Understanding Guidelines for Indian Government Websites

Redefining Disability

Understanding Guidelines for

Indian Government Websites

By Mamta TandelHead – Accessible Development

BarrierBreak Technologies


Indian Scenario

Civil right of people with disabilities in India for:

• Equal Opportunities• Equal Participation• Equal Access

Understanding needs of different types of disabilities is important


Types of Disabilities• Functional

Disabilities caused due to some sort of:– physical,– mental &– sensory disability

• SituationalInability to perform an action, in a given situation, or under certain circumstances

•Age relatedAs we grow older we may get low vision or mobility impairment and need assistance


Problems faced by the Disabled

Traveling, Communication, Education, Employment, Leisure

Communication

Education

Employment Leisure


Discuss…

Let us discuss some of the common problems faced by different types of

disabilities


Points to think…

So what exactly should a website have in order to be accessible?

What do we mean by ‘accessible’ website?

What is Accessibility?


What is Accessibility?• The ease with which one can reach ANY text, link,

image, table irrespective of the type of device, technology, or assistive technology

• Civil right - Right to participate within a society on an equal footing with everyone else

Accessibility and Technology

Products should be designed and developed such that it can be used by people with or

without disabilities


Web Accessibility – India Scenario

• Web Guidelines for Indian Government websites


Guidelines for Indian Government Websites (GIGW)• An Integral Part of Central Secretariat Manual of

Office Procedure• Prepared by National Informatics Centre (NIC)• Adopted by Department of Administrative

Reforms and Public Grievances & Pension• Published in January 2009• Online: http://web.guidelines.gov.in/


Objectives of the Guidelines Ensure that Indian Government websites, belonging to ANY CONSTITUENT of the

Government, at ANY LEVEL, are citizen centric and visitor friendly.

It is advised that these guidelines be followed while developing or managing ANY:

• Government website,• Portal or

• Web based application


Contents of the Guidelines • Guideline document is divided into:

– 10 chapters

– Compliance Matrix

01 Introduction

02 Government of India Identifiers

03 Building Confidence

04 Scope of Content

05 Quality of Content

06 Design

07 Development

08 Website Hosting

09 Website Promotion

10 Website Management


Background• Indian Government has laid a lot of

emphasis on Anytime, Anywhere delivery of Government services

• Over 5000 Government websitesProblem

Websites follow Different look and feel as well as functionality

Solution

Need for Standardisation and Uniformity in websites


Why is Compliance to Guidelines essential? - 1

• Guidelines framed to make Indian Government Websites conform to the essential pre-requisites of UUU trilogy:– Usable– User-Centric– Universally Accessible


Why is Compliance to Guidelines essential? - 2• Also form the basis for obtaining Website Quality

Certification from Standardisation Testing Quality Certification (STQC)

• Guidelines are being circulated amongst all Indian Government Departments at all levels:– Central– State, and – District


How to use these Guidelines• Departments are expected to read, understand

and implement these guidelines on all of their web-based initiatives

• Though not mandated, it is advised that even Intranet applications of the Departments, which are mostly browser based, may follow these guidelines


Mandatory, Advisory & Voluntary

• Guidelines divided into 3 categories:– Mandatory – MUST

• Departments are supposed to mandatorily comply with

– Advisory – Should• Recommended practices or advisories that are

considered highly important and desirable but for their wide scope and a degree of subjectivity these guidelines would have otherwise qualified to be mandatory

– Voluntary – May• Can be adopted by a Department if deemed

suitable


Want to Implement GIGW?• Understand the compliance matrix

• Identify the your target audience

• Ensure that GIGW is a part of your RFP or Tender

• Test the product post vendor delivery


How can BarrierBreak help you?

• Conducting Accessibility Training

• Develop your Website or application keeping in mind GIGW

• Conduct Accessibility Testing of your products

• Contact us at [email protected]


Let Technology be Inclusive!• Assistive Technology

Products

– Visual Impairment

– Hearing Impairment

– Mobility Impairment

– Learning Impairment

– Elderly

• Accessibility Services– Accessible Web Development

– POUR Accessibility Testing

• Design Review• Template Review• Component Test• Product Accessibility

Testing• Task Oriented Testing

– Accessible Conversion• Digital Talking Book• PDF Conversion

• Events and Initiatives


Where to Contact Me?

email: [email protected];

[email protected]

office: +91-22-2686 0485/6

Connect with me at:

MamtaTandel