Legal Requirements for Web Accessibility
Did you know that many countries are now working under legislation that requires websites to offer accessible to people with various types of disabilities? This is absolutely, true! Therefore, when working with web design, it is important to understand these new laws to ensure your website will not be outside of compliancy. For instance, in Australia, a blind man was successful in winning a lawsuit in 2000. This particular case was based on a certain website not making their official website accessible to blind users. Another law passed in Ireland in 2005 known as the Disability Act of 2005, which was an additional law to the code of Practice on Accessible Public Services. Never before has proper web design been so critical.
Then in the United Kingdom, the Disability Discrimination Act of 1995 is not specific to accessibility for websites but it does state that any discrimination against individuals with disabilities is prohibited. This means a web designer in Manhattan must be aware of this law when design websites. New laws such as these have popped up all around the globe. With more and more people using the internet to shop, become educated, perform research, and more, the need for accessibility has never been greater. For this reason, when you create web design pages, remember people who have disabilities such as hearing, sight, physical, and even cognitive.