Let’s talk about accessible design…
The Whole Internet™ is a full-service provider of web design, development, and consulting services, catering to the needs of individuals and small businesses. We specialize in meeting the online accessibility needs for handicapped and disabled persons. Our premise is simple… we will build an attractive site to your specification, that works well for any person and is compatible with any browser.
Why is browser compatibility important?
Web developers frequently utilize proprietary techniques specific to Internet Explorer (aka, IE), now known as Microsoft Edge. Depending on the source, either Edge or Chrome is deemed the dominant browser, although there is substantial evidence supporting both claims. In terms of absolute market share, Chrome is now the undisputed winner. However, Edge is faster and less resource hungry, and for that reason and others, is closing the gap with Chrome. Safari and Firefox are also part of this narrative. Suffice to say, achieving consistent visual presentation and functionality across different browsers can be challenging, as browser rendering engines and feature support may vary. Therefore, consider carefully your answers to the following questions.
- Do you want accessibility by the largest possible audience, including Firefox, Opera, and Safari users?
- Have you considered accessibility by handicapped and disabled persons? Accessibility for people with disabilities is required of U.S. Federal agencies, and a smart move for any website owner. In fact, it is a legal requirement that for-profit websites in the U.S. must be accessible. Do you want web pages that are navigable by screen readers and other alternative browsing techniques used by visual or motor-impaired individuals? Before answering, consider that more than 1.3 billion people worldwide (representing a discretionary income of over $175,000,000,000) have some sort of disability (source: World Health Organization).
- Do you want a site that is not reliant upon proprietary browser techniques, and that provides a uniformly quality experience for all users?
If you answered YES to one or more of these questions, then you owe it to yourself (and your customers) to obtain a quote from us before making your decision.
Website accessibility in the USA is governed by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, requiring content to be perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust for users with disabilities. Key requirements include providing text alternatives for images, captions for videos, keyboard-navigable interfaces, and ensuring sufficient color contrast. The widely adopted Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) serve as the technical standard for achieving compliance, with WCAG 2.0 or 2.1 Level AA often cited as the benchmark.
For prices comparable to what other design and development firms charge for browser-specific or non-handicapped-aware sites, we provide you The Whole Internet experience. Remember, designing an accessible and cross-browser compatible site does not mean “dumbing down” or sacrificing features. It just requires experience and know-how. Let us show you.
We invite you to review our site, and compare us against the competition.
“Check the rest, then come here for the best!”