Accessibility: what this means for your website and best practices

Oct. 15, 2023

I remember the early days of my web development journey when I stumbled upon a friend, diligently coding away on his computer screen. Surprisingly, he was using the and tags instead of the more conventional and tags I was accustomed to.

Intrigued, I asked why he had this preference. Thankfully, he shared some resources on the topic of accessibility with me. As a curious learner, I went through what he shared and since then, I’ve been using the and tags among many other accessibility best practices.

Now here’s what I learned:

What is Web Accessibility?

Accessibility, in its broadest sense, is the design and implementation of digital spaces and physical environments in a way that allows everyone, regardless of their abilities or disabilities, to perceive, understand, navigate, and interact effectively.

When talking about web accessibility, we're honing in on the principles and practices that make online content and services available to everyone, irrespective of their physical or cognitive limitations.

3 Essential Web Accessibility Features and Their Significance

1. Alt Text for Images

This feature involves providing descriptive text for images and graphics on your website. This simple practice is invaluable for blind individuals who rely on screen readers to interpret websites.

After discovering the importance of this feature, I now write a description for every image on all platforms.

2. Semantic HTML Elements

Semantic HTML elements, such as headings, lists, and tables, help in creating a well-structured web page. They provide a clear hierarchy of content, making it easier for users to navigate your website and understand its structure.

I had a lot of issues with this hierarchy in the past when I was writing one of my first articles. What I thought of as a mere formality turned out to be the most important formatting I ended up doing.

3. Keyboard Navigation

Web accessibility ensures that your website can be navigated and interacted with using a keyboard alone. Especially for individuals who cannot use a mouse due to physical disabilities.

I used to think this was a feature all websites had. At the time, I had issues with my mouse and was constrained to just my keyboard. When I saw a website I could not navigate with the keyboard, my first thought was outdated drivers. But even after updating all my drivers, I still couldn’t scroll on this site. It wasn’t until weeks later that I realised that the website had not enabled keyboard navigation.

Conclusion

Accessibility is a fundamental aspect of web development that should not be overlooked. It ensures that everyone can access and interact with websites. Thus, promoting inclusivity and equal access to information.

So, like me, let’s all work on making every project we work on accessible for all.