This presentation will help you understand; - What Web Accessibility is. - How individuals engage with digital products. - How to search for web accessibility-related materials - Forms of disabilities with regards to web accessibility - How people with disabilities use the web - Why making the web accessible is important - Stakeholders in the web accessibility concept - How to make digital products accessible Presenter: Positive Equator of positiveequator.com

1. INTRODUCTION TO WEB
ACCESSIBILITY
Date: 29th February, 2019
WAAW She Hacks Africa Meet Up Event.
Positive Equator
www.positiveequator.com
@positiveequator

2. What is Web Accessibility?
Web accessibility simply means taking measures
to ensure websites, tools, and technologies are
designed and developed so that people with
disabilities can use them.
This Use Includes;
• Perceive
• Understand
• Navigate
• Interact
• Contribute

3. More than 19 million people live with
Disabilities in Nigeria, as of 2018.
Source: Premium Times
https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/
more-news/288954-19-million-nigerians-
living-with-disability-official.html

4. #a11y?
This is the digital/tech jargon for accessibility
A/ccessibilit/y

5. Note that Disability in this context is not limited
to disabled people.
It includes all disabilities that affect web access,
including;
• Auditory
• Cognitive
• Neurological
• Physical
• Speech
• Visual
It can affect ANYONE!

6. HOW DO PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES USE WEB?
Visual
Visually impaired people use;
• Screen magnifying software
• Screen readers
• Braille.
These devices read website content just like
search engines.

7. Screen Magnifying Software
Screen Readers
Braille

8. Auditory
This guys can read text but
require captions and transcripts
to interpret audio/video
content.

9. Neurological/Physical
This group is made up of people with shaky
hands, and arthritis and seniors.
They use
• Trackball mouse
• Mouse stick
• Head wand
• Sip and puff device
• Eye tracking software
to tap and navigate sites via keyboard.

10. Trackball mouse
Mouse stick
Head wand

11. Sip and Puff Device
Eye Tracking Device

12. Why Make the Web Accessible?
• Improved Usability
• Expands Market Reach
• It’s the right thing to do (Right to Internet
Access).
• Improves Company Branding
• Easier to Execute and Maintain
• Increases Search Engine Ranking
• Required by Law in some countries/Eliminates
Litigation.

13. HOW DOES WEB ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES AFFECT
US?
• As Individuals; Accessible websites leads to an
excellent experience.
• For A Business; Accessible design improves user
engagement and satisfaction, consequently
enhancing your brand reputation and extending
market reach.
• For Society; In more advanced countries, people with
disabilities sue organizations that fail to consider
web accessibility in their digital designs.

14. STAKEHOLDERS
People With Disabilities
Companies Developers
Legal Industry
WEB
ACCESSIBILITY

15. The number of website accessibility lawsuits filled
in federal court under American Disability Act
(ADA), Title III exploded in 2018 to at least 2258.
This increased by 177% from 814 such lawsuits
in 2017.
Source: Seyfarth
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.adatitleiii
.com/2019/01/number-of-federal-website-
accessibility-lawsuits-nearly-triple-exceeding-
2250-in-2018/amp.html

16. HOW TO MAKE WEBSITES ACCESSIBLE
• Ensure your site is keyboard-navigation friendly.
• Add alt text to all non-text content.
• Do not use alt text for decorative images.
• Caption and/or provide transcripts for videos
and audios.
• Use colors carefully.
• Use appropriate header structure.
• Enable resizable text that doesn’t break your site.
• Avoid automatic media and navigation.
• Ensure links stand out.
• Ensure content is clearly written and easy to
read.

17. FURTHER READING
Follow Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
(WCAG) 2.2
(https://www.w3.org/TR/2020/WD-
WCAG22-20200227/)
• These guidelines are established by the
Accessibility Initiative of the World Wide Web
Consortium (W3C).

18. https://www.w3.org/WAI/fundamentals/acc
essibility-intro/
https://www.w3.org/standards/webdesign/a
ccessibility
https://webaim.org/intro/
https://developers.google.com/web/fundame
ntals/accessibility
https://www.edx.org/course/web-
accessibility-introduction (Course)
https://www.udacity.com/course/web-
accessibility--ud891 (Course)

19. CONCLUSION
• Ensuring your site can be used by as many
people as possible should be your top priority.
There is no reason to exclude anyone because
everyone has equal rights to the web.
• You’ll not only be appreciated by your users
with disabilities, but you’ll experience increase
in traffic and conversion too.
• Besides you’ve got nothing to loose and many
things to gain.

20. THANK YOU
Positive Equator
www.positiveequator.com
@positiveequator