Read on Twitter
Since I don't even dare to try to comment on what's being said on the forums, I will instead would like to clear some things that I'm seeing people are saying...
(expect grammar mistakes)
(expect grammar mistakes)
Accessibility isn't just for people w/disabilities. It's for everyone.
EX: In the library and wanna watch a YouTube quietly? Thank goodness for subtitles!
EX: Driving and wanna get directions without grabbing your phone? "HEY SIRI!"
EX: Late at night bright screen? NIGHTMODE
EX: In the library and wanna watch a YouTube quietly? Thank goodness for subtitles!
EX: Driving and wanna get directions without grabbing your phone? "HEY SIRI!"
EX: Late at night bright screen? NIGHTMODE
Who do people who are visually impaired navigate the web??
Screen readers! A screen reader converts text, buttons, images and other screen elements into speech or braille.
More info: https://axesslab.com/what-is-a-screen-reader/
Screen readers! A screen reader converts text, buttons, images and other screen elements into speech or braille.
More info: https://axesslab.com/what-is-a-screen-reader/
"Theres only so much you can do to be disability friendly to blind people."
Yes, but you can make their lives so much easier if you design & develop your website to be accessible.
Yes, but you can make their lives so much easier if you design & develop your website to be accessible.
How do you make your site accessible?
There is a guideline you can use called Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) which provide information on how to make your site to be accessible.
More Info: https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/
There is a guideline you can use called Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) which provide information on how to make your site to be accessible.
More Info: https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/
There are 3 different levels of WCAG 2.1 conformance you can aim for: A, AA, AAA (the highest) based on what your website needs.
Typically, you should typically want to aim for AA or AAA, especially if your site provides some sort of service, such as online store, .GOV, school.
Typically, you should typically want to aim for AA or AAA, especially if your site provides some sort of service, such as online store, .GOV, school.
"It almost certainly was some web designer's attempt at a clean aesthetic..." Clean aesthetic doesn't mean your site can't be accessible. Alt tags, ARIA labels, color contrast checks, etc are all things that should be taken into consideration.
"I don't know what any of this is..." That's okay! There are a lot of folks in the web design/dev industry who are trained to know about this (like me!). It is our job to know this and educate our clients on accessibility.
"So what can I do to help?"
There are a few things you can do on Twitter that would help folks!
For one, adding alt tags to your images (including gifs) when you post them! https://help.twitter.com/en/using-twitter/picture-descriptions
There are a few things you can do on Twitter that would help folks!
For one, adding alt tags to your images (including gifs) when you post them! https://help.twitter.com/en/using-twitter/picture-descriptions
Two: Stop using "fancy fonts". (I'm looking at you specifically brands...) Screen readers cannot read them https://twitter.com/ryanflorence/status/1013857875230257153
Three: If you are posting IMPORTANT information as an image, please either include it in the ALT tag area and/or add a follow-up tweet with the precise information. Not summary. Exactly what you put on the image.
"Making your site accessible stunts the Aesthetics!"
You sure about that? Check out my baby: http://YattaTachi.com which we aim to meet the WCAG 2.1 AA/AAA standards.
You sure about that? Check out my baby: http://YattaTachi.com which we aim to meet the WCAG 2.1 AA/AAA standards.
Another example: http://AnimeFeminist.com ( @animefeminist) which also aims to meet the WCAG 2.1 AA/AAA standards.
Oh and the suing part...
Folks have been asking for people to take accessibility into account, but companies have turned away at the thought which has resorted to laws being in place that if companies fail to comply they are subjected to being sued... It's called Section 508.
Folks have been asking for people to take accessibility into account, but companies have turned away at the thought which has resorted to laws being in place that if companies fail to comply they are subjected to being sued... It's called Section 508.
For more information about accessibility and what designers and developers can do to help make a site accessible: https://a11y.coffee/intro/
Finally to people who say "blind people don't watch anime!" Please allow me to direct you to an interview of a blind anime fan that @laureninspace did a few years back: https://www.otakujournalist.com/how-a-blind-fan-watches-anime-an-interview-with-tj-olsen/
