Note: Some of the content below has been gathered from several websites and has been edited for clarity and updated for current standards.
Why Accessible Websites Matter
Accessible websites are no longer optional. They’re a must-have.. You probably take being able to surf the web and easily browse content for granted. Most people do. But people with disabilities don’t have that luxury. If you have a visual, hearing, motor, or cognitive impairment, navigating the web can be at best difficult, and at worst impossible. According to , roughly 20% of the world’s population has a disability. Websites that aren’t accessible could exclude millions of people from getting the information they need.WebAIM
The mission of the W3C is to “make the web available to all people, whatever their hardware, software, network infrastructure, native language, culture, geographical location, or physical or mental ability.” By ensuring all websites are accessible, the internet becomes fair and inclusive, allowing everyone access to the content, information, and opportunities that the web provides.
Why You Need to Design Accessible Websites
Imagine what would happen if you:
Couldn’t use a mouse?
Couldn’t hear a video?
Couldn’t see text and graphics?
Couldn’t focus on what’s on the page?
That’s just a snapshot of the issues that disabled web users face, and they’re one reason why it’s essential to make your website accessible.
The Ethical Argument
The is an international community whose guiding vision is to lead the web to its full potential. When the web is fully accessible, barriers that prevent people with disabilities from contributing to or joining in with the physical world are removed. Full web accessibility also ensures that everyone has the same opportunities and is treated equally online, which we should all be striving toward.World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)
The Business Argument
Many countries have strengthened their disability laws, meaning failure to comply could be expensive. Recent laws in various countries impose significant daily fines for inaccessible websites. Since no one wants to take that kind of financial hit, designing accessible websites makes sound business sense.
On average, 20% of all people who visit your website will have issues accessing your content if your site is inaccessible. That means you’ve missed out on a lot of potential customers.
Accessible websites also perform better across the board. By using universal design strategies, your site becomes more user-friendly to all, not just those with disabilities. This will ultimately improve your site’s performance in communicating messages, streamlining navigation, collecting leads, and generating revenue.
The Legal Argument
If your website isn’t fully accessible, it could be considered discriminatory towards those with disabilities. Depending on your country, state, and where your audience is located, this could leave you open to lawsuits. Laws on accessible websites differ greatly. Government and public sector websites have to adhere to much stricter accessibility laws than some other industries. Research accessibility laws and guidelines in your country and for your business sector to ensure your site complies with regulations.
WCAG Guidelines: The Foundation of Web Accessibility
A good place to start when thinking about designing for accessibility is with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). These guidelines, now at version 2.2, form the basis of most countries’ accessibility laws. They cover four areas that designers must consider. According to WCAG, web content must be:
Perceivable: Helping people see and hear web content, whether in the browser or using screen readers and other assistive technologies.
Operable: Giving disabled web users the ability to interact with website content using a keyboard, mouse, or other assistive device.
Understandable: Content and interface operation must be clear and predictable.
Robust: Web content can be accessed by a wide range of technologies, including assistive technologies.
Practical Steps for Accessible Web Design
The WCAG document outlines several areas that web designers can address to meet compliance levels from A (the lowest) to AAA (the highest). Here are some of them:
Include alternative (alt) text to describe non-textual content such as images, which is essential for screen readers.
Structure documents so they can be easily navigated by both keyboard and mouse.
Use the proper markup for tables so that screen readers can understand them.
Make it easy for people to fill out forms by including correct labels for all form elements. Avoid putting time limits on form filling.
Use links that make sense and are descriptive. Avoid “click here.”
Structure pages so disabled users can easily move around the screen and skip certain elements as needed.
Make sure that the page design doesn’t rely on color for meaning and consider color contrasts for visually impaired users.
Keep content clear and easy to understand, displayed using easily readable fonts and appropriate heading styles.
Use semantic markup to identify different content elements.
Use tables for tabular data, not for layout. Layout tables cause confusion for screen readers.
Use an accessible form builder to ensure all forms on your website are usable by everyone.
Testing Your Website’s Accessibility
If you’re worried about your existing website, you can use several tools to check:
The WAVE accessibility evaluation tool from WebAIM
Other free web-based accessibility checkers
Online text-only browsers to see how your website appears to a screen reader
It may also be prudent to hire a firm that specializes in accessibility. One such company is Weco. They employ people with disabilities who are experts on WCAG guidelines and various accessibility laws worldwide. Weco examines the code of your website and provides ways to resolve accessibility issues at the code level.
The Role of Responsive Design
Responsive web design can help with accessibility. Grid-based layouts help visually impaired users read and navigate content across devices without excessive scrolling or resizing. Techniques like progressive enhancement benefit assistive technology users, while progressive disclosure works for those with cognitive disabilities. Combining responsive design with accessibility guidelines provides a more inclusive web experience for all users.
A Warning About Accessibility Overlays
I want to warn against using so-called accessibility overlays. These promise accessibility through AI, but instead make it difficult for people with disabilities to actually use the website. The overlay creates an additional interface that needs to be learned, so the user must learn both your website and the overlay. And even after all that, the overlay still doesn’t deliver on its promise of accessibility. Here are some resources to learn more:
Should I Use An Accessibility Overlay?
The Dangerous Path of the Accessibility Overlay
AccessiByeBye, a browser extension that blocks overlays
Getting Accessibility Feedback
It’s helpful to ask for feedback from your customers with disabilities regarding the accessibility and usability of your website. If you receive feedback that your site is not accessible, further investigation is in order. It could be that your site genuinely lacks accessibility. However, it could also be that an individual would benefit from assistive technology training. Resources like the APH Directory of Services can connect individuals with rehabilitation services in their area. Companies that provide access technology training, such as Web Friendly Help, are another option.
FAQ
What’s web accessibility?
Web accessibility means designing websites so that people with disabilities, including visual, hearing, motor, and cognitive impairments, can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with the web.
What are the WCAG guidelines?
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are international standards published by the W3C that define how to make web content more accessible. The current version is WCAG 2.2, and most countries’ accessibility laws are based on these guidelines.
Can I get sued for having an inaccessible website?
Yes. Depending on your country and jurisdiction, an inaccessible website could be considered discriminatory, leaving you open to lawsuits and potentially significant fines.
Are accessibility overlays a good solution?
No. Accessibility overlays create additional barriers for people with disabilities rather than removing them. The Overlay Fact Sheet provides detailed information on why overlays are problematic.
How can I test my website for accessibility?
Tools like the WAVE evaluation tool and various free accessibility checkers can help identify issues. For a thorough evaluation, consider hiring an accessibility firm like Weco that employs people with disabilities as testers.
Conclusion
Thank you for taking web accessibility seriously. Your customers with disabilities truly appreciate it. Whether you’re building a new site or improving an existing one, following WCAG guidelines and testing with real assistive technology users will go a long way toward making the web a better place for everyone.
See the Web Friendly Help accessibility resources page for additional help, and feel free to get in touch if you need assistance making your website accessible.
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This is a fantastic post on a crucial topic! Designing for accessibility is not only a legal requirement, but it also makes the web a more inclusive and user-friendly place for people with disabilities. I appreciate the practical tips and insights provided in this article. I will make sure to keep these in mind as I continue to design and develop websites. Thanks for spreading awareness on this important issue!
Great points indeed! This is the next big change and challenge that has emerged for the website designers. It is not something that will be happening in near future, it is very much here and there could be more than potential losses if these guidelines are not adhered to. You could be sued by the disabled people and then you can lose out on a vast potential customer base as one in four Americans suffer from some kind of disability.