Accessibility has become crucial in today’s digital world. Suppose you visit a website and are not able to use it because of a visual impairment or some form of auditory challenge that makes video content inaccessible. This happens to millions of people across the world.
Web accessibility ensures that everyone, whether disabled or not, has equal opportunities to access online information and services. The practice of inclusive design helps businesses adhere to legal requirements, such as ADA compliance and enhances the user experience for every visitor.
This blog post by FOR® will discuss the best practices in achieving web accessibility, which is also essential to create digital inclusion. We will explore the guiding principles and tools, common mistakes, and why inclusive design drives positive user experiences.
Understanding Web Accessibility
Web accessibility means to make websites usable by everyone regardless of their abilities or disabilities. Businesses and developers should follow different practices and strategies that aim at allowing users with any kind of disabilities to access web contents with ease.
Other than pure legal duty, there is a moral obligation to make reasonable adjustments, and make the web design inclusive. The ADA has set standards for public space accessibility, and websites are also included in this. If the mentioned parties fail to comply with this, it could also be very serious in terms of possible legal consequences and would affect adversely on the reputation and finances of a business.
Designing an accessible website enhances the user experience. Many accessible design principles align with the principles of a good design. For example, clear navigation and readable text help everyone, not just those who are having difficulties.
Principles of Accessible Design
An accessible website will have to follow the four important principles of perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust, commonly termed POUR criteria.
Perceivable
Web content should be easily perceived by users. This includes things like the alt text of images, captioning videos, and the color contrast of the foreground to the background, which should be adequate for visually impaired users. For example, dark text over a light background often tends to be more readable and accessible.
Usable
Websites should be navigable and usable. That means interfaces should be designed so that a website is fully navigable using a keyboard since some users only rely on keyboard shortcuts instead of the mouse for convenience.
Also, avoiding time-limited content will be very helpful since it could be quite difficult for users who need more time to interact with web elements.
Understandable
Every content should be clear and logical. This comprises using simple, jargon-free language and providing easy navigation. Forms need have clear instructions and, therefore, intuitive layouts, guiding users through completion with no confusion.
Robust
The site should be developed to work well with a variety of different tools, including assistive technologies such as screen readers. For example, using the semantic HTML, using appropriate tags for headings and paragraphs, enhances compatibility since this conveys the right information to assistive technologies themselves.
Testing Accessibility Tools and Resources
Several tools are available to test a website’s accessibility. Automated tools like WAVE, Axe, and Google Lighthouse scan a website for accessibility and show any failures that need improvement.
As much as testing with automated tools is advantageous, it is equally important to perform manual testing. This includes testing the site using keyboard navigation. You should also test the screen reader to make sure all functions are working as expected.
User feedback from persons with disabilities can help identify real-life accessibility issues that automated tools might miss. So, the manual testing will provide very useful insights for improvement.
Common Accessibility Mistakes to Avoid
There are some common mistakes that affect web accessibility and must be avoided. Let’s discuss them.
Missing Alt Text
You are not including descriptive alt text for images, which can leave your visually impaired users in the dark regarding you image or what is it about. It is very important to add informative descriptions of the alt text of each visual to add context to it.
Poor Color Contrast
Poor color differentiations of text and background make it difficult for visually impaired users. Maintaining a good readability ratio of 4.5:1 for text is recommended.
Inaccessible Forms
Forms should be labeled accordingly; placeholder text should not be used it disappears when a user starts to fill out the form, which creates confusion. Obviously, error messages must be clear to enable the user to make any corrections if needed.
Non-Descriptive Links
The use of uninformative phrasing in links, such as “click here,” has the potential to confuse screen readers. Make sure to never use uninformative phrasing in links. Instead, ensure that links clearly state the purpose and describe where this link will take the user.
Accessibility through Inclusive Design
Inclusion is all about removing barriers, but inclusive design is a designing practice to include everyone. Inclusive design thinks of the wide variety of users’ needs according to their ages, backgrounds, and cognitive abilities. For example, simple language can improve comprehension for users from diverse backgrounds.
Companies that effectively implement inclusive design principles often see higher user satisfaction. They recognize that catering to a broad audience benefits not only individuals with disabilities but also enhances the overall experience for all users.
Accessibility in the Implementation of Website Development
Accessibility needs to be part of the development process from day one. This will prevent the need for extensive revisions later in the process. The participation of designers, developers, and the content team creates accountability and shared ownership of the project regarding accessibility. Continuous improvement should be part of the website’s evolution; staying updated with the latest accessibility standards keeps the website inclusive.
Conclusion
Making accessible websites is not an added responsibility. It’s an important practice that would help improve everyone’s user experience. By understanding and reflecting on the principles of web accessibility, encouraging an inclusive design, businesses can ensure that their websites are friendly and inviting for everybody.
We can conclude that testing and refining accessibility features is a collective activity that requires continuous effort. This means it is very important that businesses revisit their websites for accessibility and follow best practices that considered the cause of inclusivity. After all, accessible website design is more than mere legal compliance; it involves accepting our common humanity by guaranteeing equal access to the digital world.
You can contact Toni Hukkanen, the head of FOR® Branding and Marketing Agency to create an accessible website that will not only improve user experience but improve user retention as well.