Web site accessibility: a study of six genres

There is much confusion over how the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998 will apply to the Internet. Based on current trends, it seems likely that they will soon be applicable to the commercial sector, as well as the government and education domains. Given this state of affairs, how much of the Internet is already accessible to those with disabilities? This study looks at the accessibility of six genres, or categories, of sites spread over three domains. Utilizing the evaluation software Bobby, this study finds that government sites are currently the most accessible, and popular commercial sites are the least. Educational possibilities are discussed to broaden the consideration of these issues during Web site design.