Alt text is a description of an image that cannot be seen by a sighted user but is available to blind users via screen readers. When it comes to the web accessibility principles, the inclusion of an alt attribute with an image in HTML code needs to be at the forefront of the developers’s mind…. Continue reading
This is a real question asked everyday by Product Owners, Scrum Masters, Business Analysts, Managers Instructors creating course content, and yes, Disability Services Providers. It is a fair question when time and money are both in short supply. However, Accessibility Specialists understand that this question is not necessary when accessibility is included in every step from planning to… Continue reading
Working in web accessibility and helping developers with their websites, I’m often asked how a project gets certified as accessible. Few people know that there is no formal certification process that recognises the accessibility (or otherwise) of your website. However, there are some optional steps you can take to make a claim about your website. 1…. Continue reading
Learning about web accessibility can be hard and quite lonely. Fortunately, there are some great people working in the sector, who are more than happy to help out when you need it. Today, I’m sharing some of my favourite forums for developers wanting to find out more. WebAIM The WebAIM Email Discussion List has been… Continue reading
I was recently asked to explain the difference between web accessibility and usability. I struggled to come up with a clear answer, so took some time to research how others had answered the question. While there are some good explanations out there, there wasn’t one I was happy forwarding to the questioner. Taking bits from a… Continue reading
Someone asked me a brilliant and all-to-common question today: why do so many projects run through all their requirements and then tag on at the end “and it needs to be accessible”? That’s like asking someone to plan a round-the-world holiday and then, just as you’re about to buy the ticket, asking if you can… Continue reading
Placeholder text is often seen inside form fields as a hint to users how to complete the field or explaining what the field does. For example, placeholder text in an ’email’ field might demonstrate the required format for an email address. Often, the idea is to help users complete forms and increase conversion rates. So… Continue reading
Last week, I talked about the thinking behind Level AAA of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and why it is important for users. The blog post sparked a lot of conversations on Twitter, many of which wanted firm examples of what Level AAA can look like. Many people seem worried that a Level AAA… Continue reading
I once worked with a small business who wanted to make their website accessible to as many users as possible. The business owner approached me directly, after reading my book and this blog, to help her reach more customers. She was an ideal client, well-informed and attacking web accessibility both because it made business sense… Continue reading
The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) is a law aimed at making the Canadian province of Ontario fully accessible by 2025. The act is a framework for standards to make the Canadian province accessible to all. The Act wants to create an Ontario of full participation. This means that every Ontario citizen has… Continue reading