Why Make Websites Accessible?

Is your web content “accessible” to all? If not, how many users could it possibly affect?

Web Accessibility is the process of developing applications that are adequately usable by the broadest range of users, regardless of their abilities. I believe you can probably answer the questions now. If your answer is “No”, you have come to the right place.

At SitePoint, we have talked about how you can make your web content accessible. However, it’s quite possible that no one has ever told you why you should consider putting forth the effort to make your content accessible — especially when your website is working “just fine”!

Disabilities and the use of Assistive Technology

Have you ever heard of the term Assistive Technology (AT)? Even if you haven’t, let me show you an example of the most used Assistive Technology:

Courtesy - Lenskart

A more intuitive example of AT is a hearing aid.

Surprised? Most likely you, or at least someone in your family, wears glasses or contact lenses. Now comes the question: if eyeglasses are AT, do you have a disability?

In a way, yes. Long- or short-sightedness is a disease that prevents you from experiencing the world like everyone else and the use of eyeglasses corrects that disability.

Imagine how you would react if you logged on to a website and it didn’t work for people using eyeglasses.

Common disabilities and associated AT

Although a simple short-sightedness that has been corrected by the use of eyeglasses doesn’t really affect the use of computers, there are many other disabilities.

• Visual disabilities: People with complete or partial blindness use the keyboard for navigation and rely on screen readers that read the text on web pages. Those with color blindness need high contrast in web pages to distinguish elements.


• Motor: Users with motor disabilities have difficulty controlling a mouse with precision, which is why they need to control the computer using a keyboard. To help those with this disability, web pages should be completely navigable through the keyboard.


• Auditory: Users who are deaf or hard of hearing fall under this category. Alternative text for all audio elements should be provided to assist these ones.


• Cognitive and Neural: Individuals under this category usually must not be subjected to flickering content, in addition to the use of the keyboard.

You might have difficulty in perceiving how things might feel for a person with some disability. Allow me to demonstrate using an example. Consider how a web page might appear to a color blind person.

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by Shaumik Daityari via SitePoint