To ensure that people with a variety of disabilities can use the service, products, or function, digital accessibility creates digital settings and products that are accessible to them.
People with sensory, cognitive, and physical impairments or restrictions must be able to access public and private locations, according to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which was put into effect by the US Congress in 1990. The principles of the ADA are expanded to cover assistive or adaptive technology in digital accessibility.
You might wonder what this means for your business and how you comply with digital accessibility. At Quality Logic, we support businesses as they transition their systems to ensure digital accessibility. With over 30 years of experience in quality assurance, we’re the team to call.
Digital Accessibility Laws
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) continues to hold the long-standing view that the ADA covers digital accessibility as of the time of this writing and has not formally added ADA requirements to cover digital accessibility.
But other laws can be viewed from the perspective of digital accessibility. Federal departments and agencies must use reasonable efforts to offer information via systems that are equally accessible to people with disabilities, according to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. If they are unable to do so, they must offer people with disabilities an alternative method of accessing the data and information that those information systems provide. Accessibility for people with impairments must be on par with that of non-disabled people.
The Communications Act of 1934 was modified in 2010 by the 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CCVA), which added new guidelines for guaranteeing that modern technology is accessible to those with impairments. Title I of the bill establishes accessibility criteria for “advanced” telecommunications goods and services, while Title II establishes a number of requirements for the accessibility of televisions, television services, television programs, and streaming video.
With the implementation of Directive (EU) 2016/2102, which standardized accessibility regulations across the EU in 2016, the European Union has its own legislation. A directive is a piece of European Union legislation that mandates a specific outcome while leaving up to the member states how to get there.
Examples of Digital Accessibility
Typical examples of digital accessibility for a well-designed website include the following:
Images on screens cannot be read by screen readers or other assistive technology, but their alternative text can. Every visual element must have a full-text equivalent, such as the ability to view an image’s description or the text that was added there. For flowcharts, schematics, graphs, maps, menu buttons, infographics, and presentations that act as explanations, this can be quite important.
As long as they have access to a keyboard, someone with disabilities can navigate using a keyboard rather than a mouse. Tabs should be utilized to navigate logically and reliably between sections, menus, form fields, and links, as well as to other content regions, on a website that is completely keyboard accessible.
Page headings are crucial for navigation and content organization in addition to appearance. Headings should be coded using genuine heading components, and the text should be arranged and presented to be simple to read and comprehend.
Links may be difficult for users, disabled or not, due to things like light connecting color. A proper connection may be one of the most important elements for all users. Readers commonly search for identifiable hyperlinks in reading aids. They don’t always show up, though. An effective hyperlink must contain the following three components:
- Readability, which uses common language in addition to listing the URL.
- Clarity reveals the contents of the connection.
- Uniqueness, which, by providing a description, distinguishes the link from other content in the body copy.
To maintain a uniform user experience, a website’s pages should all have the same or similar styles, layouts, and navigational buttons (UX). Users can traverse a website more easily, knowing that their experience will be consistent and error-free thanks to this. It’s important to use icons and control elements consistently and to position repeat navigation links, including skip links, in the same location on every page.
How The Disabled Community Navigates Online Content
When navigating digital content, people with various disabilities face numerous challenges. For those who are blind or have weak vision, text-to-speech software may be needed. Accessing audio and video content may necessitate the use of transcripts or captions for those who are deaf or hard of hearing. For people with cognitive disabilities, the content might need to be clarified. People with physical limitations could also require content that can be accessed using various input devices, such as switches or eye-gaze sensors. Website designers and developers may offer digital information that is accessible to a wider audience by taking into account these diverse needs.
Consider Those Who Are Visually Impaired When Developing Content
It’s crucial to keep in mind that, when it comes to digital information, not everyone interacts with the environment in the same manner. For instance, those who have weak eyesight or no vision must interpret information using a variety of cues. Before supplying them with digital content, several safety precautions must be taken. Every image, for instance, needs various text subtitles. Audio explanations and closed captions are also necessary for videos. By following these steps, you may ensure that everyone has access to your digital data.
Design Your Content With Consideration to Those Who Are Hearing Impaired
When generating digital content, it is imperative to take into account the needs of all prospective viewers. Included in this are individuals with disabilities who might find it difficult to consume conventional kinds of content. Through closed captioning, digital content can be made accessible to hearing-impaired and deaf people.
Several considerations must be made when creating digital content with closed captioning. First and foremost, the captions ought to be readable and understandable. This calls for utilizing a large font size and avoiding intricately developed typefaces that might be difficult to read. Second, the audio and captions must be delivered on time. The captions may be manually written or automatically generated using software that manually transcribes the audio recording. Finally, it’s imperative to carefully review the captions for mistakes.
By adhering to these rules, you can create digital material that is accessible to users of all abilities. The use of closed captions is one way to make your content more accessible; other methods include audio description and sign language interpretation. You may produce digital content that is appealing to all audiences by taking their demands into consideration.
Summary
It is essential to ensure that your digital content is digitally accessible to everyone who might visit your site. If you have questions or want to learn more about our services, connect with us at www.qualitylogic.com.
