The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is the body that sets international standards for functionality and accessibility of corporate websites. They are now addressing the problems faced by disabled users of the web, and have introduced a set of standards and guidelines for organisations, to make sure that disabled users can get as much out of the web as the able-bodied.

More recently, European law has recognised that failure to observe these guidelines constitutes a form of discrimination against the disabled, and has promised penalties for those who don’t conform. Sadly, many companies have so far failed to recognise that websites need to be improved along these lines.

Quite apart from legal infringements, by ignoring disabled users, organisations are failing to reach a significant market segment.

Online tools can help you to assess the validity of your company website. Whilst these are very helpful if you are in the clear, the information they give you can be arcane and complex. Dean & Hilton can make the necessary changes to ensure that your site meets all the current accessibility standards, giving you peace of mind and access to the widest possible markets.