Here’s a secret tool that most web designers don’t consider.
Make sure your web site is accessible to persons with disabilities.
Should your custom web site be accessible? Well, remember that not everyone who visits your web site will be able to see, hear, or understand your web site that way you envision it, and not everyone can use a mouse to navigate through web sites, either. However, it is essential that you reach as many people as possible. Unfortunately, many web site designers do not design for the special needs of persons with disabilities, but you don’t want to exclude any potential visitor from your site.
What’s the answer? Dream Seed Multimedia. We design EVERY web site with accessibility in mind. Read on to find out why we are accessibility-focused and also how to run some quick checks to determine if your (or any) web site is accessible.
Two important things to remember
- An accessible web site benefits all users, not just those with disabilities. Was there ever a time when you have visited a web site and were unsure of how to use it or where to find the information you needed? Did you ever find text on a site difficult to read, either because of its size or color? Have images on a site not appeared, resulting in your inability to use the site? Accessible web sites help prevent these problems for everyone.
- An accessible web site does not mean a boring, bland web site. Unfortunately, some web designers are reluctant to design accessible web sites because they believe that accessible design will hamper creativity and artistry. That is simply not true. After all, a great web site not only is easy to use, but it is appealing as well. It is possible, with mindful and intentional planning, to have the best of both worlds.
Five simple tests to determine if your current web site is accessible
If you currently have a web site and want to see how it could be rendered to a person with disabilities, try these simple tests. Remember, to “pass the test” does not mean the site will be as beautiful as it was before. Your site just has to be usable, and the information must be accessible. (Note: Not all browsers may enable the following tests easily.)
- Turn off all images, and reload the page. Can you still make sense of the site? (This helps determine how someone with a visual impairment might hear the site read from a screen reader or how someone with a slow internet connection would see your site.)
- Turn off style sheets, and reload the page. Can you still make sense of the site? (This also helps determine how someone with a visual impairment might hear the site read from a screen reader or how someone with a slow internet connection would see your site.)
- Turn off the volume, and reload the page. Without sounds played, does your site still work? (A person with hearing impairments may experience your site in this manner.)
- Increase font sizes. Did the text get larger? (People with visual impairments may try to increase font sizes for easier readability. Some sites, unfortunately, do not allow this. If you are unsure of how to change font sizes, read our Accessibility Statement for help.)
- Use the keyboard to TAB through links. (Use the A and Q keys if your browser is Opera.) Are you able to use the navigation links without a mouse? (People with motor impairments, whether permanent or temporary, may not be able to use the point-and-click functionality of a mouse.)
Of course, this is just the tip of the iceberg. There are many other tests, and there are validators that can run automated tests to help determine a site’s accessibility. But this should be enough to give you a taste of what Dream Seed Multimedia will do for the site it designs for you.
If you’d like to learn more, go right to the source: the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI), part of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). You can also read our Accessibility Statement for a sample of what an accessible site can do for visitors.
We’re ready to help you open doors to more visitors. Let’s get started…
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