Unlocking the Power of Accessibility: A Guide to Creating Inclusive Websites

As a web developer, I believe creating an accessible website is a moral obligation and a legal and social responsibility. In this edition of our insight, I’ll talk about the importance of web accessibility, the standards and guidelines you need to follow, and the tools and techniques to create an inclusive website.

Our goal: To help make your website accessible to everyone, regardless of their disabilities.

The benefit of an Inclusive Website

An inclusive website can benefit both users and website owners by providing increased accessibility, improved user experience, wider audience reach, better SEO, and compliance with legal requirements.

An inclusive website has a range of benefits, including:

1. Increased accessibility:
An inclusive website is designed to cater to people with disabilities such as visual, auditory, cognitive, or physical impairments, allowing them to access the website’s content with ease.

2. Improved user experience:
An inclusive website provides a seamless experience for all users, regardless of their background, language, or abilities. This can result in increased user engagement, retention, and satisfaction.

3. Wider audience reach:
An inclusive website can reach a broader audience, including people with disabilities, seniors, and non-native speakers. This can lead to increased traffic, brand awareness, and revenue.

4. Better search engine optimization (SEO):
An inclusive website is more likely to be optimized for search engines, as it includes accessible features such as descriptive alt text for images and videos, headings, and transcripts. This can result in improved search engine rankings, increased traffic, and higher conversions.

5. Compliance with legal requirements:
In many countries, including the United States, websites must comply with accessibility laws and guidelines to avoid legal repercussions. An inclusive website can help ensure compliance with these regulations.

So, how do you make a website more inclusive? You start with making it more accessible!

Introduction to Web Accessibility

Web accessibility refers to the design and development of websites that are usable by people with disabilities. These disabilities can be visual, auditory, physical, or cognitive. An accessible website ensures that all users, including those with disabilities, can perceive, navigate, understand, and interact with the website’s content and functions.

According to the World Health Organization, about 15% of the world’s population has some form of disability. Therefore, creating an accessible website is not only a legal requirement in many countries but also helps you reach a wider audience and improve your website’s usability and user experience.

The Importance of Creating an Accessible Website

Creating an accessible website demonstrates your commitment to inclusivity and social responsibility. It also helps you avoid legal liability and potential lawsuits. In the United States, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires all businesses and organizations to make their websites accessible to people with disabilities. Failing to comply with the ADA can result in costly fines and lawsuits.

Furthermore, an accessible website also improves your search engine optimization (SEO). Search engines like Google prioritize websites that are accessible and user-friendly. By making your website accessible, you can improve your SEO ranking and attract more traffic.

Understanding Accessibility Standards and Guidelines

Accessibility standards and guidelines provide a set of best practices for creating an accessible website. The most widely used accessibility standards are the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).

WCAG provides a comprehensive set of guidelines for creating accessible websites. These guidelines are divided into three levels: A, AA, and AAA. Level A provides the minimum requirements for accessibility, while level AAA provides the highest level of accessibility.

To comply with the ADA, your website should meet at least level AA of the WCAG guidelines.

Laws and Regulations Regarding Website Accessibility

In the United States, the ADA requires all businesses and organizations to make their websites accessible to people with disabilities. In addition, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has stated that websites are considered “places of public accommodation” under the ADA. Therefore, failing to make your website accessible can result in legal liability and penalties.

Other countries also have their own accessibility laws and regulations. For example, in Canada, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) requires all public and private organizations to create accessible websites. In the European Union, the Web Accessibility Directive requires all public sector websites and mobile applications to be accessible.

Common Barriers to Web Accessibility and How to Overcome Them

There are several barriers to web accessibility that you need to overcome to create an inclusive website. These barriers include:

Visual Barriers

Visual barriers refer to the difficulties faced by people with visual impairments, such as blindness or low vision, in accessing website content. To overcome visual barriers, you must ensure your website is compatible with screen readers and other assistive technologies. This includes providing alt text for images, using high-contrast colors, and using descriptive hyperlinks and headings.

Auditory Barriers

Auditory barriers refer to the difficulties people with hearing impairments face in accessing website content. To overcome auditory barriers, you need to provide captions and transcripts for audio and video content.

Physical Barriers

Physical barriers refer to the difficulties faced by people with physical disabilities, such as mobility impairments, in accessing website content. To overcome physical barriers, you need to ensure that your website is keyboard accessible and can be navigated using assistive technologies.

Keyboard Tip:
Try navigating your website using only your keyboard. No cheating with a mouse! You should be able to use the TAB and Arrow keys to move through the site and either the Space Bar and Enter key to make selections.

Cognitive Barriers

Cognitive barriers refer to the difficulties faced by people with cognitive impairments, such as dyslexia or ADHD, in accessing website content. To overcome cognitive barriers, you need to ensure that your website uses simple and straightforward language, provides clear navigation, and avoids distractions.

Overlays are Not a Solution

You’ve probably heard us say this before, but overlay widgets are not a viable solution. Sure their marketing claims to fix all of the above issues. However, if the code to make the site accessible is missing in the first place, how does it know what to add? The fact is, they don’t.

Check out our Accessibility Resources page for more on why overlays don’t work.

The only way to make sure your website is truly inclusive is to design it that way!

Techniques for Designing an Accessible Website

Designing an accessible website involves several techniques that you need to follow. These techniques include:

Use Semantic HTML

Semantic HTML refers to using HTML tags that convey meaning and structure to website content. By using semantic HTML, you can create a well-structured website that is compatible with assistive technologies.

Semantic code is what makes a button, a button, and a link, a link.

Provide Alternative Text for Images

Alternative text, or alt text, is a description of an image that is read by screen readers for people with visual impairments. By providing descriptive alt text, you can ensure that all users can understand the image’s content.

ALT+Text Tip:
Alt text descriptions should be brief and convey the context and purpose of the image. Keep it around 160 characters and avoid starting with “a picture of.” Users already know it is an image.

Use High-Contrast Colors

High-contrast colors are easier to read and distinguish for people with visual impairments. By using high-contrast colors, you can ensure that your website is accessible to all users. Dark text over a light background is best.

Provide Captions and Transcripts for Audio and Video Content

Captions and transcripts provide a textual description of audio and video content. By providing captions and transcripts, you can ensure that users with hearing impairments can understand the content.

Free captioning tip:
YouTube videos can enable captions for free. If you use the free auto-captioning for your YouTube videos, make sure to check them for accuracy. All words need to be spelled correctly and sentences should include punctuations.

Use Descriptive Headings

Descriptive headings provide a clear structure for website content. Using descriptive headings ensures that all users can navigate your website quickly and understand the content. Make sure you page has only one <H1> heading and that it matches the name and purpose of the page. Use the rest of the headings like an outline.

Tools and Resources for Testing Website Accessibility

There are several tools and resources available to test the accessibility of your website. These tools include:

WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool

WAVE is a free tool that checks the accessibility of your website and provides suggestions for improvement. It checks for compliance with the WCAG guidelines and provides a detailed report of accessibility errors.

Remember that automated checkers like WAVE are only able to detect about 30% of accessibility errors. The rest have to be checked manually. Things like making sure the descriptions are correct and buttons work.

AChecker

AChecker is a free tool that checks the accessibility of your website and provides suggestions for improvement. It checks for compliance with the WCAG guidelines and provides a detailed report of accessibility errors.

W3C

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is group responsible for creating the WCAG criteria used for assessing accessibility. Their resources are reliable and include more than just the WCAG criteria. You can also find techniques on how to meet the criteria and examples of accessible code.

WebAIM

WebAIM is a non-profit organization that provides resources and training for creating accessible websites. Their website provides a wealth of information on web accessibility, including tutorials, articles, and checklists.

Making Your Website ADA Compliant

To make your website ADA-compliant, you need to ensure that it meets the requirements of the ADA. This includes complying with the WCAG guidelines and ensuring all users can access your website content and functions.

To comply with the WCAG guidelines, follow this guide’s techniques and best practices. You also need to test your website for accessibility using the tools and resources mentioned above.

Best Practices for Creating an Accessible Website

To create an accessible website, you need to follow several best practices. These best practices include:

Designing for All Users

Designing for all users means creating a website that is accessible to everyone, regardless of their disabilities. By designing for all users, you can ensure that your website is inclusive and user-friendly.

Providing Clear Navigation

Clear navigation helps all users find the information they need on your website. By providing clear navigation, you can ensure that all users can access your website content easily.

Using Simple and Clear Language

Simple and clear language is easier to understand for all users, including those with cognitive impairments. By using simple and clear language, you can ensure that your website content is accessible to everyone.

Using Accessible Media

Accessible media, such as images, audio, and video, ensures that all users can access and understand your website content. By using accessible media, you can ensure that your website is inclusive and user-friendly.

Conclusion: The Benefits of an Accessible Website

Creating an accessible website is not only a legal requirement but also a moral and social responsibility. By creating an accessible website, you can reach a wider audience, improve your website’s usability and user experience, and avoid legal liability and penalties. Additionally, creating an accessible website demonstrates your commitment to inclusivity and social responsibility.

Remember to follow the techniques and best practices outlined in this guide, test your website for accessibility using the tools and resources mentioned above, and comply with the WCAG guidelines and ADA requirements. By doing so, you can create an inclusive website that is accessible to everyone, regardless of their disabilities.

Accessiblü Can Help

If you are considering a redesign of your website, give us a holler. We can work with your team to ensure that accessibility is included from the very start. We can help with the design and development stages.

Need a company to handle the redesign for you AND make sure it is accessible? We can help with that too. Our parent company, the New Possibilities Group has been doing web-design for over twenty years. Together, we are your design and accessibility team.

Remember, creating an accessible website is a social responsibility that benefits everyone.