Why We Do It

Benefits of Web Accessibility

While the main focus of Web accessibility is people with disabilities, accessibility also benefits people without disabilities. Web accessibility provides improved access, and thus can increase social inclusion, for other groups of people that are often a focus of corporate social responsibility. Below are examples of how Web accessibility benefits others.

Read more about the Social Benefits of accessible websites and Financial Benefits of web accessibility.

Social Benefits of Web Accessibility

Access for Older People

While older people often experience changes in vision, hearing, dexterity, and memory as they age, they might not consider themselves to have disabilities. Yet the accessibility provisions that make the Web accessible also benefit older people with diminishing abilities.

People with difficulty using the mouse benefit from device independence that lets them use the keyboard, rather than having to use the mouse, for all Web site interaction.

Access for People with Low Literacy

Accessible Web sites can benefit people with low literacy levels and people who are not fluent in the language of the Web site. Specifically, many of the aspects of Web accessibility for people with cognitive disabilities help people who do not know the language well.

In addition, accessible sites can be read by screen readers so people who cannot read can benefit from listening to sites.

Access for People with Low Bandwidth Connections

Some aspects of Web accessibility benefit people with low bandwidth connections.

Access for People with Older Technologies

Some older technologies load pages very slowly and do not support features used on newer sites.

Access for New and Infrequent Web Users

Some people have little opportunity to use the Web because of the socioeconomic issues mentioned previously. New and infrequent Web users benefit from aspects of accessibility.

Financial Benefits of Web Accessibility

Benefits to organizations that provide accessible Web sites include financial benefits from increased Web site use and direct cost savings.

Increased Web Site Use

A major benefit of Web accessibility is the potential for direct and indirect financial gains from increased Web site use. Web accessibility can make it easier for people to find a Web site, access it, and use it successfully, thus resulting in increased audience (more users) and increased effectiveness (more use).

Direct Cost Savings

In addition to the benefits from increased Web site use discussed above, many organizations realize direct cost savings from efforts to improve Web accessibility.

Cost Considerations

When accessibility is incorporated from the beginning of Web site development it is often a small percentage of the overall Web site cost.