Web accessibility lets people with hearing, vision impairment, and cognitive difficulties access online content such as multimedia, electronic documents, and webpages. Part of this web accessibility services includes content intended to work exactly with assistive devices such as joysticks, alternative keyboards, or screen readers that individuals with a range of impairments use.
Examples of web accessibility accommodations
Here are four instances of web accessibility accommodations and how they can eliminate barriers for some consumers.
1. Presenting a high-contrast option (or "dark mode")
Dark modes, also called high-contrast themes; house people with definite vision disabilities by making text simple to read. As a substitute for showing dark-colored text over a light background, a dark mode shows light-colored text over a shady background.
The Biden administration applied a dark mode on Whitehouse.gov as a web accessibility feature in early 2021, and several applications provide the choice to switch between themes and colors.
As discussed, top-contrast modes should always be elective since darker color schemes can create fresh web accessibility issues for people with dyslexia, astigmatism, and other conditions. You'll also need to trial your dark mode carefully for WCAG conformance — irrespective of whether your "light mode" permits WCAG.
Even so, presenting a dark mode can be helpful. Many users find dark modes easier to read for long periods, and high-contrast websites are less likely to activate photophobia (sensitivity to light).
2. Providing optional captions for multimedia content
WCAG 2.1 success criterion 1.2.2 involves text alternatives for software content; captions are essential for pre-recorded audio content in synchronized media, for example, videos. The rules don't require elective captions — but makers should still try to make captions elective anywhere possible.
Though captions are useful, they can be disturbing for users with attention disorders, dyslexia, and other conditions, so try to select a video player with an on/off toggle. Anywhere possible, video players should let users change the font size.
3. Providing a plaintext alternative to HTML emails
Assistive technologies like screen readers are experts at reading HTML, but some email clients may not provide HTML newsletters correctly. Some users may favor evading emails with difficult visual presentations.
Providing plaintext and HTML versions of your newsletters give readers more regulation over their experience. Ensure your plaintext emails include all of the appropriate content from the HTML newsletters.
4. Presenting several authentication methods
Most mutual user authentication methods require consumers to remember usernames and passwords. Though passwords generate a cognitive function test — they involve users to recall information. This creates obstacles for people with memory issues, dyslexia, and other cognitive conditions.
WCAG 2.2 is likely to include a new success standard 3.3.7, "Accessibility Authentication, "which states
For each step in a verification process that depends on a cognitive function test, at least one other verification method is accessible that does not depend on a mechanism, or a cognitive function test is available to contribute to the user in finalizing the cognitive function test.
Your website can still require PINs, but you'll need to follow the top practices of accessible confirmation to ensure that the password obligation isn't pointlessly burdensome.
Designers should also study accommodation users by proposing authentication options. Authentication methods like third-party authorization and Web Authentication (WebAuthn) protocols, for instance, Open Authorization (OAuth) let users confirm their identities minus passwords.
While these aren't compulsory for WCAG conformance, they promote user retention- and may improve your on-page experience.
Wrapping up
All online web accessibility improvements have one thing in common: They increase the audience for your site. According to the CDC, around 24% of adults in the United States have some disability.
Optional features can ensure that your brand offers an equivalent experience for more of its users. Of course, web accessibility is considerably less expensive and more effective when adopted early.
Using the WCAG framework, webmasters can make practical enhancements to their content, yielding benefits like better search engine positioning and higher user retention rates.
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