When it comes to web accessibility, only a handful of store owners in e-Commerce business understand what web accessibility is and why it is important. So, before we get into the details on why you should consider making your store site accessible, we should make sure all the readers know the definition of web accessibility.
So, what is web accessibility? Web accessibility means that people with disabilities can use the Web. More specifically, Web accessibility means that people with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with the Web, and that they can contribute to the Web. Web accessibility also benefits others, including older people with changing abilities due to aging. (Source: https://www.w3.org/)
W3.ORG is a great resource where you can find a lot of information on how the web is an increasingly important resource in many aspects of life: education, employment, government, commerce, health care, recreation, and more. It is essential that the Web be accessible in order to provide equal access and equal opportunity to people with disabilities. An accessible Web can also help people with disabilities more actively participate in society.
If your website is working fine then why you should consider accessibility?
So, now that we know what web accessibility is, it raises a simple question that why do you need web accessibility? Well, this can be explained with an example.
Have you ever heard of the term known as “Assistive Technology”?
Assistive technology (AT) is defined as products, equipment, and systems that enhance learning, working, and daily living for persons with disabilities. (Source: www.atia.org)
- TV remote control can be considered an example of assistive technology as it enhanced the daily livings for persons with disabilities and allows them to control the functions of the television from a distance
- Eye glasses can also be considered as a great example of assistive technology as it enhances (or improves) the visibility for many people to experience the world similar to a person without glasses
Now, coming back the question of web accessibility – How would you react if you wear glasses and come across a website that does not work for people using eye glasses? In some ways, you might feel disappointed that how can someone not think about the people (or users) who wear eye glasses will be using the website. The reaction of people with disabilities is usually the same when they come across many websites that are not accessible today.
A common example of web accessibility
This is one of the most common examples of web accessibility in which alt text appears when image is not available or inaccessible. This is helpful for people who cannot see and can use screen reader software that reads out loud the alt text for the visual image.
When you mention alt text in the images, the information is available to everyone including:
- People who are bling
- Mailboxes like Outlook, Yahoo and Gmail that blocks images
- People who live in rural areas and don’t have high speed internet so downloading image is not an option
- Search engines
People with Disabilities Use the Web
If you have a website / online store site, you cannot deny the fact that people with disabilities use the web and they will land on your store site at some point. Followings are just a few example of people with disabilities and how they interact with the web:
- Auditory – They need audio content with captions / alt text for audio elements
- Cognitive and neurological – Then need options to suppress blinking, flickering or flashing (different navigation options)
- Visual – They need customizing settings for fonts and colors (need keyboard for navigation)
If you are still not convinced how important web accessibility is and how people with disability feel when they come across website that are not accessible.
Here is an example of an advertisement:
OFFER! Press green to claim the offer and blue to cancel
- With NO color blindness, the advertisement will appear like this:
- With color blindness, the advertisement will appear like this:
“Why all the effort for so few people?”
According to webaim.org - Conservative statistics indicate that at least 8.5% of the population has a disability that would affect internet use.
Many web developers and designers go above and beyond in making a website compatible with all browsers even when a browser version is old so that the experience of end user (customers) is same across all browsers and versions. If you can justify all the work and effort that goes into making the store site compatible with all browsers then why can’t you make your website accessible too? Making a website accessible requires much less work and effort compared to making content cross-browser compatible. In addition to that, from the online business prospective, this opens the door to additional 8.5% of the population that can bring more sales.
Author: Lavish Kumar
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