Accessibility is Key
The internet has become a tool for everyone. There is no limit to what you can use it for, from personal communication to financial and government applications. It is absolutely critical that all can use these websites. This includes people who may have certain disabilities or some kind of accessibility issue. Applying web accessibility practices ensures that anyone and everyone can use your site. Here we’ll expand on this practice and why it’s so important.
The Big Picture
Inclusivity
We need to be inclusive while designing and building our sites. Using web accessibility techniques helps people have access to resources that they would not have otherwise. Think about how important it is, to have access to government, educational, and career opportunities. This leads me to the next big reason to know about web accessibility.
Laws & Regulations
Many countries have enacted laws and regulations that have made it so that web accessibility is mandatory for many sites. When you comply with these laws and guidelines, you not only avoid any potential legal issues, but you also show a commitment to social responsibilities. As well as resulting in a much better overall user experience.
The Nitty-Gritty
Semantic HTML
Now we’ll dive into concrete practices we can use, to achieve an accessible website. The first thing to think about is using semantic HTML. Using proper tags and semantics will result in screen readers being able to properly translate your pages to the clients. Be sure to utilize ‘main’, ‘header’, ‘nav’, ‘section’, ‘footer’, and other such HTML5 semantic tags.
Alternative Text
When adding images to your pages, it is best practice to add descriptive alt text. This also aids in the screen reader’s ability to properly convey your page’s contents. Instead of displaying images, screen readers will use this alt text to describe what that image is. Beware of using images to display important pieces of information on web pages. This key info may be lost in translation when being observed through screen readers.
Clear Navigation
Make sure that your web pages are clear to users and easy to navigate. Use a logical structure for your page’s content and navigation. As well as ensure your pages can be navigated with a keyboard alone. This will further the ability of your pages to be accessed by all.
High-Contrast Text
Consider the color contrast and the text legibility. Ensure your text is easy to read and has sufficient color contrast. People with visual impairments may be affected by such factors. There are many tools for developers to test and verify that your text is able to be read by all.
Browser Extensions
After all of this, testing your pages is a great idea. Using automated tools, and checking yourself, using browser extensions like Wave, is a great way to improve your work. This will help you identify things you may have not been able to recognize before. Using these methods to create an accessible website will ensure that you are serving the widest audience possible.