How To Design Websites That Are Accessible By The Disabled

How To Design Websites That Are Accessible By The Disabled

Being able to access the internet is very important to everyone, including people with disabilities. Yet, not all websites are created to meet their needs.

When websites are not geared to everyone, they risk being avoided by some users, while the businesses behind them are also affected.

How To Design Websites That Are Accessible By The Disabled Image source: Teodora

Here are some ideas for web designers and webmasters to create designs for disabled users who also need to be able to surf the web and to enjoy the experience.

The more available you make your website, the more appealing it becomes to a wide range of visitors.

Auditory Disabilities

Auditory Disabilities Image source: silenza.it

Many websites are not a challenge to people with auditory disabilities, as sounds are mainly used just to add effects, and the site will still function the same if they are turned off.

This can soon change. With the trend gearing more toward multimedia, people with auditory disabilities can have problems using these sites.

Web designers should create sites with transcripts to go along with the spoken video clips, making it easier for the auditory impaired to view these sites and understand what they are looking at.

Motor Disabilities

Motor Disabilities Image source: Paul Lapkin

Most people with motor disabilities have trouble with detailed mouse movements. They may also have difficulty holding down more than one of the keyboard keys simultaneously. This problem can be resolved with improved browser design.

Designers should avoid using design image maps that require the user to use very precise mouse positioning. For users who cannot work a mouse at all, client-side image maps can be used.

There are a few other things that designers can do to make websites usable for everyone.

Large Prints

Large Prints Image source: Jeffrey Smith

Many web designers use print that is too small, mainly for aesthetic reasons, sometimes without realizing that the website is not easy to read for everyone.

Designers also forget that they create websites on large screens, while many users are viewing them on small screens, such as a laptop or a notebook.

The best thing that to do is to make the print large enough for users to see from any device.

Contrasting Colors

Contrasting Colors Image source: Zebastian Zattberg

For text and background, use contrasting colors. It is important to make the text readable for people with poor eyesight. Putting white words on a gray background, or putting gray words on a white or black background can make it very difficult for users to read.

Even people with perfect vision can have trouble reading color contrast like this. White text on a black background is very popular and the contrast is good.

However, the best colors to use is black text on a white background. It is the easiest to read.

Subtitles and Transcripts

Subtitles and Transcripts Image source: HEZY

Subtitles and transcripts help. If you add a video to your site, it is a good idea to use subtitles.

Most of the popular web hosting sites have tools that will allow web designers to easily add subtitles to their video. YouTube is one of the most common and easy to use video tools.

Large Buttons

Large Buttons Image source: Damian Hernandez

Make your “click here” area and other buttons larger. People with mobility problems can have difficulty clicking on small areas. They may have a hard time aiming the mouse to the place where they need to click.

If the user cannot click the button, he is likely to move to another site where he can click easier.

Break the Text

Break the Text Image source: Flatstudio

Break the text up into sections with headings. It is important that web designers make the text readable.

Some users may not want to read through all of the text. By breaking the text up into sections, users can scan and read just the areas that they are interested in.

When coming across a text that is all jumbled together, users might move onto a site that is easier to read.

Keep It Simple

Keep It Simple Image source: Dustin Streeck

Keep the copy simple. People with learning disabilities and the elderly may have trouble reading a complicated text.

Keep language straightforward and make your website easy to read.

Color Control

Color Control Image source: Ranjith Alingal

Use color control. When designers pair yellow, green, and blue too close together, it can be difficult for people who are color blind to read the text.

The best colors to use are black text on a white background. This is why all word processing programs use these colors.

Conclusion

Conclusion Image source: Alex Banaga

When designers create their websites, they should have the audience’s usability in mind.

It is important that they evaluate who will be using their site in order to know which problems they should focus on to correct or adjust.

Credit for featured image: George Vasyagin

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