Anyone with an internet connection can access the internet. Web visitors come in different ages and genders, and to create a website that benefits everyone means that you need to have a web design that is accessible to everyone, regardless their conditions.
Accessibility in web design addresses the issue of creating websites that are accessible to all users, despite if they have physical ability or the way in which they are disable in doing what normal people can do.
When people talk about a website's accessibility, they are referring to whether a website can be used by people with disabilities. For example, if a blind person uses your website, can they navigate through the available pages and access all of its content?
The internet is growing, and as it grows larger, more people with disabilities may come across your site. Reaching them means that you're creating a website that is meant to be equal to everyone, no matter where they are, no matter what they're condition is.
The Importance of Web Accessibility
Not all websites are accessible. Websites are usually created for those that don't have any disabilities, which presents the majority of visitors. There are undoubtedly many types of disabilities. There are 4 major user disabilities in the World Wide Web, and dig into the problem deeper, you may be asking why websites aren't already accessible to them as well.
According to figures, disabled users currently make up around 10 percent to 20 percent of the population in most countries. The average age of the population in many countries is also increasing. So if your web visitors include a significant number of elderly people, then you can increase that percentage to 30 percent and maybe even far beyond that.
Visually Disabled Users
Visually disabled users ranging from color blind to fully blind. Color blindness makes the person unable to some see and understand images properly without text description. This type of blindness in one problem, but complete blindness means that the person is unable to know what's on the screen without using an aid.
These users also have problems understanding sites that are not logically built when "viewed" using a non-visual browser such as a screen reader, a software which makes people with this disability can browse the web normally. These programs read aloud everything that appears on the screen to their users. Often a website that looks nice visually will be a complete mess when it is listened to through a screen reader.
Hearing Disabled Users
People with this disability is similar to those people that don't have any way of understanding an image. Users with hearing disabilities have no way of understanding information that is communicated with sound, unless an alternative is provided that does not use sound, such as a text description or an image.
Physical Disabilities
Have you ever browse the internet without your mouse or keyboard? Or to make things clearer, can you use any device you know without using your hands? Unless you're physically disabled, you won't be having this issue. However, there are many people out there with physical disabilities that browse the web.
Physically disabled users are often incapable of using a mouse. These users needs on the web should be aided, especially when they want to create accounts, or when they want to browse a site using its navigation. Most websites use mouse (or tap) to initiate an input, physically disabled users can have these websites completely inaccessible..
Cognitive and Neurological Disabilities
With countless of websites now available online, more websites are getting complex and complicated. For early internet users that just started to browse the web may find some of those sites difficult to use. Not only to them, some of us may also have that same experience once in a while.
Some websites have complicated design to make them appeal more, or they may want to make their website more complex in order to put more features in it. Like for example a navigation that appears and works differently on different pages. These websites can be inconsistent for some users. Some websites can also have animations and popups that is not friendly to visitors.
This type of websites can create problem with Cognitive and Neurological Disabilities users as the website can be inaccessible for them.
Create a Website's Design for Everyone
Being disabled is often not a choice. Nobody wants to be disabled if they can be normal. Being disabled is already a difficult task, and by observing and understanding the guidelines for accessible web design a site, your site should be at least accessible to these people.
A great web design does not stop there. It's main purpose is to accessible to everyone, no matter who they are and where they are. Other people that can benefit from a great web design is as follows:
- Users using mobile devices.
- Users with low bandwidth and low speed connections.
- Users in noisy environment.
- Users using screen glare.
- Users who are operating vehicles.
- Users who can't read or write. Or those with low literacy.
- Users speaking in different languages.
- Users with different learning styles.
For certain websites, addressing accessibility can be a legal requirement. Countries with Disability Discrimination Act in place usually pronounce web accessibility more than others, while some takes it as a necessity.