Digital Accessibility in a Digital Era

According to British Newspaper House ‘The Independent’, the average Briton spends the “128 days a year” online , a number that continues to rise as mobile apps dominate our digital lives. As society increasingly relies on mobile devices for everything from gaming and streaming to browsing and connecting, it’s crucial that everyone can fully access and enjoy the digital world through mobile apps. While legal requirements mandate that certain companies adhere to digital accessibility standards, every organization should prioritize improving their app’s accessibility. Doing so not only ensures inclusivity but also opens the door to a broader audience and potential clientele.

Who does Digital Accessibility apply to?

Whilst most people associate digital accessibility as something exclusively for those with physical disabilities like deafness or mobility issues, it also extends to those who may have neurodivergence, those speaking a different language or the elderly who may not be used to current technology and know how to navigate mobile apps effectively.

The ADA and the World Wide Web Consortium

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) outlines specific scenarios where mobile apps must legally adhere to accessibility standards. This includes apps related to local or state governments, such as those for paying tickets or registering for school programs, as well as any businesses open to the public. The ADA requires that “all goods, services, privileges, or activities offered by public accommodations, including those offered on the web,” be accessible. Compliance with accessibility standards, such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) from the World Wide Web Consortium (an international standards organisation for the World Wide Web) and Section 508 from the ICT Accessibility Guidelines is mandatory. 

Designing an Accessible Mobile Apps

To follow correct standards, anyone designing a mobile app should take into account the varying ways disabilities may hinder a person’s time on their site and find ways to adapt their website. This may be through:

Safeguarding Integrated Accessibility Functions

Applications can not disable or interrupt disability accessibility programs or tools that have been previously documented by the operating system 

Contrasting colours

Contrasting colours must be used to discriminate text and the background for those with limited vision or colour blindness 

Alternative Text for Images

Providing alternative text, or “alt text,” for images is crucial to ensure that screen readers can describe visual content to users with visual impairments as traditional images cannot be read. Alt text allows individuals to understand and engage with images, graphics, and other visual elements by conveying the content in a descriptive manner.

Video Captions

Incorporating captions or subtitles into videos is vital for making audiovisual content accessible to people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Enhanced accessibility can be achieved by adding audio descriptions, which describe the visual elements of a video for those with vision impairments.

Text Size and Zoom Capability

Allowing users to modify the size of text and other components is important for accommodating individuals with visual disabilities. The zoom functionality should be supported to enable users to enlarge content without losing clarity, ensuring that everyone can read and interact with digital content comfortably.

Labelled Electronic Forms

Forms should have clearly labelled fields to ensure that users with screen readers can understand what information is required in each section. This includes providing labels for specific instructions, such as formatting requirements (e.g., date format)

Keyboard Navigation

Implementing keyboard shortcuts and ensuring full keyboard navigation on an app are crucial for supporting users with limited mobility who may not be able to operate a traditional mouse. This allows them to navigate and interact with digital content using only a keystroke.

The Future of Digital Accessibility

As our understanding of the digital landscape evolves, we gain clearer insights into its current shortcomings, enabling us to develop more effective mobile app features to address these gaps. A prime example is the rise of voice assistants like Siri and Alexa, which empower individuals with limited mobility to easily access and search for information. With advancements in Natural Language Processing (NLP) driven by AI investment, these voice assistants are poised to become even more powerful, supporting a wider range of languages, dialects, and increasingly complex queries. Additionally, integrating features like haptic feedback enhances user interaction by engaging the sense of touch, while offering multilingual supportour app expands accessibility to non-English speakers, making digital spaces more inclusive for all. 

To maintain digital accessibility in mobile apps, it’s essential to implement a routine process for checking and screening. This involves regularly conducting accessibility audits, using tools like assistive screen readers. Additionally, incorporating user feedback and engaging with accessibility experts can help identify and address potential issues early on. By making these checks a consistent part of your development cycle, you can ensure your app remains inclusive and fully accessible as standards and user needs evolve.

The Benefits of Digital Accessibility for Your Brand

Increasing digital accessibility offers numerous benefits that extend beyond compliance with legal standards. By making apps, and digital content more accessible, businesses can reach a wider audience, including individuals with disabilities, older adults, and those with limited technical skills. This inclusivity fosters greater customer loyalty and broadens market reach, as accessible designs are often more user-friendly for everyone. It also reflects a commitment to social responsibility, demonstrating that a company values diversity and inclusion. Ultimately, investing in digital accessibility leads to a more equitable online experience, benefiting both users and businesses alike.

FAQ’s

What is digital accessibility?

Digital accessibility ensures that websites, apps, and digital content are usable by everyone, including people with disabilities. It involves designing and developing technology to be inclusive, accommodating diverse needs such as visual, auditory, motor, and cognitive impairments.

What guidelines are there for accessibility standards?

Key guidelines include the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), which provide a comprehensive framework for making digital content accessible. Additionally, Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) outline legal requirements for accessibility in digital platforms.

What accessibility features can be integrated an app?

Mobile apps can integrate features like voice control, screen readers, adjustable text sizes, contrasting colours, alternative text for images, haptic feedback, and keyboard navigation to enhance accessibility for users with various disabilities.

What are the benefits of improving accessibility?

Improving accessibility expands your audience by making your app usable for people with disabilities, older adults, and those with limited technical skills. It fosters inclusivity, enhances user experience, and can improve your brand’s reputation, ultimately leading to increased customer loyalty and market reach.

Author – Daniel Helled – Senior Mobile App Developer at Sunlight Media LLC

Danial Helled is an experienced iOS/Android/Web application developer with over 8 years of expertise in the field. He adheres to Agile/Scrum methodology throughout the software development cycle, ensuring thorough processes from requirements gathering and wireframing to development, release, and maintenance.

Danial provides a comprehensive package for developing mobile and web apps, excelling in both creating projects from scratch and improving existing ones. His ability to quickly learn existing codebases, clean up messy code, suggest improvements, update architectures, and continue working on new tasks within ongoing projects showcases his versatility and dedication to delivering high-quality results.