When we hear accessibility, we think of the disabled and those who need extra help. But the truth is that by making things accessible we actually benefit everyone. Companies like accessiBe are helping get the world accessible online. The need for accessibility is more important now than ever. There has been a sharp increase in the number of websites in the last couple of years as the need for the internet to support daily living became paramount. When the pandemic arrived, life had to stop in many ways and the only way for many companies, schools, etc. to continue was to move online. While we have been very fortunate to have the internet to make this possible, it has in itself created problems for some users, namely, those with disabilities.
What is the online accessibility issue?
Many of us take for granted that we can just switch on our computer or laptop, put our fingerprint to our tablet or phone, and we can have instant access to any information or website we want to view. But this isn’t the case for everybody. Some disabled internet users may find some websites impossible to navigate. To be clear, this should never happen. No one should ever be unable to access something that is freely available to everyone else. To not make a website accessible is to discriminate and that is unacceptable. In fact, the governments of many lands agree and have introduced laws to make sure that this is addressed. And especially in recent years, the number of lawsuits brought against those who don’t have an accessible website has risen sharply.
How to make a website accessible
I could go through many examples of things you can do to make your website accessible. The truth is, a large variety of disabilities means a large number of adjustments need to be made to make a website accessible. This can sound like a humongous undertaking and something that will take months to implement. This alone can make people delay getting started. But there is a much simpler solution. Using a website accessibility overlay can take the hard work out of it and speed up the process at the same time. An accessibility overlay will scan your site for any issues related to accessibility. Once it has identified the areas that need improving, it will automatically update and rectify these to make your website accessible. It is faster, it is cheaper, and it is effective. So, please don’t put off such an important issue. Make sure your website is fully accessible.
