When designing the website for your campaign you need to make sure that the content and the services are accessible to the physically challenged and disabled individuals as well. There are a few simple tricks and tips to make your site more accessible the right way. In the following post, we will have a look at what all can be done according to Siteimprove.com to make a site more accessible to every kind of user all around the world.
The first thing you need to do is select the right CMS or the Content Management System for your site. Keep in mind that systems and tools like WordPress are the best way to implement content management systems for your site. So, without further ado here are the steps that will ensure the accessibility for your website.
A keyboard friendly site
Ensuring that your site is keyboard friendly is extremely important. This simply means that users will be able to access the site without the mouse or the laptop trackpad. There are various assistive technologies that are used by the physically disabled that rely on keyboard navigation.
Keep in mind that every feature of a webpage that includes the pages, links and every content needs to be optimized for keyboard usage only. The Tab function is extremely important as it allows the user to jump between all the keyboard and access elements on the webpage.
There is an easy way to test the domain. All you need to do is access your site using the keyboard. If you are able to pinpoint issues then you need modifications to ensure a keyboard friendly site.
Easily accessible content
It is not just about the keyboard friendly site; you must make sure that all the content is readily accessible as well. The content is usually never the problem except when of the dynamic nature. With dynamic content, the content of a page can change with reloads. This is problematic since assistive tools don’t do well with the change.
Screen-readers will only “read” content as it first appears on the site. So, if you want to make sure that the users on screen-readers do not miss out on content you need tools like the ARIA to make sure of the accessibility features. ARIA landmarks help you to tag content in clear order and explain it on-page.
ARIA tags show “live regions” for the dynamic content which can be accessed by the screen readers. ARIA also allows for more straightforward navigation and direct skips to the specific content. Users can even access the more link-heavy sections using the ARIA tool. Keep in mind that WordPress usually has provisions for ARIA as the default.
ALT texts for images
Alternative or ALT text on image files is extremely important as well since these can act as replacements for the images. If the image does not load on the browser of the user, the ALT text can allow screen-readers to access the written text to understand and relay the information to the user regarding the image file. Use the ALT text as much as possible to add attributes to the image as well as a description for the file. ALT texts are highly important tools as far as SEO is concerned since they supply more data for the search engine bots to crawl and collect.
About colors
Keep in mind that there are disabled people who are colorblind. There are people who perceive colors differently. The fact is not limited to the colorblind individuals but to the non-disabled individuals as well. So, it is essential to ensure that the colors and contrast used on your domain allows for the easy distinguishing of all the different elements listed on the page. You need to make sure that the text stands out from the background as well as use light and dark hues carefully so that they do not bleed into each other.
About automatic media and navigation
It is essential to keep in mind that automatic download and playback of media files are a hindrance rather than help when thinking about designing a webpage for the physically disabled. It is quite annoying when media files are automatically played or downloaded. Keep in mind that geriatric users might get frightened by the sudden noise or might fumble trying to search for ways to stop the automatic playback. Even the screen readers are no help when it comes to automatic media playback.
Structure your content right
One major concern for designing a Website is the structuring of the content. Headers, subheadings and the format for the article should make it easy for users to access and comprehend the content. Clear headers are also responsible for allowing screen readers to interpret and navigate pages better. Keep in mind that the H1 tag is for the title, H2 is for the sub-heading and H3 is for the body of the content.
Forms must be accessible
Forms are quite a useful addition but you need to take care during the designing of the same. Clear labeling and the placement of the same besides the respective field is also vital. It is important for users who are accessing the site with the help of screen readers. There are various tools and plug-ins that you can use to make the job easier.
Using resizable text
Devices and browsers allow users to resize texts. Resizing texts is extremely useful for users with visual impairment. However, you need to build the Website to support the resizable feature. Never turn off the scalability feature for the users and avoid absolute units when you are specifying the pixels for the text size.
Keep in mind these simple tricks and tips to make sure that your website is accessible to physically disabled individuals all around the world. Understand that web accessibility matters and make it your top priority along with the search engine optimization for your site. Take note of the flaws in the content and the design and make sure you make the necessary changes in the subsequent updates.