Introduction
The internet has become woven into the fabric of our daily lives. We rely on it for information, entertainment, social connections, work, education, shopping, and so much more. But imagine for a moment if you couldn’t fully access and use websites and online services. This is the reality for over 1 billion people worldwide who live with some form of disability. As technology becomes more integrated into every facet of society, accessibility in web design and development is no longer a nice-to-have, but a necessity. Designing and building websites that are inclusive and easy to navigate for users with disabilities is both a moral imperative and a smart business decision.
What is Web Accessibility?
Web accessibility simply means making websites, apps, and digital tools usable by everyone, regardless of their physical, cognitive, auditory, visual or other abilities. A person with a disability should be able to perceive, operate, understand and engage with websites and online content as easily as a non-disabled person.
For people with visual impairments for example, a website needs to be compatible with screen reader software and provide alternative text descriptions for images. Those with hearing loss require captions and transcripts for audio and video content. Users with limited dexterity may need to fully navigate with a keyboard instead of a mouse. And for those with cognitive challenges, content needs to be easy to comprehend with clear language and simple interfaces.
The good news is that with inclusive design methodologies and available technologies, creating accessible digital experiences is not only possible, but also greatly beneficial to businesses, organizations, and society as a whole.
An Ethical and Moral Obligation
There are over 1 billion people globally with some form of disability – that’s 15% of the world’s population. In the US alone, over 61 million adults live with a disability. These are people from all walks of life, many of whom want and deserve equal access to everything the internet has to offer.
Making the internet more inclusive is simply the right thing to do. Deliberately excluding billions of potential users by creating inaccessible websites is unethical and discriminatory. Everyone deserves equal digital rights and opportunities.
The business community has both a social responsibility and a legal obligation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to ensure their websites, mobile apps, and other digital properties do not discriminate against users with disabilities. Failure to comply opens organizations up to legal risk.
A Massive Market Opportunity
Apart from the ethical motivations, accessible web design and development makes good business sense. This huge untapped market of over 1 billion people with disabilities around the world represents a massive commercial opportunity for companies to reach more customers, partners, and stakeholders.
People with disabilities have tremendous purchasing power. In the US, disabled Americans have over $490 billion in disposable income. By designing inclusively, companies can tap into this vast market potential. An accessible website provides a better overall user experience which leads to increased customer engagement, loyalty, and revenue.
Simple Principles, Big Impact
Making websites accessible doesn’t have to be complicated. It fundamentally comes down to following a few core principles when designing and building sites:
Perceivable – Ensure all information and interface components are presentable to users in ways they can perceive. For example, providing text alternatives for non-text content like images.
Operable – Make all interface components operable through various input methods beyond just a mouse or touch screen alone. Users should be able to navigate via keyboard, voice control, etc.
Understandable – Content and interface operations must be easily understandable. Use simple, clear language and design intuitive, predictable interactions.
Robust – Content should be compatible with a wide range of technologies including older and newer browsers, assistive tools, and adaptive technologies.
These pillars of accessible design are outlined in the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), the globally accepted accessibility standard. Following WCAG helps organizations create sites and apps that are perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust for users of all abilities.
Beyond just complying with technical guidelines, it’s critical to involve real users with disabilities throughout the design and development process. Partnering with accessibility experts and disabled people who rely on assistive technologies provides invaluable insight into real user needs and pain points. Their feedback ensures teams create solutions that work in the real world.
Testing for Accessibility
Speaking of real world solutions, accessibility testing is an essential part of the web development lifecycle. Automated testing tools provide a good start by scanning sites and flagging violations of WCAG standards. But manual testing performed by users who actually need assistive technologies and accessibility experts is equally as important.
User testing with diverse participants including people with hearing, visual, cognitive, mobility, and other disabilities validates how well sites perform in production beyond just technical compliance. Their qualitative feedback is vital for optimizing interfaces and content to achieve a genuinely positive, inclusive user experience.
A Win for Companies and Society
Designing accessible websites and applications benefits everyone involved. Users with disabilities gain equal access to digital information, services, and opportunities. Organizations avoid legal risk, reach more customers, and build brand equity as socially responsible entities. Even team members without disabilities gain empathy for diverse users through the inclusive design process.
Society as a whole becomes more equitable and participatory as barriers to full digital citizenship are dismantled. As emerging technologies like AI, VR/AR, IoT, and autonomous vehicles become commonplace, truly inclusive solutions will be table stakes. Prioritizing accessibility in web design and development now helps future-proof businesses.
Let’s work together to create an open internet that is accessible and empowering to people of all abilities. This inclusive vision provides both commercial benefits and profound societal impacts that improve lives. It’s simply the right thing to do.
