Last but not least: Websites still inaccessible for the disabled
In Switzerland, nearly one in seven people has a disability. Websites that are fully accessible to everyone remain the exception in Switzerland.
The 2011 Accessibility Study shows that many websites contain images and graphics whose information is not accessible to blind people. Deaf people cannot hear audio contributions and complex content is incomprehensible for people with cognitive disabilities. In Switzerland, stumbling blocks of this kind are not only found on the websites of private companies, as the "Access for all" foundation writes in a press release on Tuesday. There are also barriers on the administration's internet portals. This is despite the fact that the Disability Discrimination Act has required government agencies to make their websites accessible to all people since 2004.
For the study, the foundation had 100 important government and company websites tested. The Federal Administration came off well. The exception is the website of the Federal Supreme Court, which is still completely inaccessible for people with disabilities, according to the press release. According to the study, many cantons have made great progress. Eight achieved top marks, with the cantons of Valais, Basel-Landschaft and Neuchâtel coming off worst. The assessment of the websites of the largest cities is also divided. Among companies, only Swiss Post, SBB and individual websites of radio and television broadcasters and transport companies achieved good marks. According to the study, the vast majority of the private sites tested are barely accessible or not accessible at all.
The study, published on Tuesday, was conducted for the third time after 2004 and 2007 on the occasion of the eGovernment Symposium in Bern. In addition to the evaluation, it uses two case studies to show how a barrier-free website can be implemented.
