Nowadays, most of the things we do are done digitally and websites have become gateways to information, services, and communication.
It is used to make the content accessible by everyone, with or without disabilities that prevent them from seeing, understanding what is being said, browsing and participating easily in web content.
In this post, we go through what web accessibility actually means, why it is necessary for modern web development, and the issues that come along with not following it, and, more importantly, listing all benefits of having an accessible website, signs to work on to be an inclusive digital experience developer.
Learn the basics of web development with Web Development for Beginners.
What Is Web Accessibility
But this is vital to understanding what web accessibility really is, and how you can make your website with accessible features.
Instead, it concentrates on removing obstacles that restrict interaction or online content access.
For example, a user with visual impairments can use screen readers to read website content to him.
For example, if a person has hearing problems will usually require captions or transcripts for any video that they watch.
These are in particular people with mobility-related impairment whose navigation is preferably done with keyboard, not mouse.
The kind of web we want is a simple one: a world wide web where anyone can participate.
Why Is Web Accessibility Important
How Is The Internet A Part Of Life Now.
It serves as educational, healthcare, employer, consumer and social platforms for people.
Because without being able to access, individuals with disabilities continue to be pushed further from society – and digital exclusion is one of the many ways this gap grows.
Digital inclusion and level playing field for all.
Legal and Regulatory Compliance
A number of countries have implemented policies that mandate websites be accessible.
Examples include:
Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) in the U.S.
Canada: AODA — Does this law apply outside Ontario?
European Accessibility Act in the EU
That is a recipe for lawsuits, fines, and bad press if you fail to meet those standards.
Accessible web design reduces legal risks and drives diversity in content.
Improved User Experience
Note: Accessibility is not only about disability; it adds value for everyone in the UX.
For example:
Humans are visual creations, and good clear navigation can help those with cognitive challenges but will help all visitors.
Good contrast, so that your texts are readable, for a blind or weak sighted person, for instance, they also ease the use of the content for a mobile user under sunlight.
Video captions are intended for the hearing impaired, but they also benefit users that are watching videos in noisy settings.
Promoting cleaner design, enhanced usability, and more user-friendly websites, accessibility usually results in the same.
SEO Benefits
Websites that are easy to use and accessible are given preference by search engines such as Google.
Some accessibility bedrock elements—alt text on images, semantic HTML, good heading hierarchy—are also SEO levers.
What this means, is that an accessible website is not only doing a great job for its users, as it also leads to an increase in online visibility
Business and Market Advantage
More than 1 billion people worldwide experience some form of disability, the World Health Organization estimates.
Business is leaving behind a large number of people by not considering accessibility.
Conversely, accessible sites take advantage of this pool and create brand loyalty as well as demonstrate corporate social responsibility.
Key Principles of Web Accessibility
Standard for accessible design, the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) published in 2008 the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), which are always created based on guidance from W3C.
They encompass four main principles — known by the acronym POUR:
Perceivable – Information and user interface need to be displayed in such a way that is easy to see.
Example: Providing descriptions of images and multimedia in text.
Usable – The website is functional and serves the user’s purpose.
Example: Ensuring the website is navigable with a keyboard.
Intelligible – Content and navigation should be intelligible.
Example: Clear instructions and identical layouts.
These are the foundational principles of how we can make the web more inclusive.
Real-life Instances of Accessibility at Work
Alt Text: For the visually impaired, alt text is the text that is used to tell users what an image is.
Keyboard-Keyboard Navigable: It should be possible to navigate website via without a mouse movement through menus, forms, clicks.
Contrast between Background and Text: The text contrast must be high enough to be readable.
Labeled Forms: Labels on every form element for voice browsers to render.
Captions and Transcripts: Video and audio should be captioned or have a written transcript.
Responsive Design – Must be responsive for a screen size or a devices and or resolutions and this is for the better of disabled users as a well as the mobile users.
Common Accessibility Mistakes Developers Make
Even developers with the best of intentions miss accessibility.
Some common mistakes include:
Images not described with an alt attribute
Using color alone to convey a meaning (red = error).
Designing navigation menus that aren't keyboard-accessible.
In doing so they omit animations that can induce seizures or distract.
There are lots of common errors that if you avoid could significantly enhance the accessibility and usability.
Implementing Accessibility into Web Development
Tags such as <header>, <main>, and <footer> are semantic, or add structure and meaning to the code, which can then be easily consumed by assistive technologies allowing them to 'understand' the content.
ARIA — Accessible Rich Internet Applications attributes are used to make the elements easier to understand and use for users with disabilities, especially for the dynamic content.
Test with Screen Readers
Testing for screen reader accessibility Before developers confirm that devices will function with screen-readers like NVDA, JAWS and voiceover that are in heavy use, they should be tested.
Follow WCAG Guidelines
Obviously, following WCAG 2.1 standards gives us a quite solid starting point in terms of accessibility.
Conduct Accessibility Audits
Consider using tools such as WAVE, Axe or Lighthouse for finding and solving Accessibility problems.
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Consider using tools such as Axe for finding and solving Accessibility problems.
Involve people with disabilities in testing: The best way to guarantee accessibility, is to have people with disabilities involved in the testing phase.
You can discover some problems that will not be noticed with automatic tools.
Benefits of Accessibility for Businesses and Developers
More Potential Users – Millions of disabled individuals have the opportunity to visit you.
Enhanced SEO – Better listing and ranking on search engines.
Improved Brand Reputation – Firms that accommodate accessibility for differences are viewed as inclusive and socially responsible.
Trend-proof design – Designed according to accessibility guidelines, so sites remain compatible with new technologies.
More Conversions – You will generally enjoy a better user journey in an accessible website, and that means more sales or engagement on your website.
Conclusion
Web accessibility is a required standard and we must apply that in our profession.
Developing and building barrier-free websites assists the developers to offer equal chances to everybody in such a way that none is disabled from access to the web.
Accessibility is not only the law in most locations, but it also makes a site more usable, enhances SEO, and reaches a wider audience and increases trust in the brand.
In a society where digital communications are omnipresent, an accessible website becomes not only the socially correct thing but also the intelligent business approach.
We all have an obligation to make the web a welcoming place for everyone — as developers, designers, business owners, and otherwise.
Are you ready to make your investment in web accessibility and add Sight=Success=Innovation?
