Going Beyond Compliance: Summary report
Going Beyond Compliance: 2006 Survey of Government Websites’ Accessibility. Summary report. June 2007.
In late 2006, AccEase Ltd, on behalf of the Office for Disability Issues, completed a follow-up survey of 127 selected government websites to measure accessibility and user experiences of disabled people.
The key findings are a marked improvement in compliance with Web Guidelines since the 2005 survey, and an overall two-thirds satisfactory rating of sites tested by disabled users.
These positive results highlight government agencies’ efforts to meet compliance requirements, and their ongoing commitment to creating user-centred websites for all New Zealanders.
Accessibility is an ongoing priority
Accessing information on the internet is something that most of us take for granted, and many people do this on a daily basis. However, some people experience barriers in accessing information online because of the way that websites are designed and built.
For government departments, it is critical that websites are made accessible so that all New Zealanders can find out about and use information intended for the public.
The New Zealand Disability Strategy promotes action by government agencies to make their information accessible to disabled people. This will contribute to disabled people being able to live independently and participate in all aspects of life on an equal basis with others.
Accessibility is also emphasised in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. New Zealand was one of the inaugural signatories to the Convention, which was signed on 30 March 2007. Accessibility is an underlying principle of the Convention, and includes access to information, communications technologies and IT systems.
For a website to be accessible, the information and services it provides must be available to everyone, regardless of physical, sensory or cognitive user abilities, work constraints, or technological barriers. Accessible websites will improve the experience for non-disabled people as well as disabled people.
Accessibility is the main focus of the New Zealand Web Standards, which are mandatory for all public service government departments.
Survey findings
Information gained from the 2006 survey is a snapshot of compliance levels at a particular point in time across government. Changes in the composition of websites through redevelopments and upgrades, significant increases in site content, and budget contraints meant that AccEase could not directly compare sites previously tested. However, comparability of findings was ensured by using the same methodology as used in the 2005 survey.
Despite many sites having more than doubled the number of images and pages available, AccEase reported a 17 per cent increase in technical compliance with Web Guidelines. It was also noted that accessibility barriers experienced by disabled users remained consistent with the 2005 report. So, while technology can demonstrate compliance against standards, this does not necessarily mean that a site is accessible to all users.
User testing findings
AccEase found there were 68 compliant websites that were eligible for user testing. However, due to budget constraints, there was a limit placed on the number of websites that could be tested by users. In 2005, all compliant websites were user tested. In the 2006 survey, only the top 30 compliant websites were tested by disabled users.
The satisfactory rating of two-thirds of the tested sites confirms there are a number of high quality, accessible websites in the government sector. This rating was based on testers’ experiences in completing five set tasks.
Notwithstanding this positive result, the survey revealed a high variance in task completion time between the fastest and slowest sites (about four minutes per task) suggesting ongoing accessibility issues were experienced by some users. There was also found a correlation between the task completion time (which is directly linked to site accessibility) and user satisfaction. The faster information could be accessed, the more satisfied users were.
The testers, in general, rated issue-focused sites high. These sites tended to be smaller, simpler and focused around specific information and the completion of common tasks.
Consistent with the 2005 survey, the 2006 survey found that testers with different impairments rated sites differently. Both the 2005 and 2006 surveys contain valuable information from user tester panels representing a range of impairment groups. Their collective experiences provide invaluable insights into website functionality.
A broad approach needs to be taken to web accessibility if everyone’s abilities are to be considered.
Common tester accessibility themes
There were four general problems experienced by testers when accessing websites:
Limits to website navigation
Some home pages were very busy, confusing and had too many links, making it hard to work out how to navigate around a website. This was a problem for most users.
‘Skip links’ were either poorly sited or missing on some sites. This function allows screen readers to bypass navigation items and go straight to the main content. This was a particular concern for blind users.
Limits to finding information
Inconsistencies with website accessibility statements and content detailing site accessibility features meant that some testers found it difficult to find this information.
Search engine results sometimes failed to show pages that matched the search criteria because requests were processed literally. Testers also found some displays of results did not feedback the original search criteria and relevance scores were unhelpful. This was of particular concern for reading impaired users.
Limits to getting information
Key department accountability documents that are only available in PDF format are problematic to most vision impaired users, as screen readers are unable to read them properly. This significantly increases reading time and slows down access to information. All documents should be published as HTML text.
Limits to making contact
Inconsistent feedback mechanisms across government websites may prevent users making contact, or make it hard for people to find out how to make contact. For example, when a user is not using their own computer and does not have an available email program, if there is no online form available then they will not be able to make contact.
Beyond compliance
Improved technical compliance and web page infrastructure are positive indicators of increasing accessibility. However, technical compliance is merely the first step on the accessibility journey. It is important that people involved in website development understand what the barriers are, who they affect, and how they may be removed.
If the task of websites is to communicate information to people, then accessibility should be a necessary priority. Providing a good experience for users with impairments, and ultimately all users, is the challenge for all website owners.
Implications for government – People use accessible websites
The following are suggestions from AccEase to improve website accessibility:
- Integrate accessibility into all website design and construction processes, so that it becomes business as usual from the start and not tacked on after the major work has been completed.
- Consider user testing by people with impairments. This is the most effective way of testing whether or not a website is accessible and provides a good user experience to users with different impairments.
- Ensuring websites are accessible to disabled people means that other people will more likely have a good experience. Sites will benefit everyone when they have:
- good font size
- clarity and good contrast
- content written in plain English
- simple navigation
- text that can be magnified
- search facility that will help you find the information that you are looking for.
- Use multidisciplinary teams to take ownership of websites. This will provide better alignment with operational, policy, communications and corporate concerns. A balance of internally focused and externally focused team members will also provide a better balance.
- Connect web development strategies to other organisational strategies. For example, tie them in with communications strategies (such as publications, where consideration of HTML version is integrated with the publishing stages), EEO programmes, operational strategies, and service channel strategies. Disabled people can be part of an audience for any communication a government department may deliver, which means all communications should be accessible.
- Consider developing smaller, more task and subject specific websites that address particular audiences and needs. These sites are generally simpler for users to navigate and complete common tasks.
Common accessibility barriers and solutions
The following table provides a list of common accessibility barriers experienced by disabled user testers. Some barriers have more impact on some users than others depending on their impairment type(s).
Solutions to the barriers are presented. Many of these are covered by the New Zealand Government Web Standards and Recommendations version 1.0. Following the Web Standards and Recommendations will remove many accessibility barriers from websites.
Further information
- The Web Standards can be accessed on the e-govt website.
- The 2005 survey report is available online – Bridging the digital divide.
- The New Zealand Disability Strategy can be accessed on the Office for Disability Issues website.
- The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities