The Beginner's Guide to Website Accessibility

What to expect about Website Accessibility

What to expect about website accessibility is that it's not just about making your website ADA compliant. The law is important, of course, but website accessibility encompasses so much more. It's about making your website usable by everyone, regardless of their abilities or disabilities.

Make Sure Your Website Is Keyboard-Friendly

When you design your website, be sure to make it easy for people to navigate using only a keyboard. This means adding keystroke shortcuts for common tasks and avoiding the use of Flash or other plugins that are not accessible with a keyboard.

If you find that your site is not keyboard-friendly, there are a few things you can do to fix it:

• Add keystroke shortcuts for common tasks.

• Avoid the use of Flash or other plugins that are not accessible with a keyboard.

• Test your site using only a keyboard.

• Fix any issues that you find.

Make Sure Everything Is Accessible

This includes both text and multimedia content. Videos, for example, should have closed captions enabled by default so that everyone can access the information provided. Similarly, images should have descriptive alt text so that those who are visually impaired can understand what the image is about.

Another key element of website accessibility is using an easy-to-read font size. The recommended font size for most websites is 16 pixels. However, you may need to adjust this depending on your audience's needs. Some people require larger fonts while others benefit from a smaller font size. You can use a tool like The Visual impairment calculator to help determine the right font size for your website.

Make Sure You Choose Your Colors Carefully.

Choosing the right colors for your website can make a big difference in terms of accessibility.  Certain colors are easier on the eyes than others and can help people with vision impairments navigate your site more easily. The easiest colors to see are light blues, greens, and yellows. You should avoid using dark or bright colors, as they can be difficult for some people to see. If you're not sure which colors will work best for your website, several online tools can help you figure it out.

Add Alternative Text to All Images.

Adding alt text to all images is a crucial part of making your website accessible. The alt text will be read aloud to those who are blind or have low vision, it's important to make sure that the alt text accurately describes the image. You can add alt text to images in two ways: by using the HTML tag or by using the WordPress editor.

Create Forms for Accessibility

When you're designing forms on your website, it's important to keep accessibility in mind. The following tips will help make your forms more user-friendly for everyone.

• Make sure all form fields are clearly labeled.

• Include clear instructions for completing the form.

• Use a logical tab order so users can easily navigate through the form fields.

• Ensure that all form fields are properly spaced and sized.

• Make sure buttons and links are easy to see and click on.

Use Headers to Structure Your Content Correctly

Headers are important for organizing your content correctly. The main header should be the title of your blog post, and all other headers should be used to break up your content into smaller, more easily digestible chunks. This will make it easier for people to scan through your content and find the information they're looking for.

Avoid using tables for anything other than tabular data.

When it comes to organizing data, tables are the most efficient way to do so. However, there are right and wrong ways to use them when it comes to website accessibility. Tables should only be used for tabular data- that is, data that is arranged in rows and columns. 

The use of tables for layout purposes (e.g., positioning the text and other non-tabular content) makes the information difficult to understand and navigate for people with disabilities who use assistive technology. Additionally, using tables for layout can create problems when a table is rendered incorrectly or not at all.

Avoid Using Automatic Media and Navigation

One of the most important things to remember when creating an accessible website is to avoid using automatic media and navigation. Automatic media can be a real challenge for people who are blind or have low vision, as they may not be able to hear the audio or see the video. Navigation that is automatically activated can also be difficult for these users, as they may not know where they are on the page or what link they are clicking on. Instead, use text-based menus and links that can be easily accessed by all users. This will ensure that everyone has equal access to your website content.

Create Content With Accessibility in Mind

When creating content for your website, it's important to keep accessibility in mind. This means ensuring that all users, regardless of ability, can access and interact with your site. The best way to do this is by using accessible HTML elements and avoiding common accessibility pitfalls.

Enable Resizable Text That Doesn’t Break Your Site

One of the simplest ways to make your website more accessible is to allow users to resize the text without breaking the layout or design of the page. This can be done with a few simple code changes, and it’s something that all website owners should consider. The best part is that resizable text doesn’t have to break your site’s design it can often look even better than fixed-size text.