Livetech are a responsive, dynamic web development company based in Colwyn Bay, North Wales. Established in 2000, we are totally focused on providing effective web sites of all kinds, designer developed from our dedicated design studio suite.

Web Accessibility and the Law?

The Law

Under UK Law, website accessibility is covered by the Disability Discrimination Act, which was brought about in 2004. It states the following:-

  • 2.2 (p7): “The Act makes it unlawful for a service provider to discriminate against a disabled person by refusing to provide any service which it provides to members of the public.”

 

  • 4.7 (p39): “From 1st October 1999 a service provider has to take reasonable steps to change a practice which makes it unreasonably difficult for disabled people to make use of its services.”

 

 

  • 2.13 - 2.17 (p11-13): “What services are affected by the Act? An airline company provides a flight reservation and booking service to the public on its website. This is a provision of a service and is subject to the act.”

 

 

  • 5.23 (p71): “For people with visual impairments, the range of auxiliary aids or services which it might be reasonable to provide to ensure that services are accessible might include … accessible websites.”

 

 

  • 5.26 (p68): “For people with hearing disabilities, the range of auxiliary aids or services which it might be reasonable to provide to ensure that services are accessible might include … accessible websites.”

 

 

 

In layman's terms, all business that provide a service through the web are affected by the law, and should be compliant to this by 2004. If they are not, and a disabled visitor finds the site difficult to use, a complaint could be lodged.

 

 

When you have a site designed by Livetech, we use the W3C Guidelines for Accessibility to incorporate into the design. As well, alternative designs can be easily incorporated. For example, the Linc Y Gogledd site incorporates both English and Welsh text, as well as plain text and high contrast designs.

 

 

On top of this, we test the website on a number of different systems and browsers, to ensure a uniform design in recent browsers, and usibility in older browsers.