6 Quick Checks for Website Accessibility

In a few short minutes this blog will give you a clear idea of how inclusive your web pages really are for millions of people in the UK and across the world.

We all know that web accessibility is vital for many users, is a legal requirement, and also helps every user in this mobile-first world where everyone is ‘computing on the edge’. To that end, a better name for accessibility is ‘inclusive design’.

Here are a few simple checks to see how inclusive your pages are:

1. General appearance

Pages need to have a decent default text size, clear font and not be too cluttered. Within the default text and zoom settings you should check...

  • Are columns, text and controls separated by enough white space?
  • Is the default text generally easy to read or is it too small?
  • Is the font sans serif - ie, the one without twiddly tails and different width strokes that is easier to read?

2. Text resizing

It’s important that text can be easily resized. This is different from zooming into the page (where some of the page falls off the side of the screen).

If you're using Internet Explorer for Windows for example, in the menu bar click View and then Text Size and set it to Largest, alternatively on a Mac using Internet Explorer do Ctrl + the plus or minus sign, and in Safari on the Mac use Option and Command keys together with the plus or minus sign.

Did anything change? Did all text nicely resize? On many sites this doesn’t work as it should.

3. Accessible colours

Many people prefer a less contrasting background (such as beige) or need high-contrast white on black text.

First check if the site has a styleswitcher (typically three differently styled A letters at the top of the screen) to make changing colours easy. If it doesn’t then look at whether the site at least reflects the user’s preferred system colours.

In Windows there is a handy hotkey to check this - press left Shift + left Alt + PrtScn to invoke high contrast mode. If the site reflects user preferences, then it will show any preferred colour combination the user has set for their computer once these keys are pressed. You can deactivate high contrast mode with the same keystroke.

For some systems you’ll need to go into settings to change colours manually.

4. Keyboard accessibility

Many people with a vision or motor difficulty use the keyboard instead of the mouse.

Try tabbing through the entire page and see if you can always follow where the active link or button is. Then try filling out a form or two – especially with unusual controls such as a pop-up date picker. If these things are a struggle, your site is not accessible.

5. Images with text descriptions

It’s really important that blind users get a description of key images on a page. Hover your mouse over a photograph and see if the text that pops up (or sometimes is shown in the status bar at the very bottom of the browser) is a good summary of the image.

What you see - and what is shown in the picture on the left - is actually the ‘title’ given to the image in the site's Content Management System. The title is often the same as the alternative text or alt text.

If you don’t see anything then there might still be an alt text present, so you can try one of these options to find out:

  • Bring up the page on your mobile phone on a slow connection – you’ll first see the alternative text (if there is one) and then the image will load
  • Turn on speech on your phone (by triple-tapping the home button on an iPhone for example) and tap on the image to hear the alt text
  • In Internet Explorer you can go to Tools > Internet Options > Advanced > Multimedia > Show pictures and temporarily turn pictures off to see if the alt text pops up instead of the removed images.

6. Accessibility info

It’s valuable to provide key information about the accessibility features of a site for people that need it. It also needs to be well signposted and clear. Look for an Accessibility link – it is usually located at the bottom of every page.

Can you see one anywhere? Is it a good size (at least the same size as most of the text on the page – definitely not small footer-sized text and ideally as big as some headings)?

Further tools for website accessibility

Related resources

Check out other relevant articles:

Infographic: The Growth of The Autonomous Car Market

A recent blog post by Robin Christopherson about the impact autonomous cars could have on the lives of disabled people prompted a lot of interest, including a great infographic sent to us by Daniel Dixon of GetOffRoad that illustrates the rapid growth in the autonomous car market.

A text-only version of this graphic is also available.

This infographic has a text version available using a link in the body of the article

AbilityNet shows how computers and tech can excel for physically disabled people

At least 53% of working age adults with an impairment or disability experience barriers to work, compared to 30% of the general population. But many don't realise that some simple support with technology can completely change things.

“Our job is to help people with such impairments overcome those barriers,” says Joanne Beacham, the former service delivery manager for AbilityNet. 

"Ergonomic equipment is probably one of the most important things we recommend for people with physical disabilities as well as dictation software. We get that 'wow' factor when we show someone something that will completely change things for them," she explains.

 

In particular, Joanne recommends Dragon Naturally Speaking dictation software, which you can find here. "So, if someone has lower back pain and they can't sit for long periods at the computer, you can give them a wireless headset and Dragon gives them the freedom to move around while they dictate text or command and control what they want the computer to do."

Don't forget, My Computer My Way has loads of tips and tricks to make tech work better for you too.

For more info or to have an assessor visit you, check out www.abilitynet.org.uk/workplace.

EVENT: Implementing the Accessible Information Standard in a digital NHS,London, 28 February 2017

The Accessible Information Standard is a requirement for any provider of NHS informationMany disabled people find that communicating with large institutions like the NHS can be difficult, frustrating or at times impossible.  AbilityNet is hosting a workshop to consider the role that digital technology plays in the NHS Accessible Information Standard.

  • 11 am – 3 pm, Tuesday 28 February
  • British Computer Society (BCS)
  • 5 Southampton St, London WC2E 7HA
  • Sponsored by PanLogic

Published in July 2015 the Accessible Information Standard (AIS) became mandatory for all NHS and social care organisations including NHS Trusts, Foundation Trusts and GP practices in July 2016.

NHS England is currently reviewing the implementation of the AIS. Ahead of the consultation, which closes on 10 March 2017, AbilityNet is bringing together patient groups, NHS practitioners and the digital accessibility community for a half-day, interactive event to:

  • Understand where digital accessibility fits within patient communications
  • Share the results of disabled user-testing on the technology used by GPs and the lessons learned
  • Learn first-hand from disabled people’s experiences and identify best practice for the design and delivery of digital communications that meet the AIS.

Register now

Numbers are strictly limited for this event so please use the booking form on the website to book now.

[Free Webinar] Virtual Reality, Disability and Inclusive Design

Google Cardboard is a low cost VR headset that helped kickstart interest in the technologyBuilding on Google's low cost Cardboard headsets, as well as big ticket names such as Oculus Rift and Microsoft's Hololens, Virtual Reality (VR) has quickly moved from geeky buzzword to mainstream technology. It is already widely used by estate agents, holiday companies and many other commercial applications - but what can it do for disabled people?

  • Free Webinar: Virtual Reality, Disability and Inclusive Design
  • 1pm, Thursday 26 January 2017
  • REGISTER NOW

Senior Accessibility Consultant at AbilityNet, Raphael Clegg-Vinell, offers an introduction to VR and looks at some of the ways it could transform the lives of people with disabilities. It's already being used by people with visual impairments, strokes and dementia and could have life-changing possibilities for people with many other disabilities.

The webinar will be of interest to anyone with an interest in how technology can help people with disabilities, as well as anyone developing VR applications. It does not require any existing knowledge of VR and it will include an opportunity to ask questions.

Register Now

More about VR and disability

Forthcoming AbilityNet Webinars

Webinar Archive

How to get free expert advice on technology and disability

Twelve million people in the UK have some type of disability, from cerebral palsy or dyslexia to arthritis. Every week, AbilityNet deals with scores of queries from people who want to know how they can make the most of their smartphone, iPad or computer, or which assistive tech might work for them.


Alex Barker is our experienced advice and information officer and runs our free helpline. Via email, Facebook and Twitter, Alex can identify simple adjustments to computer systems, laptops and smartphones – and can also offer advice on which tech to choose. Alex himself does not have all his fingers and says that knowing how to use a computer in the right way for him, has transformed his life. 

Whatever the query, Alex often tells people to take a look My Computer My Way – this amazing free resource shows you how to make small adjustments to your computer, tablet or smartphone. It covers all the accessibility options in every mainstream computer system and can help with vision, hearing, physical and congnitive disabilities.

You can contact Alex on our free helpline on 0800 269 545 or email him at enquiries@abilitynet.org.uk

Maddie and James get transformational tech support

For students struggling with a disability, learning difference or anxiety, reaching the end of a university course can feel impossible without support.

App-cessibility: Top 3 apps to make your tech more accessible for you

 

AbilityNet's work is all about transforming lives for disabled and older people. AbilityNet DSA assessor Abbie Osborne spends a lot of time researching the best and most useful adaptive apps for students. Abbie says: "Adaptive apps are very essential for the world we live in. It's important for people with a disability to be more on a level playing and have independence. Here are my top three adaptive apps: 

RogerVoice - click here to go to the app
This is great app for people who have a hearing impairment. With it you can make a phone call and speak to another other person verbally, but when that person responds, their reply will be displayed as text message for ease.

DyslexiaKey - click here to go to the app
I love this because it changes the font on a phone keyboard to make it clearer and also switches from a standard QWERTY keyboard to a sequential ABC alphabetical one, which works better for dyslexic people.

BeMyEyes - click here to go to the app
This app is excellent to help blind people and those with sight loss to be more independent. It can be very useful, for example, if the person is at home and is unsure of an expiry date on a food item - they can request help through the app and will be video-linked to a volunteer who can read through their camera phone. "

Check out our guide to the top 10 accessible apps.

Robin Christopherson honoured with MBE for services to digital inclusion

Photo of Robin Christopherson and guide dog ArchieWe are delighted to announce that Robin Christopherson, Head of Digital Inclusion at AbilityNet has been awarded an MBE in the New Year Honour’s List for his services to digital inclusion.

The award has been made in recognition of Robin’s significant personal contribution in promoting awareness of the need to provide digital products and services that are inclusive for disabled people. Robin is widely recognised in the technology community as one of the leading experts on digital accessibility and inclusion.

Robin’s career in technology started after he graduated from Cambridge University; first working as an IT instructor for the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB), he then became a founding member of AbilityNet in 1998. In 2003 he began AbilityNet’s accessibility consultancy team which is now globally acclaimed as leading experts in the field; specialising in accessibility auditing and disabled user testing, as well as helping clients design attractive apps and websites that are both accessible and easy to use by all.

Inspiring people to build a more accessible digital world

Robin is blind and uses technology very effectively - using speech output to access computers, the internet, his iPhone and many other technologies to assist him in his work. More importantly he has a first-hand appreciation of the importance of good web and mobile design and its impact on both accessibility and usability for every customer.

Many people will have enjoyed one of Robin's inspiring talks which he delivers at tech events, charity events and many other forums. One of the most recent was his speech at the Tech4Good Awards Ceremony in July 2016, following which he was awarded the Tech4Good Special Award.

Most recently Robin won the special award at the AbilityNet Tech4Good Awards 2016 in recognition of his services as a digital inclusion evangelist spanning two decades. He also came runner-up ‘UK Digital Leader Public Figure of the Year 2015’ (after the government’s own digital champion; Baroness Martha-Lane Fox) in the Digital Leaders 100 Awards– with AbilityNet winning first in its category of Digital Charity of the Year.

Commenting on what the MBE means to him Robin said:

“I've had the privilege to be AbilityNet’s ambassador for technology for many years, giving me the opportunity to demonstrate to audiences across the world how tech has the power to change and even transform people's lives regardless of any disability or impairment they may have.”

“AbilityNet's mission is to help people to reach their full potential. Over the last few decades we've seen a revolution that has almost infinitely expanded opportunities for people with disabilities and I feel very fortunate to have played a small part in spreading the word.”

“I’m hoping that receiving this award might help get the message out and inspire people to think about the needs of everyone around them and make sure they can all benefit from the power of technology and the internet to change their lives for the better. AbilityNet will continue to promote digital inclusion, and I hope to be a part of this astonishing journey for many years to come.”

Cutting edge thinking

Robin provides a steady stream of blog posts and commentary on current technologies and their application for disabled people. 

Digital Marketing Manager

This is an exciting time to join a dynamic communications and marketing team that is part of a unique not for profit organisation. The comms team includes marketing and content specialists with skills in blogging, video, PR and outreach. We have ambitious charitable and commercial goals and now need someone to join the team to create and optimise a programme of digital advertising and associated promotional activity.

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