Digital Accessibility

What is digital accessibility?

Digital accessibility is a principle used in web design and digital content creation that guarantees disabled users have the same opportunities to engage with that content as users without a disability.

In some cases, disabled users may set up digital accessibility tools to assist them when working with technology. Web developers and designers can use these tools during a new project to make sure of accessibility upfront, but there are other digital accessibility tools that help users. Screen readers or text readers that change the interactive experience are one example.

Types of digital accessibility

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines, or WCAG, set out global criteria that businesses should apply when building inclusive digital content. Using the acronym POUR, this is how the guidelines detail four key principles:

• Perceivable. Any information on a website should be presented in a way that lets every user easily perceive or read the page content. Inclusive and accessible alternatives have to accompany non-written content, like audio or visual media. The design of the content must also be responsive and clear, which helps users who may be using third-party software to access it.
• Operable. Every aspect of the digital content must be easy to use with the most common accessibility tools on the market. All users should be able to perform any function on the site, such as using the navigation menu by either keyboard or mouse.
• Understandable. If a user can access a site’s content, but doesn’t understand it, that’s not considered to be accessible. Using common interactive features, applying web patterns for each language or country, and avoiding complicated jargon are all important for digital accessibility.
• Robust. The technology used to create accessible digital content should be well-structured at the coding level. When the code itself is easy to read, the site operates better and assistive technologies can more easily do their job.

Basic elements of digital accessibility

On a single website or landing page, numerous features make up the content. When considering disabled users, teams should concentrate on key pieces of data such as:

• Navigation menus. Lots of disabled users navigate menus through keyboard tabbing. Designers should always format their navigation menus in a logical order, such as address bars to menus and subpages, then form fields and links. This makes the menu more natural for anyone using a keyboard instead of a mouse.
• Content structure. All on-page content should be structured according to a hierarchy within the page. Titles and heading should be visually distinctive while also in sequential order from Heading 1, to Heading 2 and Heading 3. Any lists should be numbered or bulleted to help identify the content as separate from the rest of the page.
• Text. The font size should be easily readable; its color should contrast the background. Color contrast ratios apply to both on-page content and text within graphics.
• Images. Like text, images require a color contrast that allows vision-impaired users to see them without strain. Alternative text, or alt text, should also be added as a description for visuals on the page. The alt text describes the visual in a sentence or two so that users with screen readers can understand the visual content.
• Multimedia. Sites that use a lot of video content should also provide subtitles or transcripts. Text versions of audio files should also be uploaded alongside the audio itself. Designers should also offer alternatives to animations or moving elements.
• Hyperlinks. Links should be underlined in bold font within the text. Links ought to employ more descriptive text than “read on” or “click here,” especially if there are many links within the content. Otherwise, disabled readers may not know which to click on if all of the links are the same text.

Benefits of digital accessibility

Making content accessible for everyone is essential. By applying better methods, businesses can expect:

• Increased customer numbers and improved satisfaction. Users will be more likely to stay on a site if they’re able to easily navigate and read the information provided. Their experience with the content helps boost overall customer numbers over time.
• Better usability for all site users. Many of the digital content improvements that accessibility promotes improve the site experience for everyone using it. 
• Business protections against accessibility lawsuits. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), users are able to file lawsuits against businesses for non-compliance if website owners aren’t providing accessible content. 

Best practices for digital accessibility

Making content accessible should be a top priority for businesses of any size. When moving towards more inclusive design and development, companies should implement best practices like:

• Keeping designs simple. More complex designs are more difficult for accessibility tools to read and understand so content is less accessible. 
• Regularly auditing backend code. As digital accessibility tools develop, so do compliance requirements. All digital content should be reviewed at least twice each year to ensure it remains accessible.
• Providing accessibility training. Developers should be held accountable for maintaining accessibility on all digital content. But this also means they must be trained on the latest accessibility technology and techniques for making content more inclusive. Regular training should happen to keep skills in line with current needs.

Ensure your company’s digital content is compliant with ADA requirements using digital accessibility platforms to identify accessibility issues and automatically fix common mistakes.