ABSTRACT
In terms of elearning, accessibility generally has two specific meanings. Computer accessibility refers to the usability of a computer system for individual users. This would cover disabilities such as colour blindness, dyslexia, sound impairment and lack of manual dexterity. Web accessibility generally refers to the increasingly common practice of making pages on the internet accessible to all users, regardless of whether they access via a slow modem or a state-of-the-art broadband connection. An example is large files or complex graphics that may be impossible to download without a high-bandwidth connection, resulting in the ‘freezing’ of the system and frustration to the potential user. The key to a consideration of accessibility is to enable users to access information in their own preferred manner, and so this is closely related to the thoughtful design of distributed education. In making computers and the web accessible, careful planning can enhance usability for all users, not just those with specific disabilities. Examples are that some users may prefer text links rather than icons, while the incorporation of sound files to accompany images does not simply benefit users with a visual impairment. The ability for individual users to self-select the level of accessibility required, for example for a colour-blind user to select a particular colour scheme on the screen, is a feature that is increasingly being built into public-access internet sites.
