Taking control of Web browsing

Abstract

Adherence to accessibility guidelines for Web pages does not necessarily guarantee a usable or satisfying Web experience for all persons with disabilities. The needs of many of these individuals fall outside the guidelines for accessible content that most Web authors take into consideration. Many of these users wish, for example, that they simply could 'enlarge' what is on a Web page. They also express the wish that pages would be 'less confusing'. To meet these needs, Web browsers and various software applications provide for a variety of ways in which page presentations can be altered. The effects of these alterations often have unexpected consequences. Some designs accommodate these alterations better than others. This article discusses one such application that allows users to control features of Web page presentation and explores design features that facilitate such control.