Making your website accessible
There is widespread confusion as to whom and what the words “web accessibility” refer. Most businesses (understandably) expect their web designers to know about web accessibility. However, as the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) review of 1,000 websites found, 81% failed to meet even the most basic requirements. With new legislation, an accessibility industry (promising expensive help) has materialized. Even as a disabled, web designer myself, I have every sympathy for the business who is still simply hoping nobody mentions the words “web accessibility”…
Beyond the confusion, website accessibility means that the whole website content can be accessed by all visitors via the technology they are using. Primarily this indicates assistive technologies (e.g. speech readers, screen magnifiers and mouse-less computers etc). The myth is that web accessibility is only for disabled people. Web accessibility includes all people and web technologies – even “non-disabled” technologies such as ‘alternative’ internet browsers, mobile phones, TV internet, high resolution screens and low-speed connections. Accessible design simply means your website will reach the widest possible number of people.
Surprisingly, a few checks can be all that is needed for a small website to pass the basic requirements;
• The key to accessibility is testing. Ask your designer (or do it yourself!) to test that your website works on all platforms, screen resolutions and with assistive technologies. (NB: There is a misunderstanding that validation to “WC3 Web Standards” equals accessibility. It doesn’t.)
• Remove tiles or “noisy” backgrounds on pages.
• Use contrasting colours (e.g. light background equal dark text, dark background equal light text)
• Do not use framesets or tables for layout.
• Do not use images that contain more than 10 words of text information
• Remove flashing images.
• It’s tempting to add “text only” versions to an inaccessible website. Although this seems a “quick fix” it still does not guarantee accessibility and is largely seen by the disabled community as tokenistic. Demand the best for your company – integral accessible design.
If you have any further questions about your websites accessibility or would like a no obligation, FREE accessibility audit please email us at info@access-bydesign.com or see our accessibility pages on our website for help and links to resources.
Jess Loseby
For CoC