Image credit: Original image
Originally appeared in LinkedIn AccessABILITY
In my last post I explored the four POUR principles (perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust) more granularly. I also reviewed some of the specific guidelines under each principle, along with the testable success criteria that websites must meet for conformance.
Every year on the third Thursday of May, people all across the world observe Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD). The observance raises awareness about digital accessibility for people with disabilities and encourages behaviors and projects that make technology more accessible.
The goal of digital accessibility is to remove obstacles that impede those with physical disabilities, such as visual, hearing, or mobility limitations, from accessing or interacting with websites, mobile applications, and digital information. It also considers socioeconomic limitations on bandwidth and internet speed, which can affect the user experience, as well as situational disabilities, which can result from environmental conditions like strong sunshine or noisy surroundings.
Organizations and developers can guarantee that their digital products and services are understandable and easy to use by a wider range of users, including those who use assistive technologies like screen readers, speech recognition software, or alternate input devices, by adopting digital accessibility principles. This could increase the user base and reach of digital platforms in addition to fostering inclusion and equal opportunities.
GAAD acts as a reminder to businesses, governments, and the tech community to prioritize accessibility in their digital initiatives, thereby creating a more inclusive digital landscape that empowers and enables individuals of all abilities to fully participate in the digital world.
Useful Resources
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are a set of technical standards developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) that help make web content more accessible to people with disabilities. https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG22/
Google’s inclusive marketing aims to eliminate biases and increase representation in all stages of the creative process to better reflect diverse perspectives. Check out the guides. https://all-in.withgoogle.com/
