My approach to accessibility

Through a post from Ethan Marcotte I got drawn into the accessibility topic. Web accessibility, like defined by the W3C, was not on my radar until then, and that is not good.

The power of the Web is in its universality. Access by everyone regardless of disability is an essential aspect.

Web accessibility ensures that websites, tools, and technologies are designed and developed so that people with disabilities can use them. The W3C defines web accessibility in its article, What is Web Accessibility.

To quote the Mozilla Developer Network:

Accessibility is the practice of making your websites usable by as many people as possible. We traditionally think of this as being about people with disabilities, but the practice of making sites accessible also benefits other groups such as those using mobile devices, or those with slow network connections.

I want to explore this field, develop my skills, and create better, accessible websites.

Why accessibility matters to me

• It´s possible: As a web developer, I work with a medium that allows people to access content in ways they otherwise couldn’t, like reading a book. Technology enables us to include more people and give them access to content. As a web developer, it’s my responsibility to work towards inclusion and use state-of-the-art techniques. I’m concerned that web accessibility has deteriorated over the last twelve months.

  Without the internet, I´d be stuck. I can´t use books. I´d be sitting in the corner with a dunce´s hat.

• Our abilities change: I should not think of enabled and disabled people as being two separate groups. Our abilities degrade over time. When considering accessibility, I think about my future self! My field of vision will detoriate and I might develop motoric difficulties, which will make it hard to handle a mouse or trackpad properly. My cognitive abilities might slow down, my attention span might be reduced, and probably it will become difficult to memorize things. Ensuring straightforward access to relevant content will be more important to my future self (and already today it´s very important). How will my future self handle the clever website I am building right now?
• Site design improves: Striving for a direct and frictionless path to relevant content improves overall website design. Making a site more accessible benefits everyone. Consider looking at An alphabet of accessibility issues. I think that´s in line with Laura Kalbag´s approach of universal web accessibility:

  I take a universal design approach to accessibility wherever possible. Universal web accessibility helps us create sites that are usable by the widest, most diverse audience, rather than creating bolt-on solutions that might benefit one group at the expense of another.

• Design process improves: Accessibility is not something to put on top of an already completed site design. It must be part of the entire design process, from the start. I believe the very best approach is to collaborate during the entire process with diverse people, including those with disabilities. That could be inclusive design.
• The web improves: An accessible web is a better web. The more web designers start to learn and think about accessibility, the better our web will become.
• Improve myself: As a web developer, building accessible websites enhances my skills and empathy. It helps me create more usable and inclusive web experiences.

What do I have to accept

Imagining my future self with diminished abilities is one thing, but navigating the web without being able to see is entirely different. It’s daunting. Developing the skills to build accessible websites will likely take years, just as it took years to develop my design skills.

What I want to do about it

I want to start improving now. Here is my plan:

• Learn from experts: Identify and follow people who are knowledgeable about accessibility.
• Read and research: Continuously read and learn about accessibility.
• Apply best practices: Implement accessibility best practices in my work, starting with my personal website.
• Test for accessibility: Use resources and tools to test for accessibility.
• Maintain a resource list: Keep a list of useful articles, tools, and techniques.

By learning and applying these practices, I hope to make accessibility more accessible for myself and provide a more inclusive user experience in my web projects.