Here's a handy article about
what to include in accessibility statements.
This addresses more than accessibility. For example, there should be an easy way (especially on organization or corporate Web sites)
to report a problem with the site or ask a question. This is useful to all users. Of the few Web sites that have
accessibility statements, fewer address all of the topics listed in the article. This is usually fine. The primary reasons to use
these statements are to provide specialized instructions about using the site
(such as identifying access key navigation that is specific to the site) and to provide a way for visitors to submit feedback so you
can address questions and make your site more usable. For organizations and companies, an accessibility statement is just part of good
customer service.
RadioShack announced that by the end of
2007 their e-commerce web site will be in compliance with the
W3C
WCAG 1.0,
priorities 1 and 2. RadioShack collaborated with the American Foundation for the Blind,
American Council of the Blind, and
California Council of the Blind to work on this and improvements to RadioShack's
point of sale system in retail stores. The announcements are vague about who initiated the efforts. Either way,
it's great to see another large company take accessibility seriously and understand the bottom line benefits of increasing their
potential customer base.
I was pleasantly surprised to see accessibility prominently mentioned in a list of
top 10 hints on managing your brand online. The author highlighted the potential legal liability of
ignoring web accessibility. (There's nothing like using the law to scare people into doing the right thing.)
Overall, this list offers a sound, if somewhat idealistic, general approach to Web site
implementation and maintenance.
