From losing your sight to sustaining a brain injury, there can be so many reasons that you may not be able to rely on your vision to experience what the rest of us take for granted. Create an inclusive web experience for everyone by implementing these five design treatments.
Scroll down to discover more about all five of these treatment types!
Keeping Colour Contrast In Mind
Designing for colour contrast is one of the most important accessibility considerations. When choosing colours for text and background, always ensure that there is a high contrast ratio between the two. A high contrast ratio makes it easier for people with visual impairments to see text.
There are a few things to keep in mind when choosing colors for your website or app:
– Use dark text on a light background or vice versa.
– Avoid using similar colours for text and background.
– Choose colours that have a high contrast ratio. You can use online tools to check the contrast ratio of your chosen colours.
– If you’re using a dark colour for your text, make sure there’s enough of a difference between the text colour and the background colour. Otherwise, the text may be difficult to read.
Include Visual Cues Alongside Colour
In addition to using colour to improve accessibility, designers can also provide visual cues that can help those with disabilities. For example, they can use high contrast between the background and text colours, as well as larger font sizes.
They can also add icons or other graphics that are easy to see and understand. All of these treatments can make a big difference for those who need extra help in understanding or using a website or app.
Use Interactive Elements
Interactive elements on a page should be easy to identify for all users, including those with disabilities. Some treatments to make interactive elements more accessible include:
-Using high-contrast colours for links and buttons
-Adding clear labels to form fields
-Making sure clickable areas are large enough to be easily tapped or clicked
By making these simple changes, you can help improve the experience for all users of your site or application.
Use of Robust Alternative Text for Graphics
Images and graphics are often used to convey important information on web pages and in other digital content. When alternative text is not used, people who are blind or have low vision are excluded from being able to access this information.
Adding alternative text to images and graphics is therefore essential for making your content accessible to everyone. When creating alternative text, be sure to describe the image or graphic in a way that is clear and concise. For complex images, you may need to provide additional context in the form of a longer description.
In general, try to avoid using phrases like “image of” or “graphic of” when writing alternative text. These phrases are often unnecessary and can make alternative text hard to read. Instead, focus on describing the content of the image or graphic itself.
Test Out With Real-Time Users
The best way to ensure that your design is accessible to all users is to test it with a diverse group of people with different disabilities. This will help you identify any potential problems and make necessary changes before launch.
There are a few things to keep in mind when conducting user testing:
– Make sure to give clear instructions on what you want the testers to do.
– Don’t make assumptions about how well they’ll be able to use your design; let them surprise you.
– Be prepared to take note of any feedback, both positive and negative.
User testing can be done in person or online, depending on your budget and the location of your target audience. Whichever method you choose, make sure that you test with a representative sample of users with different disabilities to get the most accurate results.
Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed reading about these five design treatments to improve accessibility. Designing with accessibility in mind not only benefits those with disabilities but also makes your website or product more user-friendly for everyone.
When done correctly, it can greatly improve the overall user experience for all of your visitors.
