Section 508

Everyday tools like computers, telephones and other aids can all present barriers”(“About the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act”, 2005). Technology is rapidly growing, and is changing. Making the lives of people better and changing how people communicate, and function day-to-day . However, there is a minority of people who cannot access this technology, or utilize it due to disability. The AODA sets out to ensure that accommodation is met across the board, for disabled people to be able access and utilize services, access facilities, and be embraced as functioning members of

Usability is a critical portion of web design that one must be ever mindful of when constructing websites. Whether creating a personal web space or building multiple pages for a large corporation, it is the burden of the designer to guarantee people can access that content. According to the United Nations, disabled people compose roughly 10 percent of the world’s population (United Nations, 2010). Many regulations and standards have been set forth to provide disabled people with the same opportunities to access content available on the World Wide Web, as it is most of the World’s population.

To ensure, users do not experience any issues particularly with users with disabilities when accessing the website, the guidelines set by W3C's Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), the most broadly adopted Web accessibility standard. They are set a set of guidelines that specify how to make content accessible, including devices. The guideline covers many areas, including alternatives for auditory and visual content, navigation mechanisms, ensure that documents are clear and simple, design for device independence, and many

Testing of the entire system will be performed to verify that all parts and counterparts are functional. This is the testing that is made prior to release. Tests performed in this stage verify for the following:

There’s a law that relates to the Rehabilitation act that was enacted in 1973 and revised in 1998 that states, according to Section508.gov “requires Federal agencies to make their electronic and information technology (EIT) accessible to people with disabilities. The law (29 U.S.C. § 794 (d)) applies to all Federal agencies when they develop, procure, maintain, or use electronic and information technology. Under Section 508, agencies must give disabled employees and members of the public access to information that is comparable to the access available to others. The United States Access Board discusses the Section 508 law and its responsibility for developing accessibility standards for EIT to incorporate into regulations that govern Federal

The use of technology in educating children with special needs has widely grown in the past few decades, and has since has changed the way people with disabilities live, work, and learn” (Winzer, 2002, p. 98). Individuals with special needs are unique and all have different areas in which they need assistance. Due to the advancements in assistive technology, computer programs, software, and other technology tools, have helped people to find useful and easier ways to become educated.

Following the amendment and reauthorization of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Microsoft Corporation began an initiative to research, develop, and market software, hardware, systems, and services that would assist and appeal to people with disabilities. The corporation also turned its attention to attracting, hiring, and retaining people with disabilities who have the qualifications to work at Microsoft a division for accessibility and disabilities was formed by the company. The goal going forward was to make valuing diversity and accessibility an article of faith at Microsoft.

Usability testing is important and necessary to ensure that the content on a website and the functionality of a website match what the user expects to encounter. When they do not and the user runs into problems, the user experiences frustration and is likely to leave without completing the task or finding an answer to the question. Both scenarios are negative for the user and the owner of the website.

How does now having to make sure there is a Web interface impact the design?

"Our vision is to create innovative technology that is accessible to everyone and that adapts to each person's needs. Accessible technology eliminates barriers for people with disabilities and it enables individuals to take full advantage of their capabilities."

A similar guideline applies to a wide range of Web webpage - while straying from the models and exploiting program particular highlights might be enticing,

The user interface design of Amazon’s Diamond Search uses click and drag sliders to allow users to broaden a wide range criteria. The page then automatically updates to show how many results conform to the users’ selected criteria. Fisheye menus are very common for Amazon and are very useful in helping users to select items. Menus like this are used by Amazon to provide excellent features by changing the size of menu to provide a magnified- focus.

Two of the key principles of this new design are simplicity and consistency, which combine bring beauty and purpose to create an effortless experience for the users. The

The WAI, or the Web Accessibility Initiative, is a set of guidelines and recommendations for web designers and developers, laid out by the W3C, or the World Wide Web Consortium, to ensure that websites are designed in a way that makes them accessible and user-friendly to all people, including people with disabilities or special needs. While the primary focus of this initiative is to aid people with disabilities, such as the blind and the deaf, it also aims to establish guidelines for other groups of people such as older people, people with low literacy or language skills, people with low bandwidth internet connections, people with older browsers or technologies and people using smartphones and tablets (Accessibility,

If the website is accessible that means that people with disabilities can use it. A blind person using a screen reader or a talking browser can navigate the information and interact with it. A deaf person will not have