Accessibility Ratings
Accessibility reporting and issue tracking for apps and websites
This program aims to develop an accessibility ratings app that will bridge the gap in accessibility information for software products. By crowd-sourcing reports from users and accessibility testers, the platform will provide valuable insights to users, organizations, and software providers, allowing them to understand and improve the accessibility of their applications.
Problems
Software providers usually do not prioritize accessibility because of cost, complexity, and lack of awareness, making applications they create not as accessible as they need to be.
The lack of accessibility of websites and applications excludes a non-insignificant user base and is a legal liability in the US and other jurisdictions.
Users with accessibility needs and organizations that serve them may struggle trying to find the most accessible applications or do not have easy options to report and keep track of accessibility issues encountered.
Solution
This project aims to create a platform that will bridge the accessibility information gap so that users, organizations, and software providers will know the accessibility (or lack thereof) of the software products they use or make.
Accessibility reports will be crowd-sourced from users and accessibility testers and software providers will have the opportunity to address and respond to the reported issues.
Existing accessibility checkers and improvements powered by artificial intelligence (AI) will also provide useful and actionable accessibility information.
By sharing and showing accessibility information, the project aims to increase awareness and priority on the part of software providers to address accessibility issues and make their software more usable and accessible.
Goals and Challenges
The project presents interesting challenges to problem solvers in various disciplines, including:
How is accessibility information summarized, presented, rated, and reported?
How can machine learning be used to rate the accessibility and ease-of-use of websites and other software?
How should a system that will collect (from users and automated systems) and track accessibility issues and information be designed and implemented?
How can AI be used to provide recommendations and educate people in the software industry to make more usable and accessible software
How can a system gain reputation as a reliable repository of accessibility information?
Call for Contributors
The project is ongoing but needs the continued help of volunteers and research-oriented groups with training or expertise in machine learning, data science, software engineering, user experience, design, program/product management, business/marketing and accessibility. Please e-mail projects@accessifiers.org for more information or if you would like to contribute your skills.