The Meaning of Web Accessibility
How easy is it for your audience to reach your web site? Are photos small enough to load quickly? Is your layout easy to navigate? Will key information be quickly visible, even on a small portable device? Is there enough contrast between text and background for all eyes to distinguish? Will flashing icons that shriek when clicked on scare the daylights out of Aunt Beatrice or cause Uncle Rowen to experience a seizure? Will your witticisms be understood by all of your target audience? Will the text accompanying images effectively describe content for the person listening via text reader? All these are questions you might ask yourself as you build a web site for best Web Accessibility.
Web Accessibility describes how easy it is to use a web site, by the maximum number of users, using various types, ages, and configuration of devices, using different methods of accessing the internet, and with various browsers. Users themselves may have a wide range of capabilities (and lack thereof), and the best web sites will be usable by all with a degree of success.
Identify and address bottlenecks when building a site, and you will maximize the chances of all users having a successful visit. Modems are slow, so those using dial-up may be frustrated by photos that take forever to load. A busy site packed full of icons and exciting action that occurs when the mouse hovers over certain icons might be fun to make, but confuse a visitor. Flashing effects can cause seizures for certain users. Users with all levels of intelligence, education, and learning difficulties may want to use your web site. Simple language and appropriate use of pictures, diagrams, or drawings can invite them to continue. Sight impaired and hearing impaired users have special needs.
Not only is it recommended to implement certain coding, differentiations, and composition into your site, it might be the law. Maryland’s Department of Disabilities has an overview of their web accessibility guidelines, at the bottom of which are links to Federal (section 508) web standards and Maryland’s Nonvisual Access Standards (COMAR 17.06.02).