Comments on: BSI British Standards invites comments on new draft standard on accessible web content

By: En Yeni

En Yeni — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 14:46:42 +0000

As a web developer there is several areas that I feel are key to the BSI 8878 that go beyond PAS 78 and WCAG. No longer can web developers rely upon automated tools to see if a website is accessible. This I believe too is only half the battle.

By: Partnerprogramme

Partnerprogramme — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 21:15:18 +0000

What is the correct date for the deadline?

By: Jimbo

Jimbo — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 18:40:42 +0000

I think defacto standards which allow all websites to conform and make the internet accessible for disabled users can only be a wonderful thing.
The internet has had a phenominal effect on the world and it seems only fair we put in place measures so everyone can benefit as equally as possible.

By: Richard Morton, Accessible Web Consultancy

Richard Morton, Accessible Web Consultancy — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 13:10:08 +0000

I can’t imagine that BSI will make the final standard free as they are a commercial organisation, however I am prepared to be pleasantly surprised and eat my hat if I am wrong about that.

By: Alan Gibson

Alan Gibson — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 14:58:22 +0000

>> So why doesn’t it?

I raised this with the beeb, and they were gracious enough to say (I paraphrase), “Oops.”

By: Alan Gibson

Alan Gibson — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 22:30:26 +0000

We might expect the much-touted BBC My Web My Way to be a paragon of accessibility.

So “Skip to content” should skip over common stuff like navigation menus, and go to the page’s distinct content.

So why doesn’t it?

By: Tom Worthington

Tom Worthington — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 22:30:11 +0000

This announcement doesn’t actually say where, or how, to get the draft standard. I suggest making it clear, near the top of the announcement where the draft can be obtained. There is a link near the bottom for getting it in PDF or Word format, but I can’t imagine that BSI would be silly enough to not offer the standard in HTML.

Also it is not made clear if the standard will be made available for free online. If the standard is going to be document which the reader has to pay for then it will not be widely read.

I suggest BSI adopt W3C’s processes and simply provide the standard online in HTML format for anyone to read for free. To do otherwise is a waste of time and effort.

By: Max Design - standards based web design, development and training » Some links for light reading (9/12/08)

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 10:08:19 +0000

[...] BSI British Standards invites comments on new draft standard on accessible web content [...]

By: Fleisch

Fleisch — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 09:42:12 +0000

I came across this document by chance and I think it’s great work! Getting these standards are more widely spread and included in authoring software is important. Keep up the great work!

By: Steve Williams

Steve Williams — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 18:44:33 +0000

I will be contacting Julie Howell direct. I have contacted her several times before to discuss issues. Julie Howell has MS (Multiple Sclerosis) and has campaigned and promoted awareness to MS as well as web accessibility.

Web standards can solve problem with the seperation of content from style and layout which needs to be clearly defined in the new guidelines. For example colour balance for visually impaired or colour blind uses.

Even today there are websites that are classed as WCAG AA complient that use light grey text on a white background or even green text on a lime green background which is difficult even for a non visually impaired user to read regardless of font size.