On 8 March 2006, PAS 78 was the latest set of standards to be added to the list. PAS 78 has been issued by the Disability Rights Commission (“DRC”), working in collaboration with the British Standards Institute. PAS 78 is the “Guide to good practice in commissioning accessible websites”.
PAS 78 doesn’t alter the legal position on website accessibility. Just like the existing standards, compliance with PAS 78 doesn’t automatically mean compliance with the DDA. But PAS 78 is the latest addition to ‘best practice’ and, not surprisingly perhaps, my advice is that the best way to try and comply with the DDA is to follow current best practice. By doing so, you are maximising your chances of complying with the duties under the DDA because these standards try to go beyond the minimum statutory requirements.
Of course, there are numerous competing accessibility standards, so deciding which ones to follow can get confusing! We would recommend achieving compliance with at least level 2 of the WAI, arguably the most well-known and well-established standard. In the SOCOG case (see below: “Consequences of not complying with DDA”), the Australian Human Rights And Equal Opportunity Commission specifically referred to the WAI, giving support to the view that WAI is a safe standard to adopt.
PAS 78: just another standard?
PAS 78 does not try to be another technical standard. Rather than seek to rival WAI, PAS 78 expressly states that websites should comply with WAI. Existing website accessibility standards such as WAI focus on the technical measures that will make a website accessible whereas PAS 78 focuses on the process of making and maintaining accessible websites. The emphasis is on:
- Using website designers who are experienced in making accessible websites
- Considering the needs of users and how these will be achieved – rather than “one size fits all”
- Making website accessibility an important consideration in the maintenance lifecycle of websites
- Involving disabled users and experts on disabilities in the website creation and maintenance process
Also unlike the existing standards, PAS 78 places a real emphasis on addressing the needs of users with learning impairments. For example, it suggests that content should be simple and concise. Addressing these needs isn’t something that a well-designed Content Management System will do alone. Automatic tools for checking website accessibility such as Bobby cannot detect whether a website is accessible to the those with learning impairments. Website designers and owners need to actively keep these users in mind and this is a point brought home by PAS 78.
Achieving compliance with PAS 78, and continuing to do so over the long term, is not going to be something that website owners will be able to do on their own. This means that website designers and consultants have a valuable role to play in helping businesses implement PAS 78.
Accessibility Policies?
One of the most interesting aspects of PAS 78 is the suggestion that websites should display accessibility policies on their websites. Such a policy should detail the aims of the website, and measures that should be, or are being, taken to address the needs of users. Website owners are directed to provide the accessibility policy to website designers so that this is referred to during the design and maintenance process.
Will PAS 78 lead to more accessible websites?
In the introduction to PAS 78, the DRC comments on its April 2004 report on website accessibility in the UK. In it the DRC reports finding that, of the websites reviewed, 81 percent did not comply with even WAI level 1. From this it’s clear that despite the length of time for which website accessibility has been a legal duty in the UK, the message hasn’t hit home with website owners. Another accessibility standard in itself isn’t likely to change this, even one that comes at accessibility from a different angle.
However, the implementation of PAS 78’s recommendation to display accessibility policies on websites may help bring the issue of accessibility into the mainstream because users will see these policies, or at least links to them. This can only be welcomed by accessible website designers such as GAWDS members and, of course, disabled users.
Summary
- PAS 78 is the latest addition to the ‘best practice’ concept.
- Following best practice is the best way of complying with the DDA
- PAS 78 is not a technical standard like WAI, it’s about the process of making and maintaining accessible websites
- Following WAI Level 2 (at least) remains the ‘minimum’ website owners and designers should be looking to achieve
This is an extract from an article that one of our lawyers submitted to the website of GAWDS, the Guild of Accessible Website Designers. To see the original article use the following link: http://www.gawds.org/show.php?contentid=159
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