Why Is Important to Have an Accessible Website
Inclusivity: Everyone should have equal access to online information and functionality. An accessible site allows all users to navigate, understand, and interact with your content, regardless of their physical, cognitive, or technological abilities.
Legal Compliance: Many countries have regulations and standards that mandate digital accessibility, such as the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) in Canada, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in the USA, and the Web Accessibility Directive in the European Union. Non-compliance can lead to legal consequences.
Broader Audience Reach: With approximately 15% of the world's population experiencing some form of disability, making your website accessible opens your digital doors to millions of potential visitors or customers.
Improved SEO: Search engines favor accessible websites. Features that enhance accessibility also make your content more discoverable, and many accessibility practices boost your site's SEO.
Enhanced Brand Image: Demonstrating a commitment to accessibility can positively influence your brand’s reputation, showcasing that you value all users equally and are socially and ethically responsible.
What an Accessible Website Looks Like
1. Text Alternatives for Non-Text Content: Provide alt text for images, captions for videos, and transcripts for audio content, making sure information is available in multiple formats.
- Alt Text for Images: Offer textual descriptions of images for users who cannot see them, aiding screen readers in conveying the content of an image to visually impaired users.
- Captions and Transcripts: Include captions for videos to assist the deaf and hard of hearing. Transcripts provide a text-based alternative for both video and audio content.
2. Keyboard Navigation: Ensure the website can be navigated using a keyboard, allowing access to all elements of the site for users who cannot use a mouse.
- Tabbable Elements: All interactive elements, like links, buttons, and form fields, should be navigable using the Tab key.
- Keyboard Shortcuts: Custom keyboard shortcuts for common actions can improve navigability for keyboard-only users.
3. Clear and Readable Content: Legible fonts and high contrast improve accessibility for users with visual impairments and the overall readability of your content.
- Legible Fonts: Use fonts that are easy to read and distinguishable from one another, avoiding overly decorative styles for main content.
- Contrast Ratios: High contrast between text and background colors facilitates easier reading for users with visual impairments.
- Text Size and Spacing: Allow text resizing up to 200% without losing content or functionality, and maintain proper spacing to enhance readability.
4. Consistent and Predictable Layout: A predictable site layout and navigation help user understanding and navigating through the content, including for those who rely on assistive technologies.
- Predictable Navigation: Consistent navigation elements across pages helps users understand how to move through your site.
- Descriptive Titles and Headings: Use clear and descriptive titles for pages and headings for sections to to aid in content scanning.
5. Error Identification and Correction: Provide feedback in forms and other interactive elements to help users correct mistakes, which is crucial for users with cognitive disabilities.
- Form Validation: Clearly identify errors in form inputs (e.g., missing fields, data format errors) and provide correction guidance.
- Error Suggestions: Offer suggestions for correction or alternative actions when users encounter errors.
6. Screen Reader Compatibility: Ensure site compatibility with screen readers, software that reads digital text aloud, vital for users who are blind or have low vision.
- Semantic HTML: Use HTML elements for their intended purpose, like <button> for buttons, <h1>-<h6> for headings, to ensure accurate interpretation by screen readers.
- ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) Landmarks: Use ARIA landmarks to identify page regions (e.g., navigation, main content, footer), simplifying navigation for screen reader users.
7. Adaptable Content: Present the site's content in different ways without information loss, such as adjusting the layout or using high-contrast mode, to accommodate user needs and preferences.
- Responsive Design: Ensure your website's design is responsive, meaning it can adjust smoothly to different screen sizes and orientations.
- No Content Loss: Guarantee that no information or functionality is lost when text size is increased or the layout is changed.
8. Additional Considerations
- Skip Links: Include "skip to content" links at the top of pages to allow users to bypass repetitive navigation links.
- Customizable User Preferences: Offer customization options for user preferences, like color schemes or font sizes, to significantly enhance accessibility for users with specific needs.
