Back to: Simple “Swaps” for Better Accessibility
Introduction to Web Accessibility
Natalie begins by discussing accessibility, emphasizing that while it is often defined as making the web usable for people with disabilities, this definition is incomplete. Accessibility, she argues, is about improving usability for everyone, not just those with permanent disabilities.
Types of Disabilities
- Permanent Disabilities: Conditions such as blindness, deafness, or mobility issues that persist throughout life. Even common conditions like the need for glasses are considered permanent disabilities.
- Temporary Disabilities: Short-term conditions caused by illness or injury, such as a broken arm or the flu, which can reduce productivity and usability.
- Situational Disabilities: Limitations caused by external circumstances, like trying to read a screen in bright sunlight or handling a task while holding a child.
The Importance of Accessibility
Accessibility benefits everyone, not just those traditionally classified as disabled. Natalie highlights that creating accessible websites ensures all users feel welcome, as reflected in a quote by Rebecca Coakley: “Accessibility is the difference between being invited to the party and feeling welcome at the party.” She stresses that inaccessible websites can make users feel excluded and frustrated, impacting their mental and emotional well-being.
Accessibility in WordPress
Natalie touches on accessibility in WordPress, noting that while some plugins and themes are designed with accessibility in mind, ultimate responsibility lies with site owners and administrators. Even when using “accessibility-ready” tools, decisions made during site creation can affect accessibility. The session focuses on practical, small adjustments site owners can make to enhance website accessibility for all users.
Part 1: Introduction to Web Accessibility
[00:00:00]
Introduction to Accessibility
Natalie: All right, so today we’re going to be talking about simple swaps for better accessibility. Just little changes that you can make on your website that will help improve the accessibility. But we’ll get started by talking about what is accessibility. So if you search around the web or ask people what is accessibility, you’ll probably come across a definition that looks something like this.
That accessibility means making the web usable for people with disabilities. And this definition isn’t wrong, but I think it’s a little bit incomplete. So we’re going to dig a little deeper into this.
Understanding Disabilities
Natalie: People with disabilities. Who are these people with disabilities who are using our websites? So first up, we have people who have permanent disabilities.
And just like it says, a permanent disability is one that once acquired, you will have for the rest of your life. So, it could be somebody who is blind, somebody [00:01:00] who is deaf, somebody who has limited or no mobility and might require the use of a wheelchair to get around, but it also includes other types of disabilities.
For example, if you require glasses or contact lenses to see clearly, that is a permanent vision disability. And we don’t always think of it that way, but it absolutely is. And so there’s all different kinds of permanent disabilities somebody can have. And of course, we tend to accumulate more and more of them, the older that we get.
So bad hips, bad knees, bad shoulders, et cetera. Then we have temporary disabilities. And every single one of us is constantly moving in and out of a state of temporary disability. These are brought on by illness or injury. So I work at the computer a lot. So if I were to break my arm or sprain my wrist, I would have a difficult time doing my job until that injury healed.
We also have [00:02:00] illnesses, which we think often of serious illnesses. But even things like cold and flu can impact our ability to be productive. So, I myself am just recovering from a flu that had me sick for two weeks and I can definitely assure you that my capacity was diminished during that period of time.
I could not be as productive as I normally am at my job and my voice is still not completely recovered. from my illness. So we are all constantly moving in and out of being temporarily disabled. And then we have a situational disability, which is brought on not by any kind of condition with our own bodies or brains, but with the situation that we happen to be in.
So things like trying to look at your phone or tablet screen outside on a bright sunny day, trying to take a phone call in a noisy room, or holding a screaming, crying, feverish baby in one arm while you desperately try to find the phone number for the doctor [00:03:00] with your other hand. So all of those are situations where our capacity is diminished because of the situation that we happen to find ourselves in.
The Importance of Accessibility
Natalie: So coming back to our definition, uh, who are these people with disabilities that accessibility makes the web better for? They are every single one of us. So accessibility makes the web better for everybody. While I was doing some research for this talk, I came across this quote, which I think is quite lovely actually from Rebecca Coakley that says, accessibility is the difference between being invited to the party and feeling welcome at the party.
So when we use software and websites that are difficult or frustrating, that does actually take a toll on our mental and emotional health, because we’re getting a message that we don’t matter, or that we don’t belong here. And that feeling can be even more intense when users require assistive technology to access websites that just don’t work for them, [00:04:00] day after day, hour after hour.
Accessibility in WordPress
Natalie: I do want to take a moment to talk about, specifically, accessibility in WordPress. So there are plugins and themes that prioritize accessibility. And the plugin and theme authors do everything that they can to ensure that their products are accessible. But even if you limit yourself to only using those types of plugins, there are no guarantees.
Even when you are using only accessibility ready plugins and themes, you as the site owner or administrator can make decisions that result in your website not being accessible. So you have a responsibility to carry that commitment to accessibility forward in order to ensure that your website is accessible.
everyone. And that’s what we’re talking about today. The little swaps, the little changes, the little adjustments that help to make your website more accessible.