HTML accessibility: designing web pages that are accessible to people with disabilities.
Tags: webdev, beginners, devops, typescript
Published: 2023-02-15 06:57:13



In the current digital era, it's critical to make sure that everyone, including those with disabilities, has access to internet content. We know the process of creating web pages that are accessible to those with impairments using HTML as HTML accessibility. This article will discuss the significance of HTML accessibility, some typical accessibility problems, and the best practices for creating accessible web pages.

**Why is HTML accessibility important?**
There are millions of people with disabilities around the globe, and numerous of them use assistive technologies to access online material. For instance, a deaf person may depend on closed captions to interpret video content, while a blind person may utilize a screen reader to browse a website. People with disabilities may find it challenging or impossible to access the content of a web page that has not been developed with accessibility in mind.

Additionally, it's crucial to develop accessible web pages for legal as well as ethical reasons. There are regulations requiring websites to be accessible to individuals with impairments in many nations, including the United States. For instance, websites must be accessible to individuals with disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Common Accessibility Issues

Each form of disability has its own specific accessibility issues, and there are many different kinds of disabilities. The following are a few of the most prevalent accessibility problems that website designers need to be aware of:

 
1.Blindness: People who are blind may have trouble reading small print, differentiating colors, or navigating complicated layouts.
2.Hearing impairments: To understand audio content, people with hearing impairments may rely on closed captions or transcripts.
3.Motor impairments: People with motor impairments may find it challenging to access a website using the mouse or keyboard.
4.People with cognitive disabilities may have trouble traversing complex layouts or understanding complex language.

How to Build a Website That is Accessible (A Complete Guide)

It might be difficult to create accessible websites, but there are numerous best practices that web designers can adhere to to make sure their material is accessible to those with disabilities. We list some of the most significant best practices below:

1. Ensure That Your Webpage Allows Keyboard Navigation
Keyboard navigation is one of the elements of an accessible website. Users must be able to navigate your website without using a mouse for it to be deemed accessible. This is because many assistive technologies rely solely on keyboard navigation.

As a result, you should make sure users can surf and navigate your site using just a keyboard. This entails visiting pages, selecting links, etc. You can check this by visiting the front end of your website and browsing the page while pressing the Tab key. You should be able to navigate the page by pressing the Tab key. If it doesn't, you probably need to put in some work.

2. Use Colors with High Contrast
Low color contrast may make it difficult for some people to read text. Because of this, we advise selecting colors with a high contrast ratio, like black and white or black and yellow. All items on the page should be able to be distinguished from one another thanks to the color contrast on your website. Text, for instance, needs to be visible rather than slipping into the background. There are a few online resources you can make use of to increase visual accessibility. For instance, Contrast Checker may be helpful while selecting the color scheme for your website:

3. Offer alternative text for images
Make sure to include alternative text (alt text) that describes any photos you use on your website. By doing this, people who use assistive technology like dictation software and are unable to see the image will still be able to comprehend the information on the page.
Through your media library, you may add alternative text to photos in WordPress. Including alt text for all images on a web page can make the content more accessible to people with visual impairments.

4. Organize and structure content using heading hierarchies.
You can make your information easier to read by dividing it into smaller chunks. Because of this, structuring the information on your pages with headlines and lists helps improve web accessibility. Clear headings can make your pages easier for screen readers to read and comprehend. Additionally, it makes it easier for users of assistive technologies to browse your page's contents and helps with in-page navigation. WordPress advice to follow a predetermined heading structure, which calls for utilizing one H1 per page (usually for the header) and H2s and H3s for subsections.

5. Add transcripts and captions to videos
You should offer captions or subtitles for any videos you post on your website so that people who are hard of hearing or deaf can still enjoy the information. Screen reader users can experience your material without relying solely on the audio or visual components, with closed captioning and text transcripts.
With WordPress 5.6, you may use the Web Video Test Track Format (WebVTT) functionality to add captions and subtitles to WordPress videos. Simply add a video block to your page, then choose the Text tracks button from your horizontal navigation menu to access it.

Conclusion
HTML accessibility is a crucial aspect of website design that guarantees online material is accessible to those with disabilities. Web designers may help ensure that their material is accessible to everyone, regardless of ability, by adhering to best practices for creating accessible web pages.