Somewhat depressingly the 2008 'Better Connected' annual report by The Society of Information Technology Management indicates that local Government websites are actually less accessible now than they were a year ago. This is based on a survey of 552 websites that used automated testing tools and input from the RNIB to evaluate compliance with W3C WAI Single A (single A is the lowest compliance level. Double A is the minimum legal requirement for public sector websites).
According to the report only 6.7% were Single A compliant, compared to 11% in 2007, which is a frankly terrible statistic. This news comes in as version 2.0 of the W3C WCAG edges towards completion and the BSI announces that it is to develop a new technical standard for accessibility.
If the public sector finds it difficult to meet the requirements of just one set of web accessibility guidelines (WCAG 1.0) its ability to get to grips with WCAG 2.0, WCAG 1.0 and the forthcoming accessibility standard from BSI is questionable.
Hopefully the work of IST/45 will create some clarity, and it's proposal that the standard will be available in just 12 months certainly suggests confidence given the apparently never-ending gestation period for WCAG 2.0.
Tuesday, 4 March 2008
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