The document discusses accessibility and design. It notes that accessibility techniques for those with special needs include screen readers, magnification, braille terminals, speech recognition, keyboard overlays, and subtitles or sign language. Accessibility guidelines are meant to prevent discrimination but often overshoot by limiting design. The document advocates for accessible design that considers the needs of a wide population while maintaining quality.

1. design by pxlgirl
pretty accessible | by pxlgirl
http://www.designbypxlgirl.com | designbypxlgirl@gmail.com

2. design by pxlgirl
the basics |
perception allows our brains to identify and interpret sensory information
in order to understand the environment around us. We take it all for granted,
unless one of our senses drastically decreases or loses its function. Such
impairments can be caused by injuries, yet as we get older, our senses keep
losing their abilities over time.

3. design by pxlgirl
the basics |
as for accessibility, the following techniques are commonly used by individuals
with special needs:
● visual: screen readers, magnification, braille terminals
● motor/mobility: speech recognition, keyboard overlays
● auditory: subtitles or sign language

4. design by pxlgirl
in depth |
a growing number of countries (such as Australia, USA, UK) legally require
accessibility guidelines in order for people with disabilities not to be
discriminated against. There are different components with a set of guidelines
each. The most common addressing the access to digital information are:
● Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)
● User Agent Accessibility Guidelines (UAAG)

5. design by pxlgirl
in depth |
accessibility guidelines certainly have good intentions, yet they
unfortunately it often overshoots the mark. Meeting them all on the technical
end might go along by the rules, yet it would limit on other ends such as
design. The main problem is, that in many cases, those guidelines ignore
real needs a user with disability might face in everyday life.
another issue is the fact that the guidelines themselves contain of hundreds
of pages using advanced tech jargon, that cannot be grasped by an
average reader. As a result, there are many misconceptions about the
issue, leaving people overwhelmed or unwilling to take the matter seriously.

6. design by pxlgirl
the status |
examples of web sites relating to support visually impaired, yet not visually appealing, which
is a result of the misconception, that partially sighted would not (entirely) “see” the content,
hence design is seen as irrelevant.

7. design by pxlgirl
the status |
a slightly better example design-wise, yet the well meant icons to increase text are too small
to be found, and gets very messy when the internal browser zoom function is used.

8. design by pxlgirl
the facts |
the symptoms and how each individual perceives the world depends on many factors.
It is impossible to consider every single condition, so the trick is to find a common
ground scale which allows to satisfy the needs of a larger population.
normal eye
http://www.1steyecarearlington.com/ http://www.eyelines.co.uk/
retinal detachment

9. design by pxlgirl
the facts |
apart from the huge number of different eye diseases, there are a few
symptoms that occur:
● myopia/hyperopia (short/farsightedness)
● blurred vision
● color blindness
● visual field defects

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perspectives |
the two images show in comparison seen normally and perceived when colorblind.
It can mostly be easily compensated through experience and knowledge, so that
those individuals can even drive, unless their vision is not affected.
normal color vision colorblind vision

11. design by pxlgirl
perspectives |
another comparison of an image as seen with full eye sight, another with low
vision of 20% eyesight, from a distance of about 30 cm
normal vision (100%) low vision (20%)

12. design by pxlgirl
on the web |
screenshot: Apple website | normal view screenshot: Apple website | internal browser zoom

13. design by pxlgirl
on the web |
screenshot: Apple website | 20% eyesight | distance: 20 cm screenshot: Apple website | 5% eyesight | distance: 10 cm

14. design by pxlgirl
mobile devices |
20% eyesight | 20 cm distance | visual field disorder 20% eyesight | 5 cm distance | visual field disorder

15. design by pxlgirl
mobile devices |
5% eyesight | 10 cm distance | visual field disorder 5% eyesight | 3 cm distance | visual field disorder

16. design by pxlgirl
showcase |
case study: pretty accessible design | audience: visually impaired & supporters

17. design by pxlgirl
showcase |
project: HITAP Thailand | audience: women between 40 – 60 years of age

18. design by pxlgirl
conclusion |
in order to assure an accessible approach, there are a few key points that have to be taken
under consideration when realizing a project:
● logic and understandable ALT-tags for images
● flexible font sizes to be resized by users
● accurate contrasts between background and content
● simple and easy navigation (not to be done in flash)
● accurate highlighting of active elements (color, font weight etc...)
● Prioritize your graphical elements following some logic in your design concept.

19. design by pxlgirl
conclusion |
on a final note, accessibility affects everybody and should not be treated as a
separate unit for a particular group of people. We all have the right to access
well designed information without decreasing of quality.

20. thank you.
www.designbypxlgirl.com | designbypxlgirl@gmail.com | www.facebook.com/designbypxlgirl
design by pxlgirl