In the digital age, equal access is paramount. Everyone should be able to access and use digital resources, no matter their disability. However, for many people, this is not the case. A huge part of the problem lies in prioritizing accessibility. Now more than ever, video game studios, web developers, website owners, and product makers need to make accessibility a priority. Before understanding the importance of making accessibility a priority, it’s important to know what accessibility means. In general, it means providing something that can be easily used by everyone. This could mean providing something in a way that is easy to read and understand, and something that can be used regardless of physical capabilities or impairments. Whether it’s a website, application, device, or other digital platform, making sure it is accessible is essential. The need for accessible technology has never been greater.
I. What is Accessibility?
Accessibility, as defined in the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), refers to the full range of abilities that people have when using a website or application. These abilities include: vision impairment; hearing and speech impairments; cognitive disabilities such as dyslexia; motor impairments including paralysis; learning differences such as autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and Asperger syndrome; and aging-related issues such as arthritis and poor eyesight. The WCAG defines three levels of accessibility. Level A describes the highest level of conformance with these guidelines. Level AA requires compliance with most, if not all, of the guidelines and provides additional features that may benefit individuals with disabilities. Level AAA is for sites of national importance and contains strict requirements on how content must be structured and presented so it can be accessed by a variety of assistive technologies.
II. Why Accessibility is Needed Now More Than Ever
In the digital world, inclusivity and accessibility are more important than ever. With the rapid advances of technology and the number of people accessing the internet each day, it’s essential to make sure that everyone can play video games, access and use websites, applications, and digital services without facing obstacles. For businesses, this means engaging in practices that ensure user experience is tailored to everyone, no matter their ability or technological skill level. Let’s explore why prioritizing accessibility is key in today’s digital age. First, it’s important to recognize that accessibility isn’t just about users with disabilities; it’s about providing an experience that suits all types of users. As such, there is a need for websites and apps to be adapted so that they are accessible for users with a range of abilities, skills and goals.
Proper accessibility enables different types of users to be able to access the same content in an equitable manner. This not only increases access to the digital world, but it also eliminates the risk of alienating users due to difficulty accessing content. Moreover, when websites and apps are made accessible, it encourages users to stay on the platform. Many users will be more likely to remain engaged and comfortable while using the platform if they do not face any level of difficulty when attempting to navigate its content. This will lead to higher user retention, maximizing ROI and creating more positive word-of-mouth promotion. Finally, making digital content accessible is the right thing to do. It reduces the digital divide and allows individuals with disabilities, or those with diverse cultural backgrounds, to receive the same opportunities as those without disabilities or are of diverse cultural backgrounds. Accessibility has existed since the very beginning of web design. However, it was not until the mid-1990s that this became a hot topic on a global scale.
In 1995, Tim Berners-Lee published his World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0. These guidelines provided an outline for web designers and developers to follow so that their websites would be accessible to users with disabilities such as visual impairments or those who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. Since then, there have been many revisions to these guidelines. The most recent revision was released in August 2016; however, some people believe that they are still too vague and do not provide enough detail to help web designers meet accessibility standards. There is also the fact that even with the latest guidelines, designing a website that meets all of them can be extremely difficult. This is because the W3C does not define each standard, leaving it up to individual web designers and developers to determine how to best implement each one. As technology continues to advance at an exponential rate, more and more people will use computers or mobile devices to access information online. It is important that web content is accessible now more than ever before. In addition, websites must be designed in a way that allows for easy navigation, which is especially crucial when users are accessing your website from a smartphone or tablet.
III. The Benefits of Prioritizing Accessibility: A Catalyst for Equality, Inclusion and Respect
Inclusive and accessible design can be thought of as a force for good, one that pushes for greater equality in our society. When businesses, organizations, and individuals prioritize accessibility, they are creating an environment that is respectful of all people, regardless of physical, mental, or cognitive ability. By ensuring that everyone has access to the same resources, opportunities, and quality of life, we create an environment that encourages acceptance and respect for all. Moreover, by emphasizing accessibility, we make sure that those who are with disabilities are able to genuinely participate in the world around them. Rather than having to rely on separate resources outside the mainstream, they will have access to the same quality of experiences and opportunities as everyone else. In short, prioritizing accessibility means empowering all individuals to fully engage with their communities and the world as a whole.
By increasing accessibility, organizations can make sure their products and services are usable by everyone, boosting their customer base and overall reach. Additionally, the concept of accessibility can help organizations become more innovative and creative, inspiring them to come up with new solutions and approaches that make the world more accessible. In summary, prioritizing accessibility is an incredibly important step in creating an equitable and inclusive society affecting playing video games, visiting websites, ordering services & products, and even more. By ensuring that everyone can access the same resources, opportunities, and experiences, we create an environment of respect and inclusion for people of all abilities. Moreover, prioritizing accessibility can help organizations become more innovative and successful, while simultaneously providing individuals with the power to participate. In conclusion of what the benefits of prioritizing accessibility are:
- Your Users Are More Satisfied with You It goes without saying that having a good reputation is key for any company or brand. But what happens when you have a bad rep? How long can you stick around until people stop trusting your products or services? It takes time and effort to build up trust, so if you lose it all at once due to poor accessibility, then you’re going to struggle to get business again.
- You Can Reap the Rewards of SEO Search engine optimization (SEO) has become an important part of online marketing in recent years. In fact, some believe that SEO is one of the most effective ways to drive traffic to a website because Google prefers sites that have been optimized for mobile devices and those with excellent accessibility. So, if you want to be seen as the best in your industry, you need to make sure your site is accessible in order to increase its visibility on search engines.
- You’ll Gain New Customers In today’s modern world, people are more likely to try out something new if their friends recommend it. If they see others enjoying themselves, then chances are they will feel compelled to give it a go too. This is especially true for websites, which can often seem intimidating and complicated to use. But imagine if someone could easily navigate through your site using a screen reader or text-to-speech app? That would surely encourage them to spend more time on your website and perhaps even buy something, wouldn’t it?
As you can see, there are many benefits to prioritizing accessibility in web design. Not only does it create a better user experience, but it also makes life easier for everyone else. And that’s certainly worth considering.
IV. How to Make Accessibility a Priority
There are 5 things you can do right now that we recommend getting started with as soon as possible.
- Have an accessibility audit. The best way to know if your website is accessible is to have it audited by someone who has been trained in web accessibility standards. You don’t need to hire an expensive outside consultant; the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 provide a set of recommendations for making websites more accessible.
- Use assistive technologies. W3C’s Web Access Initiative was formed to make all aspects of web development accessible. The W3C also provides access tools for people with disabilities. These include screen readers, magnifiers, braille output devices, voice input software, and other technology. Once you use these tools yourself, you’ll learn quickly how these can be useful or what challenges you might encounter while using them.
- Learn from others. There are many good guides on web accessibility available online, including some from W3C itself. For example, check out this link: Resources for Getting Started with Digital Accessibility
- Be open to feedback. A lack of accessibility or poor design may be due to ignorance rather than malice. If you have a site that isn’t accessible or doesn’t meet industry standards, it’s important to listen to the people who point this out to you. It’s also important to accept feedback without becoming defensive. We all want the same thing – a great user experience for everyone.
- Set aside time each week for accessibility. If you can’t commit to working full-time on accessibility, what about dedicating a few hours every week? That might not sound like much, but it’s enough to get started. It can be as simple as looking at your own website and making sure that you’re following the guidelines in the WCAG and adding new features. Let me give you an example of how you could use the time you dedicate to accessibility. We at Zenclusion worked with a client who wanted to add a news feed to its website. Unfortunately, the way they decided to do so was with custom fields which were inaccessible to screen readers. Instead, we audited the form, made recommendations and in addition convinced the client to also add a link directly to the news feed in a separate page for easier navigation and maneuverability without confusing people who are using screen readers with other content on the page that had the news feed along with all other site components.
V. Conclusion
What else can you do? Most importantly, you can support legislation that requires businesses and government agencies to comply with accessibility laws. This is especially important because it will provide a platform for people with disabilities to become more involved with the internet. In addition, these bills will ensure that web developers are held accountable when they neglect their responsibilities to create accessible websites. The recent ‘Access Now Act’, introduced in the Senate, would require federal agencies to review their websites for compliance with accessibility standards. Similarly, the ‘Every Voice Connects Act’, introduced in both houses of Congress, would require the Federal Communications Commission to establish regulations that ensure that telecommunications companies’ services are accessible. We need more people to speak up about this issue, not just web designers and developers but also our friends, families, and coworkers. When you see something that’s wrong with a website (or any product), tell the owner. All it takes is one person to say “Hey, why are you designing your site this way?” and suddenly the company will take it seriously. Let’s improve the world wide web for everyone! Bonus: Free Web Accessibility Tools that our team at Zenclusion.com enjoy and recommend:
- WebAIM: Web Accessibility In Mind – This tool enables you to check how well your content is accessible to different groups of people. It offers a number of tests, including vision, hearing, cognitive, language, keyboard, mouse, and assistive technology.
- Color Oracle – This tool allows you to identify colors that work well together, or those that clash. It’s easy to use and provides results instantly.
- ReadLoud.net – ReadLoud is a free tool that converts text into speech. All you have to do is copy and paste text onto the website and click a button to hear it read back aloud.
- NVDA Screen Reader – NVDA is a free screen reader program that enables you to read any website with ease. It also lets you add a voice that reads the page out loud, complete with punctuation and pauses where required.
- Taming Gaming Family Gaming Database – Guides, Ratings and Suggestions – Taming Gaming is the single most comprehensive family video game database for child appropriate ratings, accessibility features and more. They were also featured as part of Microsoft’s Accessibility Showcase.