Website accessibility: a survey of local e-government websites and legislation in Northern Ireland.

ABSTRACT The provision of accessible websites is a legal requirement under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, which applies throughoutGreat Britain and Northern Ireland, and the Equality (disability, etc.) (Northern Ireland) Order 2000. A survey of local e-governmentwebsites indicated that few local councils in the devolved administration of Northern Ireland offered websites which wereadequately usable by people with a disability, yet most citizen-government transactions occur at the local level. Design forall has obvious commercial benefits, but it has also become a legal obligation, and application of accessible design principlesshould improve the online experience of all users.