Author: Narasimhan Nirmita
Publisher: The Centre for Internet & Society
Year: 2012
Pages: 36
Keyword: Website Inaccessibility, E-Governance, Web Accessibility, Digital Inclusion, HTML/CSS Errors
Classification: 320.454
Shelf: C2R4
Accession No: B1047
Contents: Executive Summary, Introduction, Methodology, Findings and Interpretation, Recommendations, Appendix 1 to Appendix 3
Abstract: This report highlights the findings of a test conducted on 7,800 Government of India websites and their affiliated agencies to assess accessibility based on the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0. Accessibility is a crucial issue in India, given the large population of disabled, elderly, illiterate, rural, and bandwidth-constrained users who may also speak vernacular languages or rely on mobile devices. Ensuring government websites are accessible is vital to provide equal access to information and services. The assessment combined both automated and manual testing methods. Automated tools identified issues like missing image descriptions and HTML/CSS errors, while manual testing was used for more subjective assessments, such as evaluating the accuracy of link and image descriptions or ensuring the accessibility of forms. The results of the testing indicate significant gaps in meeting accessibility standards, underlining the need for improved web design to ensure all citizens, regardless of their circumstances, can access government services online.