Navigating a website with a disability can be a challenging experience. Different disabilities can affect how individuals access and interact with digital content, including websites, in various ways. Visual Impairment People with visual impairments may have difficulty reading small text, distinguishing between foreground and background colours, or interpreting complex images. Screen readers and text-to-speech tools can help, but some websites may not be optimised for these tools, making it difficult for users to navigate the site. Hearing Impairment People with hearing impairments may not be able to hear audio or video content on a website.
Closed captioning and transcripts help by providing a written version of the audio.
If they are not provided, it can be frustrating for deaf users who are unable to access the information. Motor Impairment People with motor impairments may have difficulty using a mouse or keyboard to navigate a website.
Devices such as the Sip and Puff switch can be used to navigate websites and other technology and can even help the owner control their wheelchair. The user either sips or puffs, which creates pressure, triggering an electrical signal to a computer which may allow them to access elements on a web page and click on buttons.
Using this technology means it takes more time to access different elements on a website, therefore as web designers or website owners, we need to make our websites as easy to navigate as possible.
Websites that are not optimised for keyboard navigation or that require precise mouse movements can be difficult to use for people with motor impairments. Joseph who has Cognitive Motor Impairment says:
“If I can’t easily navigate a website with my keyboard, I often just leave the website”. Cognitive Impairment People with cognitive impairments may have difficulty processing information, understanding complex language, or following multi-step instructions. Websites that use simple language and provide clear instructions can be easier to use for people with cognitive impairments. In general, navigating a website with a disability can be frustrating and time-consuming if the website is not designed with accessibility in mind. However, with proper accessibility features, including clear language, descriptive images, and compatibility with assistive technologies, websites can be made more inclusive and accessible to all users. By making websites accessible to people with disabilities, we can reach a wider audience which may mean more traffic and returning visitors. Now we know what sort of issues people with disabilities face when they use websites and other technologies, let’s look at some of the guidelines around web accessibility.