The authors discuss barriers and obstacles encountered by visually impaired persons while accessing websites and standards for designing and building such websites so that they can be used by the visually impaired. The discussion is followed by the presentation of the results of research on the accessibility of Polish university library websites for blind and visually impaired users. Selected websites were tested with two methods: automated procedures and qualitative-heuristic approach. The analysis of research results proves that Polish university library websites are below international standards as regards their accessibility for visually impaired persons.
The article focuses on Internet usage by councils of town and councils of community from the Malopolska region. Technical and substantial evaluations of websites provide a recognition of positive standards and negative parameters.
Author of this paper describes results of usability test's evaluation of Nicolaus Copernicus University library's web site. Those research was conducted by members of The Usability Laboratory Project between March and June of 2007.
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