On a recent post we addressed the importance of web accessibility to provide an inclusive, accessible, and friendly experience for all visitors, including those with disabilities.
Here is a checklist of the touch points that a website should address to ensure accessibility:
Alt-Tags
An alt tag, also known as "alt attribute" and "alt description," is an HTML attribute applied to image tags to provide a text alternative for search engines. Images that contain meaning should have alt-text to provide a helpful description for screen readers. Put yourself in the shoes of a visually impaired user. What would you need to know about the image?
Text Enlargement
All text should be legible. When text is enlarged in the browser for low-vision readers, it should be responsive and easy to read to ensure accessibility for the visually impaired.
Reading Flow
The flow and movement through a web page should mirror the visual order of navigation and controls on the page. Text and information should naturally flow from top to bottom and left to right.
Hierarchy
Use headings in a logical hierarchical order.
Headings communicate the organization of the content on the page. Web browsers, plug-ins, and assistive technologies can use them to provide in-page navigation 1.
Keyboard Navigation
Some users may be unable to use a mouse, and may be navigating the web using a keyboard alone.
According to the Nielsen Norman Group, “the difference between the keyboard and the mouse is that when users navigate through the keyboard, the access to the links on the screen is sequential: users must tab through all the links one by one before reaching a link of interest. In contrast, a mouse user can inspect the links available on the screen and move the cursor directly to the link he wants to click; thus, the mouse allows direct access to the links on the screen.” Any website is useless to someone who cannot access its controls and interact with it. Keyboard-friendly websites make these interactions possible for everybody.