Website Assessment and Feature Metrics of University's Website Accessibility: An Evaluation of 15 Top-Ranked Universities of India

Abstract

Most Universities now use websites as their main source of information where students can interact and exchange their pertinent information. Web accessibility refers to the creation and design of websites, platforms, and tools for all people (abled/disabled). This study analyzes the usability of 15 of India's best universities as determined by Webometrics/QS Ranking 2023. Three key assessment tools—TAW, WAVE, and EIII—are customized for the website analysis. These tools show us the findings of a website's compliance with the WCAG 2.1 (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines). The assessment also identified a few recurring mistakes that could be fixed by simply including accessibility features. The total analysis's findings also emphasized the need for these sites' usability to be improved. The paper offers a list of errors that, if fixed, will benefit user groups with various disabilities, as well as useful recommendations for enhancing these websites' accessibility so that their intended audiences can access the information they provide without any hindrance.