FTSE 100 firms ignoring disabled web access

Less than a quarter of corporate websites comply with W3C regulations

The vast majority of FTSE 100 corporate websites fail to comply with disability access regulations, research has claimed.

According to a study carried out by web-based applications firm LB Icon, over 80 per cent of FTSE 100 company websites do not meet the World Web Consortium's (W3C) regulations on accessibility for disabled users.

And in the last three years only 14 per cent of FTSE 100 companies have taken steps to ensure website accessibility for users with disabilities, the study found.

It added that 57 per cent of FTSE 100 company websites fail to comply with three or more W3C accessibility regulations.

The research suggests that companies should pay more attention to the Disability Discrimination Act, which stipulates that firms should make reasonable adjustments to the services they deliver so that users with disabilities do not encounter difficulties.

Richard Evans, head of design and information architecture at LB Icon UK, said in a statement: "I find these figures disturbing as many of them are the very companies that should be leading the way.

"Companies have got to realise that business and ultimately revenues will be lost if their websites are inaccessible."

According to LB Icon, companies should consider modifying text in colour and size for the visually impaired and provide alternative text and graphics that work with technologies to make access easier, such as voice browsers.

A similar survey conducted by LB Icon in 2001 showed that 95 per cent of such company websites were inaccessible to disabled users.