Accessible Websites.

Unlock your website.

• Accessibility
  • Access keys
  • Accessibility law
  • Assistive technologies
  • Disabilities
  • Section 508
  • WAI
  • WCAG
  • W3C
• Website design
  • Basic
  • Small
  • Large
  • Accessibility test
  • Health check
  • SEO
  • Portfolio
• What are?
  • Search engines
    • Meta engines
    • Search Marketing
  • Web browsers
  • Web directories
    • Directory list
• Contact details

Web accessibility

What is website accessibility? Why should I have an accessible website design? What are accessible websites? This website is here to hopefully provide some guidance to you about website accessibility, accessible website design and accessible websites.

Web accessibility refers to the practice of making a website accessible to people of all abilities and disabilities. When an accessible website design is used, users of all abilities will have equal access to your website information.

For example:

• To help blind users who use text to speech software or text to braille hardware an accessible website should:
  • Be designed using correct HTML.
  • All images should have an alternative text equivalent.
  • Navigation links should be named meaningfully.
• Text and images should be large enough to enable users with poor sight to read and understand the content. If not large enough they should be made able to be enlarged.
• Links should be underlined or made to look different, using colour, from other text. This will ensure that colour blind users will be able to notice links more easily. This will make your website more accessible and easier to navigate.
• If clickable links or clickable areas are large, this helps users who cannot control a mouse with precision.
• Web pages should be coded so that users can navigate by means of the keyboard alone. Accessible website design will help users who cannot use a mouse or a standard keyboard easily.
• Video in a web page should be closed captioned. This will make your website accessible to the deaf and hard of hearing. If this can not be provided a sign language version of the video should be made available.
• Graphics or website effects that have flashing elements should not be used. This is to ensure that users prone to fits or seizures caused by these effects are not put at risk.
• Content of the website should be written in plain language. This will assist users with dyslexia or learning difficulties understand the content.

Website's that are designed to be accessible will allow users of differing abilities to use the website. Correctly designed accessible websites will also make it easier for search engines to correctly list and index your website.