How Accessible is Your Website?

I recently installed an accessibility plugin called AccessiYes on all my websites because, as their website says, “every visitor deserves a site they can use.” I had never given much thought to site accessibility before, probably because it had never been an issue for me personally.

I started looking into it only after a friend told me that, as an epileptic, he had to be extremely cautious with his internet use because it could trigger a seizure.

I had always thought that accessibility was simply a matter of readability or audibility. This was probably because my colorblind husband sometimes has difficulty reading websites.

I discovered that both the United States and the European Union have laws ensuring that people with disabilities can use digital services and products.

The ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) and the EAA (European Accessiblity Act), apply these accessiblity laws to government and commercial websites, as well as the websites of businesses open to the public.

Generally speaking, and to the best of my understanding, these regulations do not apply to purely personal websites or hobby blogs. However, I am not a lawyer.

Make your site accessible

Adhering to these regulations is a wise practice and could help you avoid potential lawsuits. It also shows care and consideration for others. Even if you don’t have accessibility issues yourself, it’s important to accomodate those who do.

Fortunately, guidelines have been developed to help site owners adhere to these regulations. They are the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). You can learn more about them on their website.

The AccessiYes Plugin

This is where the AccessiYes plugin comes in. It helps site owners adhere to the WCAG guidelines by providing accessibility tools for people with a wide range of disabilities. The plugin is completely free, easy to install and simple to use. It’s compatible with most platforms and works on desktops, laptops, and smartphones.

The accessibility needs it covers include:

• Blindness, color blindness, and low vision
• Deafness and hearing loss
• Limited movement
• Speech disabilities
• Photosensitivity (sensitivity to flashing videos, blinking animations, and bright light)
• Learning disabilities and Cognitive limitations

How does the plugin work?

It installs a widget or overlay that allows visitors to customize their experience on your website. They can adjust the widget settings to suit their needs and then reset them to revert to your site’s original style. Any changes are made only in the visitor’s browser and only for the active session. The widget never modifies your website’s underlying source code or files.

4 Accessibility profiles and language settings:

Visitors can select from the following four Accessibility Profiles: 1) Epilepsy Safe Mode; 2) Seizure Safe Mode; 3) ADHD Mode; and 4) Low Vision Mode. They can also set the widget to their preferred language, choosing from over 50 options.

Additional settings:

Users can customize many other settings, as well, including those for: 1) Text and Reading; 2) Color and Contrast; and Navigation and Interaction.

Safety Information

AccessiYes does not guarantee compliance.
The plugin is designed to support alignment with laws and guidelines but it does not guarantee compliance.

It does not track visitors or collect data.
Visitor preferences are stored locally in their browser. The plugin does not include tracking or analysis systems. Therefore, it is fully compliant with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which is the toughest privacy and security law in the world, enacted by the European Union.

Try the widget yourself!

Additional steps to take:

At AccessibilityChecker.org you can consult a Compliance Checklist which outlines the most important steps for achieving accessibility conformity. The checklist explains the importance of each step and provides clear guidelines for implementation, some of which are listed below.

• Images & Visual Content:
  Screen readers cannot interpret images. Instead they read aloud alt text (alternative text). This is one of the most impactful areas of web accessibility.
  
  Tailwind.com has an excellent, free image alt text generator. It generates keyword-rich descriptions in seconds! These descriptions ensure accessibility for visitors with vision impairments and also enhance SEO. Check out Tailwind’s alt text generator here.
• Text, Headings, and Page Structure:
  Well-structured content benefits everyone, especially people with cognitive impairments or who use screen readers.
• Color & Contrast:
  Color contrast affects users with low vision and color blindness.
• Keyboard Navigation:
  Users with motor impairments often navigate using only a keyboard or an assistive device that emulates one. Every function on your site must be accessible and usable without a mouse.
• Forms:
  Screen readers rely on explicit field labels, clear instructions, and distinct error messages to explain what input is required allowing users with mobility impairments to use them.
• Multimedia: Video & Audio:
  Videos and audio clips require captions, text transcripts, and audio descriptions so deaf, hard-of-hearing, or blind users receive the same information as other users.

More than one billion people worldwide live with some form of disability. Yet 96% of all homepages fail basic accessibility checks. Don’t let your website be one of them! Your visitors deserve a site they can actually use!