Eight and a half million of the nation's consumers are disabled and Web site design often unwittingly poses difficulties for many of these customers or potential customers. Since the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (DDA) came into force, a service provider's responsibility towards its disabled customers has become more defined.

According to Section 1 of the DDA, a disability is a 'physical and mental impairment which has a substantial and long term adverse effect on the ability to carry out normal day to day activities'. Section 19 refers specifically to access and use of information services and states that it is unlawful for a provider of services to discriminate against a disabled person. A person will be a provider of services if they offer, in the UK, any kind of service to the public - and please remember it does not matter that there is no payment from the user.

Design problems include the lack of text to describe an image - text can be converted into speech but if there is no description provided, a blind user will only hear the word, 'image'. Likewise for the partially sited or colour-blind user, problems can arise with the use of certain text and colour schemes.

Wherever possible, the service provider should consult the disabled person and listen to any suggestions and opinions they are able to offer you. In addition, a service provider will have discriminated where it (a) fails to comply with its Section 21 duty to make reasonable adjustments, and (b) such a failure cannot be justified.

As far as Web sites are concerned, reasonable adjustment may include the provision of an auxiliary aid or service, for example a sign language interpreter or audiotape for the appropriate sections. You should also review any policies and procedures that may hinder a disabled person's use of the service. However, it must be noted that the review of adjustments should be a continuing process, not something that can happen once and then be forgotten.

Jonathan Armstrong, Eversheds.