:: Accessibility and usability

There has been much discussion recently about the accessibility and usability of internet sites. But what do these two words mean? The first, accessibility, defines the degree of access to the internet sites on the part of a disabled user; the second, usability, expresses the utilisation criteria in terms of navigability and understanding of the contents.

Both of these have reference guidelines which establish the application procedures, which are all too frequently ignored by website designers. They represent a fundamental step in implementing the complete integration of the disabled.

Our Fonderia, despite not providing services of public utility, has nevertheless decided to implement an “internet policy” of accessibility and usability. Consequently, along with the request for restyling, we also asked Stilegrafica.com to implement a type of programming which complies with the requirements of the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) as regards the first level of accessibility, on a scale of 1 to 3 (A – AA – AAA). However, the programming also satisfies elements which are present in both the second and the third levels.

The result is a site which can be easily utilised by persons with disability but which has lost nothing in terms of image; on the contrary it has gained in terms of both speed and functionality.

We are humbly satisfied with our decision, and we hope that such choices will be increasingly made in the future, and not only because they are required by law.