Website Accessibility

Evolution is committed to building accessible websites. In addition, we provide accessibility makeovers to existing websites. Accessibility can be built-in at no additional cost when building a new website or during a website redesign. Makeovers may involve a few hours of code cleanup or they may require a complete "do-over."

Accessibility is increasingly important to website owners, though it's a term more often associated with architecture rather than with website design. Legislation determines minimum accessibility standards for new public buildings and, as a result, wheelchair ramps, accessible lifts, and disability parking spaces are common, allowing people with disabilities to gain access to buildings.

With websites, the term refers to the development of sites that are accessible to all Internet users, including those with disabilities, such as:

• Visual – blind, impaired vision, color blind
• Auditory – deaf, hard of hearing
• Motor/physical – paraplegic, quadraplegic
• Cognitive/learning – dyslexic, learning disabilities.

As with accessible public buildings, accessible websites allow people with disabilities to access information, use services, buy products, and communicate with the people associated with the website. For some of the disabled, accessible websites provide critical access to information, goods, and services they are unable to easily obtain otherwise.

Website owners benefit from accessibile websites in the following ways:

• increased audience
• improved maintainability and efficiency
• improved search engine rankings
• potential for repurposing content for multiple formats and devices
• demonstrating social responsibility
• satisfying existing and possible future legal requirements (the UK already requires most websites to meet certain accessibility standards).