ACCESSIBILITY FOR INDEPENDENCE: INTRODUCING ACCESSIBILITY FOR LANGUAUGE INDEPENDENCE, LITERACY INDEPENDENCE

Abstract

Web is the first source of information today but it has been seen that versatility and equality is still not achieved in web environment. All the works, from submission of bill to product purchase, is possible on internet (E-Commerce) but the persons with disabilities like Visual, Hearing, Motor and Cognitive are still facing lot of challenges in surfing the web due to WEB’s limited accessibility. Disabled persons have to be educated and trained in the web accessibility; otherwise it is still a puzzle for them. Hence an extensive research is going on in this area so that these persons also can access the web as any other person, who doesn’t have disability of any kind. Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) is introduced to make Web accessibility more popular. In spite of these guidelines, web developers are still not able to use develop well structured WEB’s, as these guidelines are complex in nature. Many Web developers are still not aware of WCAG 2.0 and their benefits. A number of NGO’s and other organizations like WebAim are working in the direction of making web equally available for everyone including those who has disability of some kind. Hence interest has been created in understanding the guidelines and their benefits which has been presented in this research work.

The objectives of this research are to develop:

• Website Development Life Cycle based on Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, so that better accessible websites can be developed. • Accessibility for Independence (AFI), a framework to implement Language Independence, literacy independence in web applications, web sites and other Information Systems.