Recently, I gave a Google presentation that included information on website accessibility and your potential customers who may need accommodations due to a disability.
In this blog, I’ll give a brief overview and highlight some of the main points that would help make your website easier to navigate for everyone.
I will also include links below for information on the ADA Act and website accessibility, Universal Website Design, and WCAG (Website Content Accessibility Guidelines).
Upgrading your website to be user-friendly and inclusive includes accessibility software and accessibility features. These features ensure that anyone and everyone who visits your website can easily understand your content and navigate your site.
Accessibility Tools on your website should include the following:
- Increase Text
- Decrease Text
- Grayscale
- High Contrast
- Negative Contrast
- Light Background
- Links Underline
- Readable Font
Depending on which software you use, your accessibility tool will appear on all pages of your site and look similar to this:
When a customer clicks on the icon, the following menu will appear and allow the user to change the display of your website for easier viewing:
In addition to the text and color/background features, your website design and posts should include the following:
- Clearly written image descriptions
- Clearly written alt text descriptions
- Contrasting colors for text and page background
- Content formatted to include additional line spacing
- Use of headers
- Descriptive text with links
- Avoid flashing or blinking graphics
- For embedded videos, include closed captioning and transcripts
These features help those who utilize a screen reader to access the text content of your website.
This is just a brief overview of what your company can do to make your website inclusive. If you need information on accessibility software for your website, please contact your web designer.
The cost of accessibility software varies depending on the size of your website and needs, however, there are some platforms that provide these tools free of charge.
If you would like more information on the ADA Website Compliance please click on this link: https://beta.ada.gov/web-guidance/
For an explanation of the Website Content Accessibility Guidelines, please click here: https://www.essentialaccessibility.com/blog/web-content-accessibility-guidelines-wcag
If you’re interested in Universal Website Design, please click on this link: https://www.section508.gov/blog/Universal-Design-What-is-it/
If you need further assistance, please email me at info@deantriolodesign.com
