Why you need to perform a web accessibility audit today

The main objective of the internet is to make it accessible to everyone. However, despite the fact that there are great efforts to eliminate barriers, there are many pages that do not have a correct web accessibility configuration.

For this reason, in today’s article we are going to talk about the importance of accessibility in the online environment.

To do this, we will analyze what exactly is an accessible website and for whom it is useful. We will also see what are the different levels of accessibility that exist in web pages; Last but not least, we will consider how to completely eliminate, or as far as possible, navigation barriers.

Without further delay, let’s see what is the definition of this term increasingly common in the field of web pages.

What is web accessibility?

Before we can analyze the different levels of accessibility or how it is possible to eliminate the barriers that hinder navigation on the web, it is necessary to fully understand what it means to offer complete accessibility to the web.

An accessible website means that a page has the necessary tools and technologies so that anyone with some type of disability can use it.

These web pages are specifically designed and developed in order to be accessible to as many people as possible. Through different tools they offer the possibility to anyone to access their content, understand it and, sometimes, contribute.

Accessible pages seek to offer a complete experience to all types of people, including those who have limitations:

• Auditory
• Cognitive
• Visual
• Physical
• Neurological
• or speech

It should be noted that, although these pages are designed so that people with limitations can access them without difficulty, they are also very useful for people without disabilities.

Some people who also benefit from accessibility are:

• People who connect to the web using a mobile device, smartwatch, smart TV , or small screen
• Older people who have been losing some skills due to the passage of time or some illness
• Those who do not have a good internet connection or have limited bandwidth
• Those who need to access the site from a place with special features, such as under sunlight or in a place with a lot of noise
• People who are suffering from a temporary disability, such as losing contact lenses or having a broken arm

This is just a small example of the benefits of accessible websites, both for people with permanent and temporary limitations.

Web accessibility levels

Now that we have seen what is the definition of an accessible website and who can benefit from them, let’s look at the different levels of accessibility.

The accessibility to a page or portal is defined according to the conformity criteria A, AA and AAA, established by the WCAG 2.1 standard.

This standard includes the four fundamental principles that must govern any accessible website. These are: operable, understandable, perceptible and robust.

Based on these four characteristics, the degree or level of accessibility of a page is determined.

The first degree of accessibility is level A. This level is the most basic and meets the fundamental requirements, however, it is not guaranteed that all users can access its content.

Some of the implementations that a portal with level A accessibility must have are:

• Have text alternatives to images
• Subtitle any audio or video
• Adapt content to different formats without losing information or value
• Avoid using a color as a visual medium
• Provide accessibility using a keyboard
• Correct readability

To know what aspects are necessary to implement or modify on a website it is possible to request a specific consultancy. An accessibility consultancy tests the web to evaluate the level of accessibility offered by the web and runs a report with possible improvements in this area.

Next, let’s see how it is possible to eliminate navigation barriers with proper accessibility to websites.

How to remove navigation barriers with web accessibility

To eliminate the different barriers to access and navigation that web pages have, it is essential to follow an accessibility guide.

In order to eliminate navigation barriers it is necessary to make different changes in the way we are used to designing and developing web pages.

A clear example of a non-accessible website can be seen from the menu of the same. It is normal to use resources such as <div> or <span> for web navigation elements. However, to offer an accessible experience it is important to make use of a semantic HTML.

According to the W3C, the most recommended way to make an accessible navigation menu is through a ul> list <with each of the elements under their respective <li>.

Another way to improve accessibility is through alternative texts to any type of multimedia content, whether images, tables, graphics, icons or videos.

To do this, different methods can be used, such as the alt attribute, where you must add a detailed description of what the multimedia content represents.

The contrast ratio is also an important factor when designing an accessible website. The contrast ratio between background and text should be 4.5:1.

To eliminate any accessibility barrier in the design of a website it is necessary to have the help of professionals in this field. They are specialized in detecting these barriers, and in offering tailor-made solutions to eliminate them.

In conclusion, and by way of summary, we can say that accessible websites are an option not only highly recommended, but totally necessary to offer a more inclusive internet.

Therefore, it is advisable to analyze each page in search of aspects that can be improved to offer web accessibility as complete as possible.