IGF 2023 Town Hall #55 Localizing Web Accessibility Standards:

Backgound:
The Access and equality team at KICTANet conducted a research on the accessibility of government of Kenya websites. This took place from February 2023 to May 2023. This research examines the accessibility of Kenyan public service websites under the POUR (perceivability, operability, understandable and robust) principles developed under the Web Content Accessibility Guideline(WCAG). The study utilised Accessi and Wave evaluating tools to scan the websites for comprehensive reports detailing elements of compliance and non-compliance to accessibility standards. Because these tools provided different standards of scoring, rather than relying on their scores and the WCAG’s levels of compliance, 3 researchers applied an ethnographic method for scoring levels of accessibility. Each researcher gave their scores which were then averaged to come up with the levels of compliance for the individual websites. The Wave and Accessi evaluation tools used for scoring were applied on Chrome and Firefox browsers to test their compatibility browser’s in-built assistive tools. Additional analysis was obtained through focus group discussions and through the validation of the first draft of the report.
To contextualise the assessments, the team developed a scorecard for two reasons. The first was to narrow down the assessment topics to fit our target users who are persons with visual, hearing and cognitive disabilities. Second to contextualise the report to fit the Kenyan person with disability who is a user of ICT services. The ratings assigned by team members were then weighted to give a percentage review and average scorel
Focus:
In this session we will share our findings, challenges and opportunities. We will look into the importance of localisation of the web accessibility standards. This session will address the importance of considering cultural, linguistic, and regional variations while implementing accessibility guidelines to ensure inclusive web experiences for persons with disabilities.

Approach:
The session wibegins by emphasizing the significance of web accessibility and its impact on persons with disabilities. It highlights the existing international accessibility standards such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and their role in fostering an inclusive digital environment.

The session will look at how web accessibility standards need to be adapted to suit different languages, cultures, and regions.
It will also explores the challenges that would be involved in this process, including linguistic nuances, idiomatic expressions, and technical adaptations , involving local communities the and experts in the localization process.
How would collaboration and with whom look like to ensure accurate and meaningful translations while maintaining accessibility compliance.

It emphasizes the need for collaboration between accessibility professionals, translators, linguists, and cultural experts to ensure accurate and meaningful translations while maintaining accessibility compliance.

Cultural Adaptation: Adapting accessibility guidelines to align with cultural norms, practices, and expectations, ensuring that the content remains relevant and respectful in diverse cultural contexts.

Regional Considerations: Accounting for regional variations in web accessibility requirements due to legal frameworks, technological infrastructure, and user needs specific to different regions.

Collaboration and Expertise: Encouraging collaboration between accessibility professionals, linguists, translators, and cultural experts to ensure high-quality localization that balances accessibility and cultural relevance.

Opportunities related to localizing web accessibility standards include:
Enhanced inclusivity: By localizing web accessibility standards, a broader range of language communities can benefit from inclusive digital experiences, fostering a more inclusive internet for all.

Increased Awareness: Localization can help raise awareness about web accessibility among diverse language communities, promoting the importance of accessible design and content.

Knowledge Exchange: The localization process provides an opportunity for knowledge exchange and collaboration between accessibility professionals, linguists, and cultural experts, leading to advancements in both accessibility and localization practices.

Overall, this session aims to shed light on the critical role of localization in achieving web accessibility and to inspire attendees to consider the challenges and opportunities of localizing accessibility standards in their own contexts.

The online participants will join through zoom.