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Re: Question from client

for

From: Jason Taylor
Date: Apr 16, 2005 1:35PM

Your question:
"2. Could we say that the text only version will solve all the
accessibility
issues of
our current website except those needed for people with cognitive
disabilities?"

Depends on the technology used to achieve this. Using the old "two site
method" or using old technology such as Betsie has created (justifiably) a
negative view of text-only - but more modern solutions area available to
create dynamic "specialized Interfaces" as a solution for improving
accessibility of content and applications.

This new technology group is known as Transcoders - they have the ability
to dynamically create different interfaces off the current web content for
different user groups as well as insert required content, helpful
navigation aids and bridge typical technology (javascript, flash) issues
between specialized browsers and the live web server. The result is an
optimized view of the site for that user group.

This new way of providing an "assistive friendly" view is supported in
part by Usability expects including Jakob Nielsen - in one of his alert
boxes he highlights the point that maybe one-fit-all coding is not the
ONLY solution and having the ability to provide an "Alternative Interfaces
for Accessibility" of a web site could help deal with many of the issues
that result in poorly supported user groups (assistive being one by PDA's
are another). See the alert box:

http://www.useit.com/alertbox/20030407.html

As with any technology, some fit situations and goals better than others.
A full evaluation of the clients goals and resources available will have
significant impact on recommended solutions.

Regards
Jason Taylor
UsableNet Inc