Understanding of Digital Accessibility
Digital accessibility creates accessible digital environments and products to ensure that people with a variety of disabilities can use the service, product, or function.
People with sensory, cognitive, and physical impairments or disabilities must be able to enter both public and private areas, according to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which was enacted by the US Congress in 1990. The ADA has been expanded to include assistive or adaptive digital accessibility technologies.
You might be wondering what this means for your business and how to ensure digital accessibility. QualityLogic assists organizations in making the transition to digitally accessible technologies. We are the company to contact because we have over 30 years of quality assurance experience.
Electronic Accessibility Regulations
As of this writing, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) still believes that the ADA covers digital accessibility and has not explicitly extended ADA provisions to address digital accessibility.
Other regulations, on the other hand, can be examined through the lens of digital accessibility. Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires federal departments and agencies to make reasonable efforts to provide information through accessible systems to people with disabilities. If they are unable to do so, they must provide alternative access methods to the data and information that these information systems provide for people with disabilities. People with disabilities must have the same level of accessibility as people without disabilities.
The 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CCVA) amended the Communications Act of 1934 in 2010, establishing new criteria to ensure that current technology is accessible to individuals with disabilities. Title I of the bill establishes accessibility standards for “advanced” telecommunications goods and services, while Title II establishes standards for televisions, television services, television programs, and streaming video.
With the implementation of Directive (EU) 2016/2102, the European Union adopted its own legislation in 2016, harmonizing accessibility standards across the EU. A directive is a piece of European Union legislation that requires a specific goal while leaving the means to achieve it up to the member states.
Examples of Digital Accessibility
Typical examples of digital accessibility on a well-designed website include:
Images on screens are incomprehensible to screen readers and other assistive technologies, but their substitute text is. Every visual element, such as the option to examine an image’s description or the text added there, must have a full-text equivalent. Flowcharts, schematics, graphs, maps, menu buttons, infographics, and explanation-based presentations can all benefit from this.
A person with a disability can navigate using the keyboard instead of the mouse as long as they have access to a keyboard. Tabs should be used to move logically and reliably between sections, menus, form fields, and links, as well as to other content regions, on a fully keyboard-accessible website.
Page headings are important for navigation and information organization, in addition to aesthetics. The headings should be programmed with true header elements, and the information should be organized and displayed in a readable and understandable manner.
Due to factors such as the hue of the connecting light, links may be difficult for all users, impaired or not. A stable connection may be one of the most important factors for all users. Readers frequently seek identifiable relationships in reading aids. They do not, however, always appear. A successful link necessitates the following three elements:
Readability, which includes including the URL as well as using standard language.
Clarity reveals the substance of the connection.
By providing a description, uniqueness distinguishes the link from other content in the body text.
A website’s pages should all have identical or comparable styles, layouts, and navigation buttons to provide a consistent user experience (UX). Users can navigate a website more confidently because they know their experience will be consistent and error-free. It is critical to use icons and control components consistently, as well as to place repeat navigation links, including skip links, in the same location on each page.
How People with Disabilities Use Online Content
Individuals with a variety of disabilities face significant challenges when navigating digital content. Text-to-speech software or API may be required for the blind or visually impaired. Audio and video content may require transcripts or captions for those who are deaf or hard of hearing. The topic may need to be clarified for those who have cognitive difficulties. People with physical disabilities may also require content that can be accessed through various input devices, such as switches or eye-gaze sensors. Website designers and developers can create digital content that is accessible to a wider audience by keeping these various requirements in mind.
Consider Those With Visual Impairments When Creating Content
It is critical to recognize that not everyone interacts with the environment in the same way when it comes to digital information. Those who have poor or no vision, for example, must interpret information using a variety of cues. Several precautions must be taken before providing digital content to children. Every image, for example, necessitates a plethora of text captions. Audio explanations and closed captions must also be included in videos. By following these procedures, you can ensure that everyone has access to your digital data.
Create Content with Hearing-Impaired People in Mind
It is critical to consider the needs of all potential viewers when creating digital content. This includes people with disabilities who may struggle to consume traditional forms of content. Hearing-impaired and deaf people can use closed captioning to access digital content.
When creating digital content with closed captioning, there are several factors to consider. First and foremost, the captions must be readable and understandable. This necessitates the use of large font sizes and the avoidance of typefaces with intricate designs that may be difficult to read. Timely delivery of audio and captions is also required. Subtitles can be created manually or automatically using software that manually transcribes the audio recording. Finally, make sure to thoroughly check the captions for errors.
It is possible to create digital content that is accessible to people of all abilities by following these guidelines. Closed captioning is one method for making your content more accessible; other methods include audio description and sign language interpretation. You can create digital content that appeals to all audiences if you consider their preferences.
Summary
It is critical to ensure that anyone who visits your website can access your digital content digitally. Please visit www.qualitylogic.com if you have any questions or would like more information about our services.
