Creating Accessible Digital Content: Best Practices
In today's digital world, ensuring your content is accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities, is not just a matter of ethics but also a legal requirement in many regions. Creating accessible digital content opens your information to a wider audience and improves the overall user experience for everyone. This article provides practical tips for making your websites, documents, and videos accessible.
Why Accessibility Matters
Accessibility ensures that people with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with digital content. This includes people with visual, auditory, motor, and cognitive impairments. By implementing accessibility best practices, you are creating a more inclusive and equitable online environment. You can learn more about Mulled and our commitment to accessible design.
1. Understanding Accessibility Standards (WCAG)
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are the internationally recognised standard for web accessibility. Developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), WCAG provides a set of guidelines for making web content more accessible to people with disabilities.
WCAG Principles: POUR
WCAG is based on four core principles, often referred to as POUR:
Perceivable: Information and user interface components must be presentable to users in ways they can perceive.
Operable: User interface components and navigation must be operable.
Understandable: Information and the operation of the user interface must be understandable.
Robust: Content must be robust enough that it can be interpreted reliably by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies.
WCAG Conformance Levels
WCAG has three levels of conformance: A, AA, and AAA. Level A is the most basic level of accessibility, while Level AAA is the most comprehensive. Most organisations aim for Level AA conformance, as it provides a good balance between accessibility and feasibility.
Level A: Addresses the most critical accessibility barriers.
Level AA: Addresses a wider range of accessibility issues and is the generally accepted target for most websites.
Level AAA: The highest level of accessibility, addressing all accessibility guidelines. Achieving this level is not always possible for all content.
2. Designing Websites for Accessibility
Website design plays a crucial role in accessibility. Here are some key considerations:
Semantic HTML
Use semantic HTML elements to structure your content. This helps assistive technologies understand the purpose of different elements on the page. For example, use `
Example: Instead of using `
` to `` elements.Alternative Text for Images
Alternative Text for Images
Provide descriptive alternative text (alt text) for all images. This allows screen readers to convey the content of the image to users who cannot see it. Keep alt text concise and informative.
Example: `
`
Keyboard Navigation
Ensure that your website is fully navigable using the keyboard. Users who cannot use a mouse rely on keyboard navigation to access content. Test your website using only the keyboard to identify any potential issues.
Common mistake to avoid: Relying solely on mouse-based interactions for key functionality.
Colour Contrast
Use sufficient colour contrast between text and background. This makes it easier for users with low vision to read the text. WCAG requires a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text.
Tip: Use online colour contrast checkers to ensure your colour choices meet accessibility standards.
Clear and Consistent Navigation
Provide clear and consistent navigation throughout your website. This helps users easily find the information they are looking for. Use a consistent menu structure and provide breadcrumbs to show users their current location.
ARIA Attributes
Use ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) attributes to enhance the accessibility of dynamic content and complex user interface components. ARIA attributes provide additional information to assistive technologies about the role, state, and properties of elements on the page.
Example: Use `aria-label` to provide a descriptive label for a button that does not have visible text.
Responsive Design
Ensure your website is responsive and adapts to different screen sizes and devices. This makes it accessible to users on mobile devices and tablets.
3. Creating Accessible Documents and PDFs
Documents and PDFs should also be accessible. Here's how:
Use Headings and Styles
Use headings and styles to structure your document. This allows screen readers to understand the document's structure and navigate it effectively. Avoid using manual formatting to create headings.
Alternative Text for Images
Provide alternative text for all images in your document. This is the same principle as with websites.
Table Structure
Use proper table structure with header rows and column headers. This helps screen readers understand the relationship between the data in the table.
Document Language
Specify the document language in the document properties. This helps screen readers use the correct pronunciation for the text.
PDF Tagging
Tag your PDFs to make them accessible. Tagging adds semantic information to the PDF, allowing screen readers to understand the document's structure and content. Most PDF editors have built-in tagging features. Consider our services for document accessibility audits.
Common mistake to avoid: Creating PDFs from scanned images without performing OCR (Optical Character Recognition) to make the text selectable and searchable.
4. Adding Captions and Transcripts to Videos
Videos should be accessible to people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Here's how:
Captions
Provide captions for all videos. Captions are text versions of the audio content, synchronised with the video. They allow users who cannot hear the audio to understand what is being said.
Tip: Use professional captioning services to ensure accuracy. YouTube's auto-generated captions can be a good starting point, but always review and edit them.
Transcripts
Provide transcripts for all videos. Transcripts are text versions of the audio content, without the synchronisation. They can be useful for users who want to read the content at their own pace or search for specific information.
Audio Descriptions
For videos with important visual content, provide audio descriptions. Audio descriptions are narrations that describe the visual elements of the video, making it accessible to people who are blind or have low vision.
5. Testing Your Content for Accessibility
Testing is a crucial part of the accessibility process. Here are some methods:
Automated Testing Tools
Use automated testing tools to identify common accessibility issues. These tools can scan your website or document and generate a report of potential problems.
- Examples: WAVE, Axe, and Accessibility Insights.
Manual Testing
Perform manual testing to identify issues that automated tools may miss. This includes testing with a screen reader, keyboard navigation, and colour contrast analysis.
User Testing
Involve users with disabilities in your testing process. This provides valuable feedback on the usability and accessibility of your content. Real user feedback is invaluable for improving accessibility. You might also find answers to frequently asked questions about accessibility testing.
Regular Audits
Conduct regular accessibility audits to ensure your content remains accessible over time. Accessibility is an ongoing process, and it's important to stay up-to-date with the latest standards and best practices.
By following these best practices, you can create digital content that is accessible to everyone, ensuring inclusivity and compliance with accessibility standards. Remember that accessibility is not just a one-time effort but an ongoing commitment to creating a more inclusive digital world.