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The business benefits are clear. Making your website fully accessible will ensure you comply with the Disability Discrimination Act, as well as being able to communicate with a broader church of potential customers. So how do you go about it?
Richard Morton (RM), designer of accessible websites at QM Consulting, tells Afsheen Latif about making websites fully accessible.
Where should I start?
RM: Make sure your website is just as easy to navigate with a keyboard as with a mouse. This will help people who have trouble gripping a mouse.
What about people with visual impairments?
RM: Make your website compatible with screen-reader software, which allows users with visual impairments to listen to text and image descriptions using voice synthesis. It's a basic function that can be built into a website or added later.
Which colours should I use?
RM: Make sure there is enough colour contrast between text and background, because colour resolution is lower on screen than on printed material. Black text on a pale yellow background is commonly used to aid people with visual impairments or dyslexia. If you don't want to use this colour scheme on your website, give users the option to change the colour setting by selecting a button.
Which text size and fonts should I use?
RM: There is no standard text size for accessibility - the larger the better. I wouldn't recommend having text less than ten point. Choose a plain font, too, such as Verdana, Arial or Times New Roman. Fancier fonts are harder to read, but you can get away with it if you make them larger.
How should my website be laid out?
RM: Make sure your content is listed near the top of your homepage, with the most important tabs first. It's better if users don't have to scroll down too much. Use clear, large headings and opt for more web pages with less content. Stick to approximately 250 words per page, and keep navigation options consistent across all web pages.
Is it a good idea to have Flash animation?
RM: It's best to avoid having your whole site in Flash: it makes navigation difficult. However, it is ok to use some Flash animation.
How should I format photos?
RM: You can format photos so they have a description attached. Somebody using screen-reader software will then be able to listen to this description if they cannot see the image. For people who have both hearing and visual difficulties, make sure your photos also have written captions.
Should language be simple?
RM: A lot depends on who your website is aimed at. It's always better to make language as accessible as possible. There are some sites that cater for people with learning disabilities with symbols placed alongside text to give a pictorial representation of what is written.
Do accessible sites cost more to build?
RM: You will not need to pay much more to add accessibility features to your website, because they can be easily written into the programming code by a website designer. The voice-reader software is purchased by the end-user.
Any final words of advice?
RM: Keep the website simple and clear. Don't overload it with information, otherwise a person with disabilities using screen-reader software will find it difficult to interpret your web pages.
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