------=0D=0A> > There are no legal requirements=
that web sites must meet for the =0D=0A> > disabled. Please note I'm not =
saying designers should not make their =0D=0A> > sites accessible, to do s=
o is a good idea as an accessible site has =0D=0A> > lots of benefits, I'm=
just saying there is no legal requirement for =0D=0A> > you to do so.=0D=
=0A> =0D=0A> So what is the DDA all about then?=0D=0A=0D=0AIt's about the p=
rovision of service. The DDA creates an offence if a service provider does =
not take reasonable steps to make a service available to a disabled person.=
A web site is not a service per se, it is a mechanism for delivering a ser=
vice and providing that the service is available to disabled people through=
a secondary mechanism then there is no offence if your web site is not acc=
essible. =0D=0A=0D=0AHowever, an accessible web site is the means by which =
a lot of service providers make their service available to disabled persons=
and in this case the site would have to be accessible. As I said earlier, =
accessible web sites are a good thing and designers should ensure that thei=
r sites are accessible - however, I reiterate, there is no legislation that=
mandates that web sites must be accessible, the DDA covers services not th=
e mechanism by which a service is delivered, the two things are not the sam=
e.=0D=0A=0D=0AI have confirmed this view with the DRC and they agree that i=
t is correct, providing the web site is not the means by which a service pr=
ovider is satisfying his/her obligations under the act for a service he/she=
provides.=0D=0A=0D=0A