How do I ensure my digital products are accessible to people with disabilities
Valentina, a bookstore owner I worked with last year, almost lost her entire online business because of a single, overlooked accessibility issue. She’d spent months building a beautiful e-commerce site to sell her rare first editions, but a screen reader user couldn’t navigate the product pages due to missing alternative text on images. The resulting class-action lawsuit, and the cost of remediation, easily exceeded $50,000. It was a painful lesson in how critical accessibility is.
Accessibility isn’t just about avoiding legal trouble – although that’s a significant motivator, especially given the increasing scrutiny under laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and, here in Nevada, potentially the Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) 603A.215 regarding reasonable security measures for personal information which extends to accessible data collection forms. It’s about reaching a wider audience, building a more inclusive brand, and, frankly, doing the right thing. More than 26% of adults in the United States have some type of disability, and many more have temporary impairments. Ignoring accessibility means excluding a substantial portion of your potential customers.
But where do you start? It can feel overwhelming. Here’s a breakdown of key considerations, broken down into practical steps, focusing on the most common digital products and how to ensure they are usable by everyone.
What are the core principles of digital accessibility?
At its heart, digital accessibility means designing and developing digital products – websites, apps, software, documents, videos – so that people with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with them effectively. This is often guided by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1. Think of WCAG as the gold standard. It’s a set of recommendations for making the Web more accessible. While not legally required in all cases, adhering to WCAG provides a strong legal defense and demonstrates a commitment to inclusivity.
How do I make my website accessible?
- Alternative Text for Images: Always provide descriptive alt text for every image. This allows screen readers to convey the image’s content to visually impaired users. Don’t just describe what the image is; describe its function within the context of the page.
- Keyboard Navigation: Ensure all interactive elements are navigable using only a keyboard. Many users can’t use a mouse, relying entirely on keyboard controls.
- Semantic HTML: Use HTML tags correctly. Headings (
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- Color Contrast: Maintain sufficient contrast between text and background colors. Low contrast makes it difficult for people with low vision to read content. Tools like WebAIM’s Color Contrast Checker can help.
- Captions and Transcripts for Videos: Provide captions for all video content and transcripts for audio content. This makes your content accessible to users who are deaf or hard of hearing.
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What about accessible documents (PDFs, Word docs, etc.)?
Accessible documents require a bit more effort. Simply creating a PDF doesn’t make it accessible. Here are a few essential steps:
- Tag PDFs: Properly tag your PDFs with semantic information. This is crucial for screen readers to interpret the document’s structure. Adobe Acrobat Pro has tools to help with this.
- Use Headings and Styles: Utilize Word’s built-in heading styles and formatting options. This creates a logical document structure.
- Check Reading Order: Verify that the reading order is logical and follows the visual layout.
- Avoid Images of Text: Whenever possible, use actual text instead of images of text. Images of text are not readable by screen readers.
Accessibility and Mobile Apps
Mobile app accessibility requires a different approach, focusing on platform-specific guidelines (iOS’s VoiceOver and Android’s TalkBack screen readers). Key areas to address include:
- Screen Reader Compatibility: Test your app with VoiceOver (iOS) and TalkBack (Android). Ensure all UI elements are properly announced and interactable.
- Touch Target Size: Make touch targets large enough and spaced adequately apart. This helps users with motor impairments.
- Dynamic Content: Ensure dynamic content updates are announced to screen readers.
Over the last 16+ years, my firm has worked with businesses of all sizes to implement robust accessibility strategies. We’ve found that a proactive approach – integrating accessibility into the design and development process from the start – is far more cost-effective and efficient than trying to retrofit accessibility after the fact. It’s about shifting your mindset from “compliance” to “inclusion,” recognizing that accessible design benefits all users, not just those with disabilities. Plus, it positions your brand as forward-thinking and socially responsible.
To explore related concepts and strategies, check out these resources:- What are the risks of not having a clear IT plan?
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