What Does Accessible Mean? Why Website Accessibility Matters
You’ve probably heard the term “web accessibility,” but what does accessible mean? Here’s everything you need to know about website accessibility.
If you don’t have any disabilities or impairments, it’s easy to take your web access for granted. But for people with disabilities, that’s not an option.
People of all different backgrounds need to use the web. But what does accessible mean? Whether you’ve heard the term “web-accessible” or not, here’s everything you need to know about website accessibility.
What Does Accessible Mean?
Making the web accessible is crucial for people who have disabilities, such as blindness or Parkinson’s. It’s not acceptable that people might not be able to use the web due to a disability.
Because it’s not acceptable for people with disabilities to not have web access, the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities deems web access a fundamental human right.
This classification means websites must support social groups of all types. Web accessibility includes older people, people in rural areas, and developing countries.
Mutually Beneficial
Web accessibility is beneficial for both the consumer and the business. Because web design includes concepts such as usability and design for older users, consumers can engage with companies on a broader scale.
Web accessibility expands businesses’ reach and brings valuable resources to those less fortunate.
What Types of Tools Does Web Accessibility Produce?
Using alternative text for images is a standard tool to increase web accessibility. The text should include equivalent alternative text or (alt text) in the markup.
Without alt text, people who can’t see will not have access to images otherwise accessible by screen readers. These screen readers read the information on the page aloud so the person can hear what the image represents.
Alt text allows both blind people and people with low bandwidth to understand what an image represents. And why wouldn’t companies want this information accessible? What if it’s an image with their brand identity or and image of their product?
Many older users can’t use a mouse. A tool known as keyboard input does not rely on the mouse. The keyboard input transports all the computers’ functionality to the keyboard.
This way, people can use assistive technologies such as voice control to direct their web browsing.
Transcripts for audio allow those with auditory disabilities to hear audio files. The transcripts provide a written representation of the audio information and are essential for those who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Implementing these technologies is inexpensive and essential for website accessibility.
How Businesses Can Make Their Websites Accessible
Adding accessibility basics to your website is straightforward and inexpensive. But like anything else, change requires effort. There are common issues you should understand before implementing web accessibility tools.
Understanding accessibility principles, for example, ensure you implement the right technologies the right way. And secure checks can test the web accessibility technology you apply.
Start Making Your Website Accessible Today
Stop asking, “what does accessible mean,” and start implementing web accessibility tools. The worldwide web is a resource people around the world should enjoy.
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