Web Standards: Accessibility - What You May Not Have Considered
Accessibility has become an increasingly popular buzzword in the world of web development. Its principles should drive all modern website design, but the reasons why they should may be more significant than you might first think. The definition of web accessibility is often oversimplified as the practice of creating sites that can be used by people with disabilities. This definition glosses over the business rationale of investing in accessible design. Any business or organization with a web presence needs to make accessibility a priority, not only because it will increase your site's visitor-base, but most importantly because it is the right thing to do . An inaccessible site is exclusionary, turning away would-be visitors with a lack of empathy that only a cold, hard machine like a web server can manage. Visitors who can't access the content on your site will directly associate this lack of empathy with your organization. Clearly, excluding users of your site for lack of accessibility is not just bad for your image - it's simply unethical.
I know I'm being a little preachy here, but with good reason. Given the technologies available for web development today, there is little excuse for making sites that are not accessible. With the ability to separate site content from format (see my article on this here), web developers, designers, and authors have all the power they need to create sites that can be used by all of their visitors despite any disabilities those visitors may have.
It is obvious that accessibility is important, but what is it really about? Accessibility is about more than addressing the obvious concerns of how individuals with vision or hearing disabilities use your site. It also addresses how someone with a repetitive stress injury or someone who cannot accurately control a mouse might use your site. It even considers how to allow access to your site by a visitor who does not have a disability but has a slow Internet connection and wants to view your site using a text-only browser. Generally, accessibility is all about being as inclusive as possible. The method of designing for accessibility makes sites that are usable by individuals with disabilities. Its also adds the benefit that the sites it produces are cleaner and more intuitive for everyone to use. I encourage web developers and CEOs alike to consider how the concepts of accessibility are applied in practice. The World Wide Web Consortium has published an excellent document here illustrating several accessibility scenarios. Check it out - it'll be well worth the ten-minute read.
So maybe now you've considered a bit more about web accessibility than you had before. Designing sites for accessibility is here to stay. Just like building architects must ensure that all people will be able to access every floor and room in their designs, web architects must guarantee that everyone will be able to access all of the pages and use all of the features in their sites. Rather than considering design for accessibility an obstacle, embrace it - it will produce a more intuitive website, and its use will better represent your organization in your market and community.
At Capstrat, we're committed to keeping up with the web. Our design experts will address and resolve your site's accessibility issues. Whether you have an aging site that could use a facelift or you need a new site built from the ground up, our designers, developers, and communications experts will help your business or organization achieve the future-ready web presence that you need to succeed in this digital age.
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