Barrier-free websites are courteous

Barrier-free internet

The term barrier-free internet descripes the usage of the internet for everyone without any barriers.

When designing a website it is mostly not considered that a lot of internet useres are disabled. Certain internet techniquies can build barriers for the usage of the internet. For example missing text for the discription of graphics, the definition of colours without contrasts, incomprehesensible structured content, difficult text, flash animations, Web 2.0 content and difficult to use navigations.

The essential criteria and and hints are setup by the <barrier-free information technoloy regulation> (BITR), which was commended on 24. July 2002.

Who has to be barrier-free?

In Germany almost 4 of 5 disabled persons are using the internet. Beginning May 2002 the law for this regulations came into effect to equal rank disabled persons in order to give them the same opportunities. The German government therefore is legally obligated to offer barrier-free internet and intranet offers.

Institutions have their own country laws.