Accessibility of Special Education Program Home Pages

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Abstract
The World Wide Web (WWW) is a universal medium that has revolutionized the dissemination and gathering of information; however, on-line barriers limit the accessibility of the WWW for individuals with disabilities. Federal legislation directs that the provision of assistive technology devices and services enable individuals with disabilities to benefit from the opportunities available to their neighbors and peers without disabilities. The purposes of this study were to evaluate the accessibility of university special education programs' home pages and discuss accessibility recommendations. Eighty-nine special education Web sites were evaluated for accessibility errors. Most (73%) special education home pages had accessibility problems, and the majority of these errors (71%) severely limited access for individuals with disabilities. The good news is that the majority (83%) of the errors can easily be corrected. Recommendations and methods for improving accessibility to the WWW for individuals with disabilities are discussed.