November 28, 2024
6 min
Aleksandra Gontarz
Lead
Digital accessibility ensures that everyone, regardless of abilities, can use digital products. It's about making life easier for all of us, with features like voice assistants and captions. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) provide standards that help make digital content more user-friendly. As accessibility becomes a legal requirement with laws like the European Accessibility Act, it's important for us to stay informed. By investing in accessibility, we can avoid legal issues, reach a broader audience, and improve SEO. Ultimately, creating accessible products promotes an inclusive digital world that benefits everyone.
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Let's start with the basics: what exactly is digital accessibility? Simply put, it's about ensuring that anyone, regardless of their skills, can use and enjoy digital products. We're talking about making sure people with visual impairments can navigate your site, people with hearing difficulties can understand your videos, and people with motor challenges can interact with your content.
You might be surprised to learn that many accessibility features are already part of the tech you use every day. Let's look at some examples:
Accessibility is transforming from a "nice thing to do" to a legal requirement. Countries around the world are implementing laws mandating digital accessibility, just as they do for data protection. And these are not just gentle suggestions - we're looking at potential lawsuits and significant fines for non-compliance.
One of the most important developments in the field of accessibility in the European Union is the European Accessibility Act (EAA). The act, adopted in 2019, aims to improve the functioning of the internal market for accessible products and services by removing barriers created by divergent regulations in different EU countries.
Key points about EEA:
The EAA is set to significantly reduce barriers for people with disabilities across Europe, enabling them to participate more fully in society. By making these changes, individuals with disabilities can lead more independent lives at work, school, and beyond. Furthermore, as the population ages, accessibility becomes increasingly vital. The EAA will assist older adults in maintaining active societal roles and even extending their working lives if they wish.
While web accessibility standards like the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are essential for people with disabilities, they also benefit those with limitations. For instance, individuals over the age of 40 often experience diminished eyesight, making accessibility features beneficial for them as well. Thus, these requirements are not solely for people with disabilities but for everyone. By designing with accessibility in mind, we create a more inclusive digital world that accommodates diverse needs, ultimately benefiting all users.
You might be thinking, "But I'm not a tech person! Why should I care?" Well, accessibility touches every aspect of digital presence. If you're in marketing, you need to think about how your content is perceived by all users. Business owners? You'll need to consider accessibility in your digital strategy. And if you're in management, it's crucial to incorporate accessibility into project timelines and budgets.
In 2016, Guillermo Robles, a blind man, filed a lawsuit against Domino's Pizza, claiming that their website and mobile app were not accessible to screen readers, which he relied on to place an order. This case reached the Supreme Court, which declined to hear Domino's appeal, thereby upholding the lower court's decision that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to the online presence of businesses. What were the impacts?
Now, let's talk about business. Accessibility isn't just about avoiding legal trouble – it's good for your bottom line. By making your products accessible, you're expanding your potential user base. Plus, many accessibility best practices align with SEO best practices, giving you a boost in search rankings. And let's not forget the improved user experience for everyone. After all, who doesn't appreciate clear navigation and well-structured content?
Having a well-structured system for inputs benefits both developers and users, enhancing efficiency and user experience. Here's a screenshot from one of our projects demonstrating this.
Solving accessibility challenges often leads to innovative solutions that can differentiate your product. Remember curbstones? They were designed with wheelchair users in mind, but ended up benefiting everyone from parents with strollers to suppliers. The same principle applies to digital accessibility - your solutions can lead to features that give you a competitive advantage.
As accessibility regulations become more stringent around the world, investing in accessibility now can save you from potential legal hassles and costly upgrades in the future. It's always cheaper to build accessibility in from the beginning than to add it later.
Many government bodies and large corporations now require their suppliers to meet accessibility standards. By prioritizing accessibility, you open the door to lucrative contracts that might otherwise be closed to you.
Digital accessibility is essential in today's world. It's about making sure everyone, regardless of their abilities, can use and enjoy digital products. This is not only a legal requirement but also good for business. Accessibility improves user experience, expands your customer base, and can boost your search rankings.
Investing in accessibility now can save you from legal troubles and costly future upgrades. It also positions your business as inclusive and innovative, opening up new opportunities and contracts.
In short, making your digital presence accessible benefits everyone and helps create a more inclusive society. Embrace it as a standard, and you'll see the positive impact on both your business and your community.
Take the First Step Toward Accessibility
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