The University of Western Australia

There are good reasons why we need to ensure UWA's websites are accessible.

Reason One: It's the Law

• Not all disabilities may make using online resources difficult, but the Disability Discrimination Act (1992) makes it unlawful to provide goods, services and facilities that result in 'less favourable' treatment of a person with disabilities or the person's associates compared to the treatment received by a non-disabled user in the same circumstances.
• The Attorney-General released the Disability Standards for Education in August 2005 to clarify the obligations of education and training providers under the Act.
• The Australian Vice-Chancellors Committee updated  guidelines on information access for students with disabilities in May 2006.
• While the World Wide Web Consortium is not a legislative body, and its Guidelines are not legal regulations in Australia, they are widely recognised as the current best practice in information provided on web accessibility. The Guidelines are also endorsed by the Human Rights and Equal Opportunities Commission, which is responsible for inquiring into alleged infringements under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992.
• It's also a fundamental objective of UWA's Disability Inclusion and Access Plan 2007 - 2011.

Reason Two: Slow internet connections

• 30% of people are still using dialup connections.
• People who turn off images, perhaps because they have a slow Internet connection, also benefit from accessible web pages.

Reason Three: Anyone can become disabled

• The United Nations have estimated that globally, approximately 1 in 10 people has a disability, and this proportion is also likely to be present in the University community.
• Disabilities can be temporary (as the result of an injury or illness), or can arise as a result of aging.

Reason Four: Good business

• Accessible design increases the usability of web sites, because the web site will be less ambiguous, particularly if it has clear language, good navigation and obvious link.
• The 10% of people with disabilities will be able to use your web site.
• Accessible design is a badge of social responsibility.
• Design, cost and flexibility do not have to suffer at all.

Note: Web Services at the University of Tasmania, has very kindly allowed us to use the above content.

What is the University doing?

The UWA Disability Action and Inclusion Action Plan (DAIAP) 2007-2011 proactively addresses the challenges of equitable access to educational, employment, cultural and sporting opportunities within our campus community for people with a disability.

The University is committed to ensuring University websites are accessible to ALL users. The Web Project Team is working towards compliance with the World Wide Web Consortium Web Accessibility Initiative AAA standard, as the current best practice guidelines on web accessibility.