What are accessibility challenges and barriers to access?
There are many accessibility challenges that should be considered when creating web content. These challenges only become barriers when websites do not account for these challenges in their design. For example, a visual disability may change the way a user interacts with a website, but if the website is properly accessible, this does not become a barrier to this user accessing the site’s content.
Too often, accessibility is a retroactive or reactive element in the design process and the responsibility to advocate for accommodations falls to the user. To help prevent this scenario, further modules in this training include design tips that can help reduce or eliminate some of the most common barriers faced by website users.
First, though, it may be helpful to have some examples of how disabilities and other accessibility challenges change the way a user might interact with web content, as well as the most common changes made to address these challenges.
Keep in mind, though, that accessibility is not a one-size-fits all solution. If a user requests additional or alternative accommodations to those we recommend here, address their needs.
Disabilities
As stated in the last module, the main goal of accessibility is to enable access to persons with disabilities. Disabilities encompass a broad range of experiences that may change the way the user interacts with web content.
The following examples are not comprehensive, but rather meant to help you understand some common ways in which disabilities may change the experience of accessing a website and how these experiences can be enabled with accessibility-focused design.
Visual disabilities, such as low vision, blindness, colour-blindness, etc.
Example: a user with low vision or blindness may use a screen-reader to assist them in accessing web content. Therefore, web content needs to be in a format that can be processed by the screen-reader, such as using alt text for images and anchor text for hyperlinks.
Auditory disabilities, such as low hearing, D/deafness, or auditory processing disorders, etc.
Example: a user with low hearing or D/deafness may require captions to access the audio content of a video. Therefore, accurate captions with correct timings are required.
Mobility / dexterity impairments
Example: a user with a mobility or dexterity impairment may have difficulty manipulating a mouse to click on a small checkbox on a web page. Therefore, ensure that clickable elements such as buttons, link text, or checkboxes have a greater area that can be clicked.
Cognitive impairments and learning disabilities
Example: a user may have difficulty concentrating on or processing complex language. Therefore, using plain language where possible is encouraged.
Neurological disorders, such as migraines or seizures
Example: bright or flashing lights may trigger migraines or seizures for some users. Therefore, content must not be designed in a way that is known to induce this response.
Other accessibility challenges
Disabilities are not the only accessibility challenge users may face when accessing web content. Other challenges can be circumstantial, environmental, or even societal or cultural:
Illness (including mental illness)
Example: a user experiencing illness may have a reduced ability to concentrate on content. Content should be divided into short paragraphs and use plain language where possible.
Sleep deprivation
Example: similar to the example above, a sleep-deprived user may also have a reduced capacity for focus and concentration. Again, short paragraphs, bullet points, and plain language help make content accessible for users in these circumstances
Trauma
Example: certain stimuli, such as images, sounds, or content may evoke a trauma response in users. Clearly signaling where potentially triggering content may appear and giving the user the option to skip such content (while still receiving all of the necessary information on the page) is necessary.
Connectivity issues such as a weak Internet connection
Example: a user might live somewhere with a weak Internet connection, meaning that their network is unable to load images and videos quickly or regularly. Including text alternatives for these slower loading types of content enables access for someone in this situation.
Designing for accessibility
You might notice that some of the examples above suggest the same solution. While every user’s needs are different, the design best practices in this training are intended to address some of the most common accessibility challenges. When implemented properly, designing for accessibility uses one solution to overcome many barriers at once.
For example, consider several situations in which captions on a video can benefit users:
Providing a written alternative for users who have low hearing or D/deafness
Helping a user with an auditory processing disorder to make out the meaning of what they are hearing
Allowing a user in a noisy environment to read instead of listen to the content
Offering support to someone who is more familiar with reading and writing the language of the video than they are with speaking and hearing it
Assisting someone looking to quote the video content in a written format with the process of translating spoken language into written language
This is just one example of how one design solution accommodates several accessibility challenges, removes barriers, and increases accessibility for everyone.
Welcome back to module 1 of our accessibility training. This video focuses on exploring different accessibility challenges and potential barriers to accessing web content.
Users interact with web content in many different ways. For example, one user might use a screen-reader to access text content, while another might increase the font size to be able to access it. These differences in use only become barriers if the website’s design does not account for them. In our previous example, including text that cannot be processed by screen-readers or scaled up creates barriers for these example users.
Too often, accessibility is a retroactive process, patching over previously inaccessible design when its flaws are pointed out. While retrofitting old web content for accessibility is vital, we want to emphasize the importance of designing for accessibility from the start. This approach takes responsibility for the accessibility of web content, rather than forcing the user to constantly self-advocate for accommodation.
To be able to consider how different users may interact with web content, we’re going to overview how disabilities and other circumstances may influence a user’s web experience, as well as standard design practices that can be implemented to accommodate each of these situations.
As we go through these examples, though, keep in mind that accessibility is not a one-size-fits-all solution. If a user requests accommodations outside those we recommend here, meet their needs.
The main priority of accessibility is to enable access to persons with disabilities. As such, this will be where we start with exploring how disabilities may change a user’s experience with web content, as well as providing design solutions to enable their access. These examples are not comprehensive nor meant to suggest a “proto-typical user”. Instead, they are merely intended to illustrate possible situations where disability might impact a user’s interaction with web content, and how this interaction can be enabled using accessibility-focused design.
Visual disabilities, such as low vision, blindness, colour-blindness or others can impact a user’s experience with web content. For example, a user with low vision or blindness may use a screen-reader to assist them in accessing web content. Designing web content in a way that can be processed by the screen-reader (therefore enabling access to this user) includes practices such as using alt text for images or anchor text for hyperlinks.
Auditory disabilities, such as low hearing or D/deafness, can change how a user accesses audio components. For example, a user with low hearing or D/deafness may need captions to be able to access the audio content of a video.
A user with a mobility or dexterity impairment may have difficulty manipulating a mouse to click a small checkbox. Giving clickable elements a greater clickable area or enabling these elements to be interacted with by keyboard can reduce this challenge.
Cognitive impairments and learning disabilities may affect a user’s ability to concentrate on or parse complex language. Using plain language and breaking up long paragraphs of text can help with this.
Neurological disorders, such as migraines or seizures can affect the type of content a user can safely view. For example, bright or flashing lights may trigger migraines or seizures. Content should therefore not be designed in a way that is known to provoke this reaction.
However, disabilities are not the only accessibility challenge users may face when accessing web content. Other challenges can be circumstantial, environmental, or even societal or cultural. Here are some examples:
Illness (including mental illness) can severely drain a user’s energy and make it difficult for them to concentrate on information. Web content that requires precise concentration and complicated interaction can be inaccessible to someone experiencing illness. Content should therefore operate in predictable ways and text should be plain and divided into manageable paragraphs.
Concentration and focus are similarly affected by sleep deprivation. Again, short paragraphs, bullet points, and plain text all help make content accessible for users in these circumstances.
Certain stimuli, such as images, sounds, or content may evoke a trauma response in users. Clearly signaling where potentially triggering content may appear and allowing the user to skip this content (without losing information) is highly suggested.
A poor internet connection can also present significant challenges to accessing web content, especially images and videos. Including text alternatives for these “heavier” types of content enables access for users in this situation.
As you may have noticed from the previous examples, many design best practices help address multiple accessibility challenges at once. For example, consider how one design solution – captions – can benefit users in many different situations:
Captions provide a written alternative to audio content for users who have low hearing or D/deafness
They also provide assistance for users with auditory processing disorders
Maybe a user is trying to listen to a video in a noisy environment. Captions enable them to read along to the content
Some multilinguals are more familiar in their secondary languages with reading written language than interpreting spoken language. Captions help these users better understand spoken language in a video.
Many academics cite video content in written work. Captions and transcripts provide assistance with the process of translating spoken language into written language.
There are countless other situations in which users might benefit from captions, and this is just one design practice. By implementing several standard accessibility-focused design practices, you can reduce challenges, remove barriers, and increase access for everyone.