BWDMA launches Accessibility Accreditation Initiative

The first accessibility accreditation scheme for suppliers of web design services is to launch early next year. The scheme has been developed by the recently formed British Web Design and Marketing Association (BWDMA) accessibility and usability working group. The accreditation will enable the digital industry to identify qualified suppliers in what is a legally essential requirement for all companies on the web.

According to Patrick White, BWDMA founder, 'There is a low level of awareness concerning web accessibility even though it is the law. The obligation for websites to comply with current legislations (the Disability Discrimination Act, etc) is with the owner and not the creator.

'Yet those companies seeking web designers with the right skills are discovering that there are not enough suppliers that can combine advanced technical functionality with accessibility. Moreover industry at large has difficulty in identifying suppliers that can. The BWDMA accreditation scheme will resolve that situation, provide a list of accredited suppliers and create a stimulus for firms to gain the required expertise.'

The BWDMA intends that the accreditation scheme will promote awareness of, and support compliance with, the Disability Discrimination Act. It will include education elements, a continuous self-assessment facility and a formal accreditation process.

The scheme will verify that suppliers can design to comply with the European web accessibility initiative (WAI). The working group has also attracted support of the North American based organisation, the International Center for Disability Resources on the Internet (ICDRI). The intention is that accreditation will include key elements from the American web access initiative, Rule 508, and create a scheme that benchmarks international accessibility standards.

White gives a further reason as to why an accreditation scheme is essential for the industry: 'The British government have introduced a law with which they themselves cannot yet comply. Owning around 2500 central and local government websites, they are one of the world's largest purchasers of web technologies and yet only a fraction of their sites are accessible to a sufficient standard. They too need assured procurement paths, which the accreditation scheme will deliver. A very sound reason for Government to join with this industry initiative and both endorse and support it.'

The scheme is scheduled for introduction early next year and will feature measurement of completed projects by key performance indicators using a combination of automated testing and human assessment.

The BWDMA working group will hold its next meeting in December and continues to seek contribution from across the digital industry.

Have a look at the New Media Age article linked below for some early industry reactions.

Associated Link: New Media Age story with comments from industry

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