Two Awards for Web Accessibility

The trend to create websites in a way that it is accessible for everybody serves as a quality sign for more and more providers. This has been certified by two German institutions called Digital Opportunities (Digitale Chancen) and Campaign Human Being (Aktion Mensch).

01/12/2005

 
One criterion is the adjustable font
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Since 2003 these societies award the best accessible websites with the BIENE award. Last year's laureates were the internet portals of the Postbank, of the police of North Rhine Westphalia, a region in Germany and of the magazin for handicapped "Ohrenkuss”. The jury consisting of experts from AOL, Google, and Microsoft and handicapped people, proofed and voted the sites regarding to criteria like comprehensibility, noticeability or usability. You find the complete criteria and the participation premises at www.biene-award.de.

This year 26 websites were chosen for the BIENE award from 320 that had applied. Among the 26 favourits are Greenpeace Berlin, the parliament of North Rhine Westphalia and (Gebärdenwerk) an institution which subtitle with gestures. On 9 December the 26 finalists rival on the golden, silver and bronze BIENE award. Websites of non commercial companies can receive 2000 Euro as a promotional award. All winners will be published at REHACARE.de.

The federal district of Germany, Baden Wuerttemberg, is one of the most promising favourites - the district's portal is among the best five in the category e-Government. In terms of internet offers and web usage Baden Wuerttemberg occupies a progressive position in comparison to other German districts: over sixty percent of the people over 14 years old who live in Baden Wuerttemberg use the web regularly. The cities and communites reacted on this fact and now over 95 percent of the communities have got own homepages.

Also the organisation "WEB for ALL” has evaluated these websites since 1999 and found many deficits during the contest InternetVillage (InternetDorf). In order to improve these barriers the idea District without Barriers (LOB-Land ohne Barrieren) was born. LOB offers training programs for local web content developers, journalists and web agents. Since July 2005 a special offer exists for older and disabled people: a special home service makes sure that operating systems and software is adjusted to the needs of the beginners. Web pilots support them with special advice. For further information on the project and training offers contact www.land-ohne-barrieren.de

These projects should be seen as helpful tips for the UK. At present 12.5 million people find it difficult to view websites due to disabilities.

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