Website Accessibility: Ensuring Inclusivity in the Digital World

Design

Website accessibility is now becoming a legal requirement within your UX Ensuring that your website is accessible to everybody,   including those with disabilities, is crucial because millions of users rely on the internet for daily tasks. Any businesses and websites operate with the public should review and prioritise accessibility and help us all to develop a more inclusive online environment.  

What is Website Accessibility?

Imagine visiting a website and struggling to read text, navigate menus or access crucial information. For millions of people with disabilities, this is a daily challenge. The worldwide statistics are enormous and reflect the size of the challenge e.g  approximately1.3 billion people experience significant disabilities and even more shocking is realising 71% of users with disabilities will leave a website, that they find difficult to use.

Website accessibility ensures that all users, regardless of their abilities, can engage with digital content seamlessly. With new legal regulations coming into effect, businesses must adapt to remain compliant and inclusive.

As we can see if we start implementing accessibility best practices, we not only improve the user experience but we also expand your audience, enhance SEO performance and build socially responsibility around our brand.

Why does Website Accessibility Matter?

A truly accessible website benefits not only people with disabilities but also enhances usability for all visitors. From screen reader compatibility and keyboard navigation to alt text for images and colour contrast adjustments, accessibility improves the overall user experience. Moreover, compliance with legal requirements such as the EU Accessibility Act can help businesses avoid penalties while reaching a broader audience. Here’s as checklist:

Checklist for optimising accessibility on your website:

  • Inclusive user experience: Ensures equal access for all individuals, including those with disabilities.
  • Legal compliance: Helps avoid fines and penalties under laws like the EU Accessibility Act.
  • Improved SEO performance: Accessible websites rank better on search engines.
  • Enhanced usability: Benefits all users, including those with temporary disabilities or situational limitations.
  • Expanded audience reach: Accessible websites cater to a broader demographic, including aging populations.
  • Stronger brand reputation: Demonstrates corporate responsibility and inclusivity.

10 ways to get started improving your web accessibility

The first step to take is to review how accessible your website currently is – there many companies who can audit your site – they employ individuals with a broad range of disabilities including individuals with visual, auditory, cognitive and motor impairments. Accessibility is typically achieved through compliance with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) – see explanation below – ensuring that content is perceivable, operable and understandable. Here is a list of common fixes which you can start to review and prioritise:

  • Conduct an accessibility audit using tools like WAVE https://wave.webaim.org, AXE https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.deque.mobile.devtools.axedevtoolsanalyzer&hl=en_IE or Google Lighthouse. Page speeds https://pagespeed.web.dev/
  • Ensure keyboard navigability by testing all interactive elements without a mouse.
  • Provide alternative text for images to assist visually impaired users.
  • Use sufficient colour contrast to enhance readability for those with visual impairments.
  • Enable text resizing without content breaking or overlapping.
  • Include captions and transcripts for video and audio content.
  • Use descriptive link text instead of generic phrases like “click here.”
  • Implement ARIA landmarks to improve navigation for assistive technologies.
  • Ensure form accessibility by labelling fields clearly and providing error messages.
  • Test with real users who have disabilities to gain valuable feedback.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Website Accessibility

1. What are the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)?
The WCAG is an international standard that provides guidelines for making web content more accessible to people with disabilities. It is structured around four principles POUR: perceivable, operable, understandable and robust.

2. Accessibility laws – Who needs to comply?
Any public-facing website, including businesses, educational institutions and government agencies, must comply with accessibility regulations such as the EU Accessibility Act.

3. What are some simple ways to improve website accessibility?
Adding alternative text to images, using high-contrast colours, ensuring keyboard navigability, and providing captions for multimedia content are some easy ways to enhance accessibility.

4. Does accessibility impact SEO?
Accessible websites tend to perform better in search engine rankings because they offer a better user experience and comply with best practices for structured data and readability.

5. Accessibility tools – which ones do you need?
There are several free and paid tools available, including WAVE, AXE, and Google Lighthouse, that can help evaluate and improve a website’s accessibility. There are also many companies who specialise in Accessibility Auditing and will provide a comprehensive review of your website. This is great option if you do not have inhouse resources which can spend the time to do a full audit. Its also possible to get a snapshot option which will allow you to get going on any initial critical fixes. 

The Challenges of Making a Website Accessible

  • Initial cost and time investment: Implementing accessibility features may require significant resources.
  • Ongoing maintenance: Regular updates are needed to maintain compliance with evolving guidelines.
  • Potential design limitations: Certain accessibility features may restrict creative freedom in web design.
  • Technical expertise required: Ensuring full compliance may require specialized knowledge and skills.

In summary

Website accessibility is no longer optional—it’s an essential aspect of digital inclusivity. With upcoming regulations, businesses and organizations must take proactive steps to ensure their websites are accessible to all users. By doing so, they not only comply with legal requirements but also create a more user-friendly, equitable, and inclusive online experience for everyone.