Accessible Google Search

Interesting to note the latest project from Google Labs - Accessible Search. It’s the same as the normal search engine Google provides with the exception that the results are prioritised by how accessible the website is.

Google defines accessible websites and pages as content that the blind and visually challenged can use and consume using standard online technology, and we’ve worked with a number of organizations to determine which websites and pages meet those criteria. Our methods for identifying accessible pages and content are always evolving; Currently we take into account several factors, including a given page’s simplicity, how much visual imagery it carries and whether or not it’s primary purpose is immediately viable with keyboard navigation.

Sounds like a great idea to me. If they can incorporate this logic into the main Google search we’d definitely see a large increase in accessible websites. It’s just a shame really that Google’s own pages are not standards-based or great examples of accessible web design.

Posted 3 years, 7 months ago

So a company that doesn’t adhere strictly to accessible ‘standards’ is now able to judge everyone based on automatic validation.

Great, this is another one I’m going to have to tell clients to ignore.

Andrew · www · 3 years, 7 months ago

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My name is Phil Lindsay, a web guy from Scotland, now living in Newcastle upon Tyne in England. I also run a web design company called Presence. You can email me at phil@xlab.co.uk, read more ramblings on my Twitter stream and view my photos on Flickr. You can grab the RSS feed for this weblog here.