The Inclusive Web: A Guide to Web Accessibility
In an increasingly digital world, the internet has become an essential part of our lives, providing access to information, services, and opportunities. However, not everyone experiences the web in the same way. Web accessibility, the practice of ensuring that websites and web applications are usable by people with disabilities, is crucial to create an inclusive online environment. In this blog post, we'll delve into the importance of web accessibility, its benefits, and how you can make your website accessible to all.
Understanding Web Accessibility
Web accessibility refers to designing and developing websites and web applications that can be used by people of all abilities and disabilities. This includes individuals with visual, auditory, motor, and cognitive impairments. Accessibility encompasses various aspects of web design and functionality to ensure that everyone can access and interact with web content without barriers.
The Importance of Web Accessibility
Inclusivity: Web accessibility is about creating a level playing field for all internet users. It ensures that people with disabilities can access the same information and services as those without disabilities, promoting social inclusion and equal opportunities.
Legal Compliance: Many countries have enacted laws and regulations that require websites and web applications to be accessible. Non-compliance can lead to legal issues and financial penalties.
Business Benefits: Web accessibility can expand your website's reach, potentially increasing your customer base. It also enhances your brand's reputation by demonstrating a commitment to inclusivity and social responsibility.
Better User Experience: Improved accessibility often leads to a better user experience for all users. Consider, for example, how alt text for images benefits not only visually impaired users but also those with slow internet connections, as it provides context in case images don't load.
Key Web Accessibility Principles
Perceivable: Information and user interface components must be presented in a way that users can perceive. This includes providing text alternatives for non-text content, ensuring sufficient contrast, and offering resizable text.
Operable: Users must be able to navigate and interact with the website. This involves keyboard accessibility, providing clear and consistent navigation, and avoiding content that triggers seizures or other physical reactions.
Understandable: Web content should be clear and easy to understand. This means using plain language, organizing content logically, and offering helpful error messages.
Robust: Web content should be robust enough to work with current and future technologies. This involves using standard HTML and CSS practices and avoiding deprecated or proprietary technologies.
Practical Steps Towards Web Accessibility
Conduct Accessibility Audits: Start by evaluating your website's current accessibility using automated tools and manual testing. Identify and prioritize issues that need fixing.
Use Semantic HTML: Properly structured HTML is the foundation of web accessibility. Use semantic elements like headings, lists, and labels to provide meaningful information to assistive technologies.
Provide Alt Text: Include descriptive alt text for images and other non-text content. Alt text should convey the content and purpose of the element.
Keyboard Accessibility: Ensure that all interactive elements and functions can be accessed and operated using a keyboard alone. This is essential for individuals who cannot use a mouse.
Test with Assistive Technologies: Test your website with screen readers, voice recognition software, and other assistive technologies to ensure compatibility.
Offer Adjustable Text and Contrast: Allow users to resize text and adjust contrast settings to accommodate their preferences.
Train Your Team: Educate your web development and content creation teams on web accessibility best practices. Encourage a culture of accessibility within your organization.
Web accessibility is not just a legal requirement; it's a moral and social imperative. Creating an inclusive web benefits society as a whole and offers numerous advantages to businesses and organizations. By following the principles and practical steps outlined in this blog post, you can make a positive impact on the lives of people with disabilities and contribute to a more accessible and equitable digital landscape for all. Remember, web accessibility is not just a checkbox—it's an ongoing commitment to ensuring that the internet is truly for everyone.
Apple’s NEW Accessibility Features
We are taking a look at Apple’s newly announced Accessibility features!
Today is Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD)! What better fitting than for Apple to release new accessibility features on Tuesday? Let us take a quick look at them!
Picture of a MacBook with new accessibility Phonetic Suggestions
In a press release, Apple detailed the new software, which will be released later this year and was created in collaboration with disabled people. "At Apple, we've always believed that the best technology is built for everyone," said Apple's CEO, Tim Cook. "Today, we're excited to share incredible new features that build on our long history of making technology accessible so that everyone has the opportunity to create, communicate, and do what they love."
Photo of iPhone with Live Speech showing
These features include Live Speech, where users type what they want to say, and it's then spoken out loud during phone calls, FaceTime, or real-life conversations. There's even a feature called Personal Voice for users at risk of losing their ability to speak, and it's a simple and secure way to create a voice that sounds like them. Point and Speak will be another sought-after feature, expanding accessibility for people with vision-related disabilities by permitting them to point their camera at a physical object with a text label (like a stove in the kitchen) and read it aloud.
Photo of iPhone Assistive Access Camera
This is an excellent way to raise attention around digital access and inclusion for people with disabilities. Stay tuned. As soon as I can get my hands on these features, I will. :)
ALL IMAGES SHOWN ARE COURTESY of Apple Inc. Images, video, and audio cannot be altered or modified in any way, in whole or in part without express permission from Apple.
Top 5 Accessibility Attributes in macOS Ventura
#1: Live Captions
Live Captions is a hearing accessibility feature that will use on-device intelligence to display captions similar to closed captions on YouTube automatically. You can change the captions by font, size, color, and background color.
This feature works across all the apps on your Mac, including but not limited to Final Cut Pro, Logic, MainStage, iMovie, and Garageband. Live Captions benefits anyone audibly impaired by helping them edit a video inside Final Cut Pro or multiple other tasks system-wide. One elegant feature is when you switch to the microphone mode (by clicking the microphone icon on the box that appears when Live Captions is activated), your device listens for the conversations around you and displays a transcription on the screen. I have seen this used in news interviews with NBC News for the TODAY Show! It's that accurate.
IMPORTANT NOTE: You MUST have an Apple Silicon Mac for Live Captions to work, and it will NOT work on Intel Macs.
How do you turn on Live Captions? Follow below:
Go to System Settings, then Accessibility.
Under hearing, click on Live Captions.
Use the toggle beside Live Captions to turn it on. You can also adjust the font type, size, color, and background color from here.
#2: Type to Speak With Live Captions
In addition to Live Captions, you can now respond to people during FaceTime calls with words. You can also use Live Captions on any supported video conferencing app such as Webex. All you need to do is type out your replies, and Live Captions will read them out loud to the other person.
How do you turn on Live Captions during FaceTime calls? Follow below:
Go to Accessibility
Under hearing, click on Live Captions and toggle on Live Captions in FaceTime.
Now, click on the speech icon in the macOS menu bar.
Next, select Type to Speak from the dropdown menu, and you're ready to speak!
You can now return to FaceTime and type in the box that says Type here.
Don't worry if you can't hear what you've typed. You WILL NOT be able to listen to your words, but the person on the other end WILL.
NOTE: The image in #1 shows this feature on! :)
#3: Voice Control Spelling Mode
Voice Control is a swell feature that allows you to dictate to your Mac while it transcribes your declarations into a text format. However, macOS Ventura's Spelling Mode gives you more control over the accuracy of the text result.
So, instead of saying names, numbers, or words your Mac might not recognize, you can easily use the spelling mode to input the desired text.
How do you turn on Spelling Mode on your Mac? Follow below:
Go to Accessibility, then click on Voice Control under Motor.
Turn on Voice Control.
Say Spelling Mode.
Once Spelling Mode is enabled, dictate each character to type it out.
And remember to speak Dictation Mode once you have accomplished spelling and would like to proceed with your dictation.
#4: Hang Up FaceTime Calls With Voice Control
If you're a long-time Mac user, you have already learned to use Voice Control.
It's a valuable tool that allows you to give your Mac commands, such as "Open Safari" or "Zoom Window." With macOS Ventura, you can use Voice Control to end FaceTime calls. So, instead of clicking on End Call, end calls by saying Hang up.
How do you turn on Voice Control? Follow below:
Go to System Settings, then Accessibility.
Go to Motor, then Voice Control.
Toggle the switch to turn on Voice Control.
#5: Background Sounds
If sounds around you easily preoccupy you, you'll benefit from macOS Ventura's convenient new accessibility feature, Background Sounds. You can now play soft, soothing white noise in the surroundings while on your Mac.
How to turn on Background Sounds in macOS? Follow below:
Go to System Settings, then click Accessibility in the sidebar.
Under hearing, click on Audio.
Turn on Background Sounds by clicking on the toggle beside it.
Click on Choose to select a background sound.
macOS Ventura has many new accessibility features that push you to use your Mac more comfortably. No matter the disability your vision, hearing, or motor needs, these new features guarantee an improved user experience.
If you are not on macOS Ventura, consider elevating your Mac to the latest macOS to appreciate the new accessibility elements and other hidden gems that come with it. To make it more enjoyable to use and have Apple be your go-to for your computer needs.
These are just a few of the new within macOS Ventura. I invite you to check them out TODAY! Let me know what you think of the features in the comments below.