|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
For Release: January 22, 2000
For More Information:
D'Anne Hotchkiss
Ellsworth Kaye, Inc.
319-393-8786
danneh@ellsworthkaye.com
CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA -- A report released today shows the Web sites of nine leading presidential candidates flunk accessibility requirements to be viewed by those with disabilities or by those using compact-display computer devices. OrbitAccess, an Internet and Web communications service headquartered in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, issued the report, "Web Accessibility of the Presidential Candidate Sites." No Web site of U.S. presidential candidates fully met even the first level of handicapped accessibility.
With the first presidential caucuses only three days away, voters looking to candidates’ Web sites for information are getting stopped at the front door, reports a comprehensive study. The problems affect the Web site of every presidential candidate and are experienced by every voter who is not surfing on a standard desktop computer with either Netscape Navigator or Internet Explorer browser. The sites of Senator John McCain and Vice-President Al Gore pose the fewest problems, although those sites still failed to meet even minimum standards. The sites of Steve Forbes and Governor George W. Bush trailed the pack of candidates. All candidates were notified of their site shortcomings in early December, but none have improved site accessibility to date.
"Those who use the Web as a primary source of information tend to be well-informed. They’re opinion leaders, and they are more likely to take part in the crucial early steps of the election process. Candidates who fail to reach them are ignoring a critical audience," says study author Dennis Bathory-Kitsz. "The ability of candidates to communicate effectively online is going to be a critical factor in this election. Unfortunately, only a select few have unencumbered access to the information the candidates want them to see."
The study, conducted by Internet and Web communications service OrbitAccess, looked at the Web sites of nine presidential candidates. It analyzed which sites could be viewed and fully navigated by devices such as palmtops using the Palm Pilot operating system or Internet appliances. Other studies have ranked candidates sites according to content and popularity. No other study has taken into consideration whether visitors can read the information or access the fundamental accessibility of the sites. More than half of all American households have access to the Web, but not only from desktop computers. The Web is increasingly used by speech browsers, compact-display units such as palmtops, set-top boxes and other Internet appliances, and other graphical browsers. Compaq Computer, IBM, and Intel have announced plans to introduce low-cost Internet appliances later this year.
The study found that the Web sites of all presidential candidates vying for support in Monday’s Iowa caucuses flunk even basic accessibility requirements. The problem also affects those with handicaps who must rely on speech browsers or other aids to read information appearing on the sites.
The problems stem from the fact that most sites are designed for common desktop browsers. Other Internet access tools do not function the same way. A site viewed on other devices may look very different, and much of the information on the site may be ‘missing.’ Television set-top boxes don’t play all multimedia. Palmtop computers hide information in off-screen tables or jumble their contents. Other handhelds don’t show Web site index frames.
Had the sites conformed to the accessibility structure built into the Web’s language, HTML (HyperText Markup Language), the communications barriers would have been avoided, says Bathory-Kitsz. "That language calls for the content, not the look, of a Web page to be identified. Pages created by indicating content as headings, paragraphs, quotes and so forth let site visitors navigate easily, without communications obstacles," researcher Bathory-Kitsz explains. "The HTML structure has been largely ignored as people have tried to give Web pages the look and feel of printed materials."
Images used in place of text, forced page refresh, meaningless links to other parts of the site, and the absence of text alternatives and descriptive, contextual information -- known as the ‘d’ link -- were defects commonly found.
Ranked for accessibility, Candidate McCain placed first, followed by Gore, Bauer, Bradley and Hatch in the top half. Buchanan, Forbes, Bush followed them. Keyes finished last.
Candidates were given letter ratings based on graphical results when viewed on a compact-display device. Gore received an ‘A’, Bradley, ‘A minus’, and Buchanan a ‘B’. Bush, Hatch, McCain and Forbes each earned a ‘C’. Keyes earned a ‘D’ and Bauer an ‘F’.
The barriers potentially violate the Americans with Disabilities Act requirements for barrier-free access to public places. "We’re more than 30 years into the age of disability access. We think it incumbent upon presidential candidates to make sure their sites at the very least achieve basic accessibility," says Bathory-Kitsz. "This failure might be viewed as candidates’ intentional shunning of those with disabilities and a disregard for the ADA."
The OrbitAccess evaluation lab used the Web Accessibility Guidelines developed by World Wide Web Consortium, which develops standards for Web languages and protocols. The Guidelines have three levels of access. Level One is the easiest to meet.
None of the nine sites passed Level One requirements. Sites for Democrats Bill Bradley and Al Gore, and Republicans Gary Bauer, Pat Buchanan, George W. Bush, Steve Forbes, Orrin Hatch, Alan Keyes and John McCain, were reviewed between November 29 and December 4.
Evaluation tools included Bobby, a Web-based evaluation tool that uses the Guidelines to product a list of errors and site barriers. Sites were viewed first using Netscape Navigator to determine how the sites were meant to appear in an ordinary graphical view on a desktop computer. To determine how they appear on a compact-display user, sites were viewed using Web browser ProxiWeb, operating on the 3Com Palm V palmtop computer. To determine handicapped accessibility, the sites were viewed using Lynx, a text-only browser, and speech browser Home Page Reader, an IBM program made to work with Netscape to determine what material should be read aloud.
OrbitAccess Home Page | About Us | Reports & Papers | Consultation | Services | Newsroom | Facts | Contact Us