TO ADD: Harrison 2005

 Harrison (2005) explains that the most serious accessibility problems often relate to blind users and users with visual impairments (Nielsen, 2000) yet the majority of undergraduate students interested in web design are often unaware of the challenges faced by the blind. In a case study called ‘opening the eyes of those who can see to the world of those who can’t’, Harrison (2005) asked students to use screen readers to be able to locate a particular reference book on a local library website as well as select a greetings card from a greeting card website. Students worked in pairs with one of them blindfolded using the screen reader and the other serving as a guide and then swapping roles. As well as this activity students were introduced to a blind member of the university who demonstrated how she navigated websites showing how rapidly she skimmed pages with her ears in the same way users do with eyes. With these activities students were able to compare the differences that exist between sighted users and blind users (Harper, Goble and Stevens, 2000). The students considered many of the most important basic components in web pages such as images with alt text, headings, descriptive links, tables and form field labelling to create and test their own mini websites. The conclusion of the study was that students responded well to using screen readers to understand needs and identify challenges. It was summarised that although there are frustrations to fixing complex issues in websites, basic web accessibility can be taught with minimal change to web content courses, and if students are given the challenge of applying the basics they can rise to it by demonstrating and applying basic concepts of accessibility.

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