The Scottish Motor Neurone Disease Association's new web site, launched on 13 September 2008, was a unique challenge. The goal was to create a web site which serves the needs of every member of the MND community, whether they are patients, family members, carers, medical professionals, researchers, volunteers, funders, or press and media. At the same time, the site had to meet recognised standards for web accessibility, thereby allowing people using assistive technology to get the most out of the web site. The site also had to be built on a robust platform to allow future growth and updates to be made with ease.
The new site was a team effort a year in the making which became a fruitful partnership between the Association and two professional web specialists in Glasgow.
The infrastructure for the site was created by Jim Byrne of Jim Byrne and Associates, one of the world's leading experts on web accessibility. He provided the content management system on which the Association's new web site has been built, QNECMS, a unique platform which generates accessible code and which can also be operated by people using assistive technology. This has allowed Association staff to work together to create the new web site without having to undergo technical training. Jim also provided invaluable technical expertise throughout the project.
The design and site architecture were created by Heather Burns of Idea15 Web Design. Having lost her mother to MND, she was able to combine her personal experiences of MND with the technical requirements of the project.
We are grateful for the assistance of our focus group of site testers; Shawn Lawton-Henry of the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative; and the Wise-Women web development community.
Accessibility is a journey, not a destination, and while we have followed best practices in the site's creation, we know that we can never guarantee full and complete accessibility. The Association therefore encourages and welcomes all feedback on the site's accessibility and usability and will work to make any changes required throughout the life of the web site.
If you are looking for help in making your web browser accessible, we suggest downloading and installing the RNIB Right Surf Toolbar for Internet Explorer or the Firefox Accessibility Extension for Firefox.
Accessibility