Web accessibility award

Oasys, the software house of Arup, was given a Cybrarian Projectaward for accessible web site design by the UK Department forEducation and Skills in an evening reception at the BritishLibrary.

The British Computer Society, one of four awardingbodies, selected Oasys to receive the runners up award in itscategory, the BCS Technology Awards.

Oasys's website wassaid to offer a good balance of usability and quality design.

TheCybrarian Project Awards were established by the Department ofEducation and Skills e-Learning strategy unit to promote thestandards that characterise the Cybrarian Project during theEuropean Year of Disabled People.

Chris Yapp, chief judge,Cybrarian Project Awards, and Microsoft UK's head of publicsector innovation said, "We applaud the achievements of theaward winners.

"However, a worrying proportion of thenominated websites failed to meet the most basic requirements foraccessibility such as the use of Alt tags to describe graphicsand other non-text items, and contrast between text andbackground.

"We hope this award scheme will prompt webdesigners to give far more thought to accessibility issues".