Making a website that is accessible to everyone, regardless of disabilities, is extremely important in this day and age. Failure to do so can even lead to costly lawsuits. Nowadays, everything is carried out online and we take for granted being able to order a pizza at the click of a finger. However, people who face barriers to content can’t share this luxury. This inequality is unfair and is what web accessibility guidelines and programs were invented to overcome. Throughout this article, we will let you know how you can help make your website accessible to all.
Table of Contents
Create Accessible Web Forms
A lot of websites require us to fill out our information, which can be quite difficult for people who suffer from sight issues. You should ensure that your web forms are clearly labeled, and any vital information is made readable by screen readers.
There are numerous sets of guidelines that need to be followed to be compliant. If you’d like some help understanding them, then look into accessiBe.
Be Careful with Colors
No one is telling you not to use colors, why would they? Colors are useful for making content engaging. However, if web developers aren’t conscious of correct color contrast, it can be difficult for those with color blindness to access information. If you want to become a true master, there is a handy google addon called “I want to see like the color blind”.
Provide Closed Captions for Dynamic Content
Embedding videos and gifs are all the rage, but they can be a difficult barrier for people who rely on screen readers. Whenever you use a video or gif, ensure you include closed captions for the benefit of screen readers. Further, developers can use ARIA to help bridge the gaps when accessibility issues cannot be addressed.
The same goes for using pictures – ensure you include an Alt Tag for images, for the benefit of screen readers.
Use an Accessibility Supported CMS
Make the correct choices right from the start. When you are building your website, ensure you use an accessibility-friendly content management system (CMS). Before you begin building, you should be able to see what accessibility standards the CMS conforms to.
Many people suffer from motor problems, which is a huge barrier to web access. With this in mind, you should carry out tests to make sure that your website can be navigated using the tab button and the arrow keys. Further, you should make sure that alternative hardware can be used.
Have Your Website Validated
Finally, you have to make sure that you have your website validated by putting it through rigorous accessibility testing. If you can prove that you have tested your website, you can contend with potential frivolous lawsuits.
There a lot more things you can do to make your website accessible, and these are just a handful. Whenever you create content, the best thing to do is find a list of all barriers and put yourself in someone else’s shoes.
