Found an interesting article on the BBC website relating to version 2 of the new Web Content Accessibility Guidelines published recently.

One of the most interesting things about the article is the video footage of people using the JAWS screen reading software.

Typically, when we think about website accessibility we tend to focus on providing assistance for the visually impaired. However, the users in this BBC article demonstrate a number of different forms of disability, including visual impairment, dyslexia, cognitive problems and RSI-like motor dysfunction.

The article’s videos serve as a useful reminder that there are other types of disabilities we need to be considering. They also demonstrate some practical considerations for designers and developers to make the most out of the JAWS software.

Article extract:

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has announced a new standard to make sites more accessible to older and disabled people.

Version 2.0 of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) will apply to text, images, audio and video.

It also covers web applications and is said to give developers more flexibility than the old guidelines.

According to the consortium, WCAG 2.0 should also be easier to understand and use

Full article here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/7789622.stm