Google Accessible Web Search for Blind and Visually Disabled

Google Labs has created a new search tool that provides Accessible Web Search for the Visually Challenged. It is basically a modified form of Google search that presents results with priority to websites that provides easy accessibility to the blind and visually disabled users.

Google Accessible Web Search will provide results that are prioritized based on their usability and ’simplicity’ of webpages.

In its current version, Google Accessible Search looks at a number of signals by examining the HTML markup found on a web page. It tends to favor pages that degrade gracefully–that is, pages with few visual distractions, and pages that are likely to render well with images turned off. Google Accessible Search is built on Google Co-op’s technology, which improves search results based on specialized interests.

Now visually impaired Google users will find it easier to search information from accessible websites and pages.

Some basic steps you can take to make your website more useable is by keeping Web pages easy to read, avoiding visual clutter and ensuring that the primary purpose of the Web page is immediately accessible with full keyboard navigation. Web Content Accessibility Guidelines explain how to make Web content accessible to people with disabilities. Is your website accessible for the blind and visually impaired?