Web Accessibility

What is accessibility?

This article starts the module off with a good look at what accessibility is — this overview includes what groups of people we need to consider and why, what tools different people use to interact with the web, and how we can make accessibility part of our web development workflow.

Objective: To gain familiarity with accessibility, including what it is, and how it affects you as a web developer.

Whether you run an e-commerce site or a web development business, you want to attract as many visitors as possible to your website. And that means making sure as many people as possible can use your site–by prioritizing website accessibility.
Website accessibility involves making sure that your site is usable by everyone, including those with disabilities and impairments. There are a variety of resources, tools, and tips you can leverage to make creating an inclusive website a lot easier.
In this post, we’ll cover everything you need to know about website accessibility: why it’s so important, how you can check your site’s current accessibility levels (and barriers), and a complete guide to designing highly accessible web pages. Let’s get started!

Website accessibility refers to the extent to which a site can be used by individuals with disabilities.
This can include people who are blind or have low vision, those who are deaf or hard of hearing, people with mobility impairments, cognitive disabilities, and other disabilities.
It involves designing your website so that its content is available to and functional for everyone, including those who might use assistive technologies like screen readers, voice recognition software, or specialized input devices.

This idea goes beyond just helping individuals. It’s about embracing the diversity of web users and recognizing the importance of equal access on the internet. By prioritizing accessibility, you’re not only expanding your audience but also promoting inclusivity and social responsibility.

Who Manages And Enforces Website Accessibility Rules And Laws?

The responsibility for managing and enforcing website accessibility rules and laws is shared by various governmental and non-governmental organizations, each playing an important role in establishing and maintaining the accessibility standards we’ll cover later in this article.

Governments and governmental agencies.

In the United States, the Department of Justice (DOJ) is primarily responsible for enforcing the ADA, which includes rules for website accessibility. Other countries have their own governmental bodies overseeing similar laws and regulations.

International standards organizations.

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has developed the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), a set of internationally recognized standards that outline how to make web content more accessible to people with disabilities. These guidelines are widely accepted as the benchmark for web accessibility and are often referenced in legal requirements.

Advocacy groups and NGOs.

Non-profit organizations and advocacy groups actively promote website accessibility, often offering resources, conducting audits, and sometimes pushing for legal action against non-compliant websites.

Legal system.

The legal system often becomes involved in cases of non-compliance with web accessibility laws. Lawsuits and legal actions can be taken against organizations that fail to meet required standards, particularly under the ADA. Legal proceedings can set important precedents that create future standards for enforcement of accessibility rules.

Previous slide

Next slide

Web Accessibility Expert To Audit Your Site

If you have the resources, a fourth option is to hire an expert to audit your website. This is often the best way to get the most comprehensive review of your website accessibility, making it an especially good choice for anyone who wants to make accessibility a core value of their online business.
At Dream Host, we have Pro Services offering web design, website management, and more, which can include identifying and fixing any accessibility issues on your site.
Our team of experts will carefully evaluate your web pages and provide you with accessibility solutions for any barriers they identify. Contact us today to learn more about Pro Services or to schedule a free consultation.

Accessibility in Context

The power of the Web is in its universality. Access by everyone regardless of disability is an essential aspect.

-- Tim Berners-Lee, W3C Director and inventor of the World Wide Web

The Web is fundamentally designed to work for all people, whatever their hardware, software, language, location, or ability. When the Web meets this goal, it is accessible to people with a diverse range of hearing, movement, sight, and cognitive ability.

Thus the impact of disability is radically changed on the Web because the Web removes barriers to communication and interaction that many people face in the physical world. However, when websites, applications, technologies, or tools are badly designed, they can create barriers that exclude people from using the Web.

Accessibility is essential for developers and organizations that want to create high-quality websites and web tools, and not exclude people from using their products and services.

Accessibility is Important for Individuals, Businesses, Society

The Web is an increasingly important resource in many aspects of life: education, employment, government, commerce, health care, recreation, and more. It is essential that the Web be accessible in order to provide equal access and equal opportunity to people with diverse abilities. Access to information and communications technologies, including the Web, is defined as a basic human right in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN CRPD).

The Web offers the possibility of unprecedented access to information and interaction for many people with disabilities. That is, the accessibility barriers to print, audio, and visual media can be much more easily overcome through web technologies.

Accessibility supports social inclusion for people with disabilities as well as others, such as:

older people
people in rural areas
people in developing countries

What is accessibility?

This article starts the module off with a good look at what accessibility is — this overview includes what groups of people we need to consider and why, what tools different people use to interact with the web, and how we can make accessibility part of our web development workflow.

Objective: To gain familiarity with accessibility, including what it is, and how it affects you as a web developer.

Whether you run an e-commerce site or a web development business, you want to attract as many visitors as possible to your website. And that means making sure as many people as possible can use your site–by prioritizing website accessibility.

Website accessibility involves making sure that your site is usable by everyone, including those with disabilities and impairments. There are a variety of resources, tools, and tips you can leverage to make creating an inclusive website a lot easier.

In this post, we’ll cover everything you need to know about website accessibility: why it’s so important, how you can check your site’s current accessibility levels (and barriers), and a complete guide to designing highly accessible web pages. Let’s get started!

Website accessibility refers to the extent to which a site can be used by individuals with disabilities.

This can include people who are blind or have low vision, those who are deaf or hard of hearing, people with mobility impairments, cognitive disabilities, and other disabilities.

It involves designing your website so that its content is available to and functional for everyone, including those who might use assistive technologies like screen readers, voice recognition software, or specialized input devices.

This idea goes beyond just helping individuals. It’s about embracing the diversity of web users and recognizing the importance of equal access on the internet. By prioritizing accessibility, you’re not only expanding your audience but also promoting inclusivity and social responsibility.

Who Manages And Enforces Website Accessibility Rules And Laws?

The responsibility for managing and enforcing website accessibility rules and laws is shared by various governmental and non-governmental organizations, each playing an important role in establishing and maintaining the accessibility standards we’ll cover later in this article.

Web Accessibility Expert To Audit Your Site

If you have the resources, a fourth option is to hire an expert to audit your website. This is often the best way to get the most comprehensive review of your website accessibility, making it an especially good choice for anyone who wants to make accessibility a core value of their online business.

At Dream Host, we have Pro Services offering web design, website management, and more, which can include identifying and fixing any accessibility issues on your site.

Our team of experts will carefully evaluate your web pages and provide you with accessibility solutions for any barriers they identify. Contact us today to learn more about Pro Services or to schedule a free consultation.