A content analysis of disability access on government websites in Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States
Year: 2019
Type: article
Abstract: This study evaluates the homepages of government websites in the three democratic nations of Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States to determine the level of disability access in each country. This survey was conducted to determine which country has the overall lowest level of accessibility, which areas need the most improvement, and which areas have strong compliancy levels. Twenty-two websites from each of the top levels of government in each of the three countries (66 total websites) were examined for compliance to current disability standards as set forth by the World Wide Web Consortium's Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI). The websites were evaluated using a questionnaire developed to test for adherence to the WAI's fourteen guidelines. The results show that, despite legislative efforts mandating disability access on government websites, these sites are not fully accessible. The study found the United States to have the highest levels of accessibility, followed by Australia, with the United Kingdom at the lowest levels of accessibility.
DOI: 10.17615/4tqv-nr60
Author: Beaudin, Danielle
Institution: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Language: English
Subfield: Human Factors and Ergonomics
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Reduced inequalities
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2961411451