Re: accessibility and usability

On Tue, 30 Nov 2004 09:51:49 +0100, "Barbara de Zoete"
<b_de_zoete (AT) hotmail (DOT) com> wrote:

I am getting more and more confused as to the meaning of the words
'accessibility' and 'usability' *in the context of the world wide web*.

They mean the same either on the web or off it.

Usability is the ability for at least one person to be able to use the
site efficiently.

Accessibility is the ability for any people, other than those with the
facilities of the original designer, to make equally good use of it.


There's a lot of cross over. A site that is usable is often accessible
too, simply because good design is good design for everyone. An
accessible site might impose usability as well, because making
something accessible to a screen reader also makes it accessible to a
sighted user.

It's possible to make usable but inaccessible sites (using Flash will
help). It's even possible to make accessible but unusable sites,
simply by unclear thinking and convoluted navigation.

--
Smert' spamionam