Page 22 - SPiCE Magazine_Mid Year

22 The SPiCE Magazine • July 2019
The Case for Website Accessibility GOOD - OK Across all business sectors, there is a strong
By Patty Morey case for early adoption of web accessibility.
In the UK, it is estimated that people with disabilities and
Imagine that you want to buy a new shirt from your favorite clothing store. You drive to the store, park your car, their families spend at least £249 billion every year. In
and walk to the entrance. But when you arrive, you are welcomed by a 20-foot high step at the entrance, with the US, the annual discretionary spending of people with
no assistance to negotiate it. There is no one to advise you, no ladder to climb, and no other point of entry. disabilities is over $200 billion. Globally, the market is
Now, let’s turn this into the more common scenario of a person with disability visiting your website, only to find estimated at 2.3 billion people, generating approximately
out he can’t read the content, navigate the pages, fill out forms, and perform other necessary functions due to $6.9 trillion in annual disposable income.
disability.
Additionally, early accessibility adoption provides signifi- Next, you should assess your current state, take cor-
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2018 figures show that 1 in 4 adults (or 61 cant benefits for the future, including:
million Americans) in the US live with a disability that affects day-to-day activities. Globally, around 10 percent
of the world’s population -or roughly 650 million people – have a disability. • Drive innovation. Including accessibility in your tech-
Imagine the obstacles you would encounter online if you were sight or hearing-impaired or couldn’t use a nology plan improves overall design for all users,
mouse due to decreased fine motor control or loss of limb. including the non-disabled community, by providing a
The solution? Web Accessibility. more intuitive experience that can be appreciated by
everyone.
Web accessibility is the practice of ensuring people
with disabilities do not encounter barriers that • Brand enhancement. Making a commitment to incor-
prevent interaction with or access to websites on porate accessibility into all aspects of your web pres-
the web. How does web accessibility affect one’s life? ence can strengthen your reputation as a progressive,
innovative company. Brands like Barclays, Google, and
According to the World Health Organization, in 2018, NPR use innovative accessibility design and have found
there were “125 million people aged 80 years or older. it to be an asset that is well worth the cost.
By 2050, there will be 434 million people in the said
age group worldwide, with 120 million living in China alone”. As the world’s population ages and health concerns • Increased market. Accessible design can lead to
like vision impairment, dexterity problems, cognitive difficulties, and hearing impairment impact daily lives, expanded audience reach, a boost in sales, increased
accessibility will play an increasingly important role. website traffic, and loyalty from an aging population
whose disability needs will increase over time.
According to Pew Research Center, in 2018, 97 percent of adults aged 30 to 49 used the internet. By 2050, this •
figure will increase to 60 to 79. The internet will continue to be an integral part of their lives. It is expected that: Minimizing legal risks. Each country has its own set of
regulations governing web accessibility. In the US, law-
• Online interaction will increase, with users being required to access medical, insurance, retirement, and suits filed in the federal courts under ADA Title III have
financial information online. increased significantly. While in the past, most of these
• With more leisure time available, older adults will access travel and hospitality sites more often to plan trips. have been settled out of court, the recent suit against
• Increasingly, entertainment and game companies are developing online activities specifically designed for Winn Dixie went to full trial, where the judge concluded
seniors to keep their minds active and engaged. that the supermarket chain discriminated against the
• Continued interaction through social media will allow families to stay in touch by sharing news, photographs, plaintiff - a blind man who sued more than 70 compa-
and information. nies - because of its inaccessible website. Around the
world, the trend leans toward enacting regulations that
ensure accessibility standards are met.
The SPiCE Magazine • July 2019 23
How to get started
First, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with the Web
Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, which of-
fers guidelines on how to make web content accessible
to people with visual, auditory, physical, speech, cog-
nitive, language, learning, and neurological disabilities.
WCAG 2.1 is the accepted standard around the world.
rective action, and create policy to ensure that future
integrations are website-accessible from the start.
Website and mobile applications: Conduct a page-
by-page analysis to identify violations of 508, ADA
and WCAG 2.0 standards, such as color schemes,
page layout, and font size. Take corrective action to
ensure compatibility.
Assistive technology compatibility: Ensure your
content is compatible with tools that people with
disabilities use to access websites and applications
like screen readers, voice browsers, and Braille display.
Document compatibility: Make supplemental online
documents compliant with the addition of Alt Text and
video and audio descriptions. Convert document for-
mats such as PowerPoint, MS Word files, PDFs, and
HTML/EPUB to ensure compatibility.
Design for the future: Establish technology policies
to ensure that future designs and documents are
created with accessibility at the outset to eliminate
additional costs.
At SPi, we are currently working with companies
across multiple industries to ensure compliance with
WCAG 2.0, ADA Section 508, and EN 301 549 standard
requirements. We can assess your current situation
for risks and transform your online content to be web
accessible. Get in touch to find out more.