Benefits
At Enable (UK) we are passionate about using our skills to benefit the whole community and believe that everyone should have equal access to all services.
'Yes I agree - but why does this affect me?'
There is a compelling legislative reason that everyone in the UK needs to review their accessibility policy: the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA)
- We can explain the legislation, how it applies to the web and what the implications are for your organisation
- We can work with you to ensure your web site is accessible and that it complies with the DDA
- We can update you on the latest legislation and standards as they develop
Business Benefits
There are also sound commercial reasons to ensure web sites are accessible:
- Ensuring equal accessibility will increase market share and audience reach:
- There are over 9 million people with disabilities in the UK with an estimated spending power of £40 billion.And incredibly there are currently very few businesses open to them online
- The fastest growing market in the UK is the over-50s who control 80% of the country's wealth - and by 2020 over 50% of the population will be aged 50 and over
- Accessibility means improved efficiency:
- Reducing site maintenance
- Enabling easier repurposing of content (such as for Personal Digital Assistants - PDAs - or interactive TV)
- Creating good clear design - which everyone benefits from
- Providing the opportunity to reach those without the latest technology (previously alienated because they had older systems or software)
- Accessibiltiy means a solution to a legislative requirement:
- Some web sites are required to be accessible by law
- High-profile cases of successful litigation underline the urgency of implementation: in 2001 the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (SOCOG) was successfully prosecuted and fined for discriminating against a blind user who couldn't access their site effectively
- Legislative and design requirements are constantly updated - Enable (UK) will ensure that client sites continue to comply with the DDA guidelines
