Released on = March 22, 2006, 3:32 pm

Press Release Author = DrivenQA

Industry = Internet & Online

Press Release Summary = Disabled internet users have largely been overlooked in the
past; a 2004 survey by the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) showed that 81% of UK
websites failed to meet accessibility standards. In an effort to counter this
exclusion the DRC in association with the British Standards Institution (BSI) last
week produced a "Guide to Good Practice in Commissioning Accessible Websites" also
known as PAS 78.

Press Release Body = Publicly Available Specification (PAS 78) is a new guide for
those commissioning a website on the conventions and processes that ensure
accessibility for the disabled. The guide makes it clear that the website
commissioner is solely responsible for accessibility, in accordance with the World
Wide Web Consortium (W3C) standards and the Disability Discrimination Act 1996.

The guidelines, if adopted on a large scale, will lead to a more accessible, more
inclusive and more usable internet. Sites that have been optimised for accessibility
are also much more user friendly and often more readable by search engines, making
for higher search rankings.

The only drawback with PAS 78 is that some of the processes recommended could be
seen as too much of an inconvenience to anyone commissioning a website. How many
online start-up entrepreneurs for example, would easily be able to oversee the
development of a test plan for usability? It is here that independent quality
assurance advice will prove to be invaluable.

Rosie Sherry of DrivenQA, a software and web testing company in Brighton has this to
say about the new guidelines:

"Accessibility testing is not a simple process and should only be carried out by
professionals to ensure guidelines are upheld. QA professionals have a
responsibility to be involved from the beginning of the development process to help
site owners avoid discrimination."


PAS 78 identifies the following key benefits of an accessible website

. Accessibility means exposure to broader audiences, and potentially an extra £80
billion in spending power.

. Websites optimised for accessibility are also more usable for non-disabled users,
making it easier for them to become customers.

. Where World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) accessibility guidelines are upheld, sites
are more easily viewed on handheld, mobile phone and interactive TV devices.

. Accessible content has a much higher visibility for search engines, which boosts
search engine rankings.

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www.drivenqa.com

DrivenQA

DrivenQA has been certified by the biggest names in software and develops
partnerships to deliver the best QA services to its clients.

Based in Brighton and part of Driven Systems [www.getdriven.com], DrivenQA is headed
by Rosie Sherry and her core team.


Web Site = http://www.drivenqa.com

Contact Details =
For more information visit www.drivenqa.com

Or
Contact: Rosie Sherry on +44 (0) 8450 580 546
:+44 (0) 77 309 525 37 : rosie.sherry@getdriven.com