Digital accessibility: responsibilities and obligations

Digital accessibility is one of the most important aspects of any Internet service. Therefore, we analyze the regulations that regulate it, its characteristics and a success story.

What is meant by digital accessibility?

All the characteristics that a website must meet so that anyone can visit it autonomously. It must be governed by universal design standards and must ensure the safety of each visit.

Web accessibility is directly related to the 14% of people with disabilities. That is why the EU began, more than a decade ago, to promote this idea. It did so in 2008, 2010 and 2019 with various documents where it stated that this feature is mandatory.

Spanish legislation: Royal Decree 1112/2018

Royal Decree 1112/2018, of 7 September, is the Spanish legislation of reference on this subject. It is characterized by two major concepts.

URA (Units Responsible for Accessibility)

The RD clarifies what are the specific functions of these units in public administrations. We summarize them in the following list.

• The coordination and control of the effective functioning of everything related to communication. It must certify that any type of request, complaint, communication or query is handled correctly.
• The attention and response to the complaints you receive.
• The review of the control mechanisms used.
• Collaboration with other departments to make work more fluid.
• The drafting of periodic reports.
• Contact with the body that will monitor and submit the corresponding reports.
• Check that accessibility is correct, both on a web page and in an application.

The accessibility statement

It should be detailed and clarify everything related to the compliance of each website and applications for a mobile device. It will comply with the current European Union directive. It must also:

• be updated once a year or after each review;
• be included, with a link called “accessibility”, on all pages of the domain;
• If it is an application, it must be visible on the website of the company that develops it. It must be downloadable or visible when downloading the application;
• be available in a format that is accessible to anyone;
• comply with the characteristics of the European model set out in Decision 2018/1523 (in force since 1 November 2018).

What type of content must comply with digital accessibility regulations?

The regulations also clearly indicate which contents are affected. They would be as follows.

• All non-textual (images, videos) and textual information.
• All kinds of documents and forms in formats such as an office file or PDF.
• Multimedia content that is pre-recorded and that is maintained on the Internet or broadcast after its live broadcast.
• The completion and processing of digital forms.
• All the completion of the processes that involve identifying, authenticating, signing or paying regardless of the platform used.

The accessibility statement should be drafted on the advice of the ministry. Likewise, it will be reviewed to verify that it adapts to what is stated by the regulations.

Recommendations for designing an accessible website

There are two rules that govern the design of a more accessible website. The first is WCAG 2.1 and the second, UNE-EN 301549:2020. Both contain tips like these.

• Create a well-ordered and easy-to-understand structure .
• Interact with the website using voice, keyboard, mouse or any other system.
• The use of descriptive alternative text (ALT) for all graphic elements. It consists of a broader description of the exposed content.
• Transcribe and subtitle all videos and audio content.
• Each link must be related to a keyword and be understandable. The classic “click here” is not enough.
• Information should not be conveyed exclusively through color. It is necessary to include other types of elements that facilitate access to each content.
• The background color and text should have adequate contrast for readability.
• Tables must be accessible. They must include a title and heading for each row or column and not include merged cells. They should incorporate a brief summary of their content.
• All types of documents written with a word processor must use a specific title and style. Everyone should be converted to PDF format easily.

Are there penalties for not complying with digital accessibility regulations?

Yes. Any user who verifies that a web page is not fully accessible can report the case. The National Center for Accessibility Technologies (CENTAC) is responsible for reviewing the reported website in detail.

Subsequently, it writes a report indicating what infractions have been committed. After informing the corresponding URA of non-compliance with the regulations, it is proposed for sanction. This occurs when there is no change to the page. If so, the penalty can amount to tens of thousands of euros, depending on each case.

A practical example

A success story is the Metropolitan Transport system of Barcelona. Their services strictly comply with regulations. In addition, it allows the consultation of everything related to each journey by bus, metro or tram. The application even allows the use of transport tickets in digital format. This translates into an increase in usability and adaptability to any type of user.