Nielsen Norman Group (NNG) is a consulting and research firm, specializing in user experience and usability. NNG conducts research on design trends around the world, across industries, companies, and user types. They have a number of publications that provide simple design guidelines that anyone can follow to improve user experience and usability, including reports on user centered design methodology and reports for special audiences like senior citizens, children, teenagers, college students, and users with disabilities.
The report “Beyond ALT Text: Making the Web Easy to Use for Users With Disabilities” is offered for free on the NNG website.
This guide provides information about the accessibility of Google Apps for technical administrators, CIOs, compliance officers, and accessibility specialists for prospective and current Google Apps for Business, Education, and Government customers. Accessibility training personnel may also find the User resources sections useful in developing and delivering training to end users. The guide is designed to give readers a summary of accessibility information for Google Apps, help users understand the current state of accessibility for each supported application, and explain best practices for implementing Google Apps to support users’ accessibility needs. The guide’s primary focus is on the accessibility needs of blind and low-vision users.
Universal Design (UD) is an approach to design that increases the potential for developing a better quality of life for a wide range of individuals. It is a design process that enables and empowers a diverse population by improving human performance, health and wellness, and social participation (Steinfeld and Maisel, 2012). It creates products, systems, and environments to be as usable as possible by as many people as possible regardless of age, ability or situation.
