The world has been working on the issue of accessibility for decades now. Laws in many countries see to it that public buildings are fully accessible, with the use of ramps, elevators, toilets on each floor, etc. This has been a big step in making sure that disabled people enjoy the same freedoms that others may take for granted. But as progress is being made, the world is also moving on. Now, more than ever before, the online world has become a major part of most people’s lives. And so, the accessibility issue starts all over again for those living with a disability. A website accessibility overlay is a massive help in making sure that the issue of accessibility online is dealt with quickly and efficiently.
Why is accessibility an issue online?
It might seem like an odd thing to have accessibility issues online. After all, the use of the internet has been very beneficial to many disabled users, opening things up to them that may never have been possible before, such as new job opportunities. And yet, just as the ramps, elevators and toilets on every floor can help some disabled people fully navigate a building, sometimes extra help is needed for disabled internet users to be able to fully navigate a website.
What does online accessibility look like?
Just as there are a large variety of disabilities out there, there are a large variety of things that may help them. For instance, a person with cognitive problems may appreciate simple, easy to understand text written in shorter paragraphs. They may also appreciate text to explain the images on the page. A person with a visual impairment may need the option to have larger font sizes or have voice overs. Some be unable to use a mouse and so it could make all the difference to them being able to view a website if they can use the keyboard for every action. These are just a few examples, but as you can see the needs vary for each individual.
How to fix the problem
As there are so many different ways that need to be thought of to make a website accessible, it’s understandable if the thought of it is a bit overwhelming when creating a website of your own. But it doesn’t have to be. Thankfully, accessibility overlay is a great tool that can be used on your website to detect any problems with accessibility in the code and automatically correct them for you.
