Web Accessibility is a TOP priority at this domain. Think about your answer to the question, "If Doc Watson, Jose Feliciano, Ray Charles or Stevie Wonder visited your site, would they be able to access the information you have on your site?"
Page (Webmaster's name / Image Site Only!)
The page that precedes the link to this page (see the example above), has images only, and either no "ALT=" HTML tags, or not enough to be useful. If you are using Lynx or have images turned off, you are not able to immediately see what, if any, information can be found at that site. This also makes reading this page difficult, or impossible, for people with disabilities . It is a site that, whether on purpose or not, discriminates against the almost 55 million people who are blind and/or disabled.
"JavaScript Restricted!" - This label on a FolkLib Index link indicates a web site that it is pointless to visit if your browser does not recognize JavaScript or has it disabled for security reasons. Be aware that many screen readers for the blind do not understand JavaScript. Therefore creating a site that will not function, or worse, is completely blank without JavaScript, has the same affect as if the Webmaster deliberately decided to discriminate against the blind. For instructions on how to make your site less discriminating, see the links below about the NOSCRIPT element. If the Webmaster forbids access to non-JavaScript enabled browsers, the website's URL will be listed in text format, which sighted people can cut and paste into their browser, but no clickable link for it will be installed.
"Flash Restricted!" - This label for a FolkLib Index artist means you are forbidden to enter their site unless you have Shockwave Flash installed on your computer. Aside from the fact that the latest version of Flash crashes Windows 98 every time it starts, Flash assumes everyone, without exception, will enjoy the graphical motion displays it produces. Unfortunately, by definition, this assumption deliberately discriminates against the blind. Whether on purpose or not, the Webmaster of this site perpetuates the belief that blind people cannot hear, therefore the blind couldn't possibly have any interest in visiting this musician's website, purchasing music for sale at the site, or attending the musician's concerts. The website's URL will be listed in text format, which sighted people can cut and paste into their browser, but no clickable link for it will be installed.
The following came from page 22 of the December 1999 issue of "Web Techniques", in the article by Molly E. Holzschlag, "Web Accessibility with HTML 4.0".
For more information, see:
* From an IBM presentation based on U.S. Census Bureau statistics for 1994-95, almost "55 million people in the United States, nearly 20% of the country's population, have a disability that make it difficult, if not impossible, to use the web." This total includes all aspects that may affect web accessibility:
Mobility limitations - 16.3 million
Limited hand use - 13.6 million
Vision impairments - 6.5 million
Deaf - 7.36 million
Cognitive Disability - 9 million
Speech and language - 2 million
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