Accessibility has been on the tips of tongues of those in the public sector for the better part of this millennium. From screen readers, to sip and puff, and even eye tracking or brain wave devices (electroencephalography), accessibility means different things to different people. This is particularly true when considering whom accessibility affects. When it comes to web accessibility, the answer is simple: everyone.
The good news is that making an accessible website is often the easiest type of website to build as it features straightforward design and content that is practically effortless to write. This will also give you the most attractive final product. So, why are so many organisations still posting material online first then thinking about accessibility second? The answer is as guileless as they come—they don’t know how easy it is to be accessible.
Accessibility legislation
As part of the masses putting information online, you need to assess what your responsibility is when it comes to accessibility. How far does your organisation want or need to go when it comes to offering an inclusive experience for everyone? Australian accessibility legislation states that WCAG 2.0 Level AA is applicable to all online government information and services (including intranet). It further states that, “Agencies that do not implement WCAG 2.0 for their intranet must accept they may be at greater risk of complaint under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and other anti-discrimination Acts.”
Taking it from there, we recommend considering bringing your website up to WCAG 2.1 standards, which were published June 5, 2018.
Enact change from the top down
As purveyors of online information, we have a sacred responsibility to ensure a multi-faceted approach is used in considering accessibility for all online materials. The first step to offering a fully accessible experience is to create buy-in within your organisation to ensure that everyone is onboard from the top down. Doing this is easier than you might think. You see, accessibility training works for managers because having their employees create content the accessible way from the first draft saves time and money on manpower. It can also save managers from having to spend large sums of money on accessible document remediation every time it’s necessary. Not to be overlooked are the complaints under the Disability Discrimination Act that organisations are subject to if they are not compliant.
For employees, having training in accessibility allows them to save time while creating documents and webpages. Most people don’t realise this before they receive accessibility training, but they certainly understand if afterward. Doing things the accessible way generally cuts down on steps and countless hours of editing and redrafting disorganised and unformatted content. In fact, accessible content is the easiest for all audiences to read and use, making it the best content. Better content means fewer complaints, which is less mess for senior management to deal with, and so on.
Remember, accessible websites are not just for people with disabilities. They are the best sites for vulnerable populations with lower education levels, a growing elderly population, youth, and people who don’t want to spend a whole day on your website trying to find what they’re looking for.
Rebuild from the ground up
The wheel works well once it’s in motion, but it is management’s job to make this the culture in the first place. If managers instill a zero-tolerance rule, employees are less likely to break this.
So, when is the best time to change the culture at your organisation? Think about any large web projects you might have on the horizon, such as revitalising your website and creating a new app. This is a great opportunity to create a culture of change and accessibility, while the wheel is already picking up momentum.
WCAG 2.0 AA crash course
Not sure where to start? Begin with these accessibility must-haves: design, colour, headings, hyperlinks, tables, language and PDFs. Make sure that you provide alternatives for users with disabilities (alter text, captions for videos etc.). Colour contrast ensures that text can be read easily. “Designing for the Colour Blind,” a recent article produced by Ben Jones of GHD Digital, outlines how “to increase colour-blindness accessibility, and how minor design changes can make a considerable difference.” This rings true for so much of accessible design.
Here’s a perk you might not know: being Accessible helps with SEO – Google is your biggest user of screen reading technology, and who doesn’t want to make Google happy?
Go above and beyond
The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), who publishes WCAG, notes, “that even content that conforms at the highest level (2.1 AAA) will not be accessible to individuals with all types, degrees, or combinations of disability, particularly in the cognitive language and learning areas. Authors are encouraged to consider the full range of techniques, including the advisory techniques, as well as to seek relevant advice about current best practice to ensure that Web content is accessible, as far as possible, to this community.”
Remember: accessibility doesn’t end with a site scan. Actual user testing shows issues that automated tools do not, as users employ diverse accessibility devices and technologies, so user-testing exposes issues that technology alone may not. Integrating real users in accessibility groups is the real end goal to ensuring your online presence is fully accessible. Try reaching out to your local accessibility groups and committees to get started.
Final takeaway
Having an accessible website isn’t just the law, it’s the right thing to do.
Meet Michelle
With 15 years of technical, professional and creative writing experience, Michelle plans, drafts and implements content strategies for our content services team. She also writes, edits and reviews content for our website projects and internal communications. She facilitates discussions with stakeholders to produce effective website plans and content strategies. Michelle also uses her expertise to run our accessibility services. Through research, collaboration and workshops, she strives to create and foster an accessibility culture both in-house and with our client teams, championing accessibility legislation and best practices in order to keep the web an open, transparent and accessible space for everyone.
For more information please visit www.ghd.com/digital or contact Michelle at Michelle.Teichman@ghd.com