Accessibility

Accessibility refers to the design of products, devices, services, or environments for people with disabilities.

Description

The concept of accessible design ensures both “direct access” (i.e. unassisted) and "indirect access" meaning compatibility with a person's assistive technology (for example, computer screen readers).

Accessibility can be viewed as the "ability to access" and benefit from some system or entity.

The concept focuses on enabling access for people with disabilities, or special needs, or enabling access through the use of assistive technology; however, research and development in accessibility brings benefits to everyone.

Usability

Accessibility is not to be confused with usability, which is the extent to which a product (such as a device, service, or environment) can be used by specified users to achieve specified goals with effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction in a specified context of use.

Universal design

Accessibility is strongly related to universal design -- the process of creating products that are usable by people with the widest possible range of abilities, operating within the widest possible range of situations.

Access for everyone

This is about making things accessible to all people (whether they have a disability or not).

See also

• Design
• Universal design
• Usability
• User (computing)
• User interface
• Web accessibility

External links

• Accessibility @ Wikipedia