Accessibility icon
Incase it's of any use to anyone, a little "accessibility" icon/favicon type icon (16x16) I did for a site I'm working on - feel free to right click and 'save as' 
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I don't personally like the use of these kind of icons as a representation of a site's accessibility. For one, it suggests that accessibility is only for those with a disability, secondly the use of a wheelchair is questionable. A person in a wheelchair will not necessarily have any problems using a website, if you're blind, or have cognitive impairments etc. then maybe but how can you represent that with a picture of a wheelchair?
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I agree with those comments, the accessify forum title/image has a wheelchair in it...James Mills
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...sorry.
as I understand it, the standard symbol for disability (in employment) in the UK is the 'two ticks' mark
http://www.direct.gov.uk/DisabledPeople/Employment/LookingForWork/LookingForWorkArticles/fs/en?CONTENT_ID=4000314&chk=wMankc
There are many symbols in use to make people aware of other disabilities, for example...
http://www.gag.org/resources/das.php
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/acts/acts1995/Ukpga_19950050_en_8.htm#mdiv57
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A similar discussion is going on over at the Mozilla accessibility list, which is worth a read. They want a logo for all things Mozilla accessibility. We've also discussed it at length on Accessify Forum before: Our logo?
It's tricky to avoid the image of the wheelchair when symbolising accessibility as the wheelchair is such a recognised symbol for accessibility. You can avoid icons in general, but iconography is a real usability aid, and an aid to people with cognitive impairments.
Edit: love that icon, Jim!
Jon Gibbins, dotjay.co.uk, accessibility.co.uk wiki.
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We need to remember that any such icon needs to be "accesible" itself, in that it needs to be recognised, by people of any culture, and any level of literacy, worldwide.
There are international standards for a range of symbols (chemical hazards, road signs, toilet doors...). Perhaps the "wheelchair" accesibility symbol is covered buy one of them?
--
Andy Mabbett
@pigsonthewing
Birmingham, England
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| pigsonthewing wrote: |
| There are international standards for a range of symbols (chemical hazards, road signs, toilet doors...). Perhaps the "wheelchair" accesibility symbol is covered buy one of them? |
There is an international symbol for accessibility:
Wikipedia entry on international symbol of accessibility
International Symbol of Access from ICTA itself
And the Disability Access Symbols from Graphic Artists Guild is quite well recognised as far as I can tell, but obviously Joe doesn't like some of them.
A previous post on the forum also linked to Thoughts on the International Access Symbol which is an interesting read.
Jon Gibbins, dotjay.co.uk, accessibility.co.uk wiki.
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The problem with the international symbol is that it's derived from specific issues relating to wheelchair-bound users. These aren't the users that make up the majority of cases with web accessibility.
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| Wifty wrote: |
| The problem with the international symbol is that it's derived from specific issues relating to wheelchair-bound users. These aren't the users that make up the majority of cases with web accessibility. |
Yes, which is why that post, Thoughts on the International Access Symbol, quite interesting to read.
I said it on the Mozilla Accessibility list, but I'll echo it here: I think, as with any logo, simplicity is the key. Obviously, though, there is more at play than that with symbolising accessibility.
Jon Gibbins, dotjay.co.uk, accessibility.co.uk wiki.
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I use a symbol from this series with our company accessibility statement. I think the symbols were recommended by someone here.
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| Johan007 wrote: |
| In this case it is a shame this forum does not practice what it preaches...Our logo? |
Without wanting to sound rude I would rather spend my time helping with web accessibility and solving probelms that real people have in realation to accessing information / goods & services on the web than arguing about a logo which is slightly inconsequential.
I and most other people who frequent this forum (thefore the people who will see the logo) know that web accessibility is not all about people that use a wheelchair.
I personally think that having a skull and crossbones for something that is poisonous is silly. Taken literally it could mean that it will make your skin fall off? Common knowledge says that we know thats not what happens although the important message (i.e don't drink this fool!) is put across simply and effectivly.
I think the same can be saud for the wheelchair logo. If someone doe's find it genuinely offensive I do apologise and I am willing to listen to other peoples opinion on this matter but lets get back to what's important: Making the web as accessible as possible.
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| asaxton wrote: |
| I personally think that having a skull and crossbones for something that is poisonous is silly. Taken literally it could mean that it will make your skin fall off? |
Don't be silly.
It means that you'll be robbed of your silver and keel-hauled.
--
Andy Mabbett
@pigsonthewing
Birmingham, England
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On the whole I don't tend to use accessibility symbols, but on this occasion as each page on the sitemap had an icon, I also needed one for the accessibility page. I don't use the 'A' 'AA' etc. badges any more - if anything I just ten to put "XHTML | CSS | WAI". Probably the only site I did use symbols specifically for accessibility recently was a site I did for a deaf people's organisation where I used the DAS symbols, though that was problematic because they also needed symbols for other forms of communication and communication support. In that instance it was particularly important to use symbolic representations to help BSL users whose first language wasn't English but BSL (often BSL users have poor literacy) but in that case the symbols were very specific to convey specific things, rather than an all encompassing 'accessibility' icon.
Personally, I don't see a problem with using the wheelchair symbol in most situations - it's a well accepted representation for disability accessibility. Yes, accessibility's about more than disability accessibility but I we'd struggle to find some sort of simple icon that encompasses all of what accessibility's about, and is universally recognised.
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| asaxton wrote: |
| I and most other people who frequent this forum (thefore the people who will see the logo) know that web accessibility is not all about people that use a wheelchair.
I personally think that having a skull and crossbones for something that is poisonous is silly. Taken literally it could mean that it will make your skin fall off? Common knowledge says that we know thats not what happens although the important message (i.e don't drink this fool!) is put across simply and effectivly. |
I think that's the key - something simple that gets the message across. I'm disabled and use a wheeled walker, but I can't say I've ever seen a sign with one of those on
I see the wheelchair symbol and know that I should be okay (I say should becuase the number of places that slap the wheelchair symbol on their doors but still aren't entirely accessible for various reasons is rather high, but that's another story...*sigh*)
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