Organizations cannot afford to ignore accessibility
The fundamental purpose of the internet is to provide users with easy and convenient access to a powerful global information system. If this is the case, why are there still so many individuals who are unable to easily use the web to its fullest capacity?
According to Statistics Canada, 6.2 million people, or one in five Canadians, aged fifteen and older have at least one disability that limits their daily activities, including their use of the web.
Web accessibility seeks to ensure that people of all abilities are able to perceive, navigate, and understand web content while being free of any barriers.
Applying to elements such as SEO and user experience, by nature accessible websites are easier for all users to navigate, regardless of their abilities. Users are likely to have a more engaging and robust experience by being able to quickly and effectively access the information or content they are looking for.
Is your business ready to create a plan for web accessibility?
By building a website that is not completely accessible to at least 6.2 million Canadians, organizations are losing out on valuable business that represents a purchasing power of approximately $55 billion annually.
For many businesses, increasing revenue and improving customer engagement take precedence, however web accessibility can no longer be relegated to the sidelines.
The numbers are staggering: considering the sheer size of the Canadian population that live with at least one disability today, projected growth sees this number rise to 40 percent of Ontario consumers alone by 2035. Inclusivity and accessibility are not only smart business decisions, they are also the right decision.
A commitment to accessibility provides your business with the opportunity to enhance and expand its brand by making services more usable and readily accessible to a large swath of the population.
Some may argue that implementing an accessible web design does not lead to a substantial return on investment. However, that is not the case.
Inclusive businesses can extend their market reach and positively engage with all customers and prospects, regardless of their physical, mental or other abilities.
Studies show 71% of customers with disabilities will leave a website if it is too difficult for them to navigate, and many of these consumers are willing to pay more for the same product from an organization that offers them a pleasing and easily accessible web experience.
Making your site accessible offers an opportunity to increase customer loyalty and become an industry leader. An accessible website shows visitors that you care about providing users with a convenient digital experience that caters to their individual needs.
Additionally, an accessible website is beneficial to everyone, not just those with disabilities. Some individuals may not necessarily identify as having a disability, such as those with age-related limitations to their vision or hearing, yet would benefit from accessibility features such as better color contrast, closed captioning, screen readers, and zoom magnification.
People with visual and hearing impairments, limited mobility, motor skills and physical disabilities, photosensitivity, and cognitive disabilities often need assistive technologies to browse the internet.
There is a myriad of benefits to optimizing accessibility on a website. When you create a universal design, you are improving your website’s framework, taking into account the preferences and needs of users of all abilities. Rather than creating bandage solutions for certain barriers, investing in a digital project that has the goal of inclusion built into its very foundation often leads to unexpected innovations. Here are a few examples:
Voice-to-text software was originally developed to help individuals with visual impairments write messages without the use of a keyboard. Today, dictation software is commonly leveraged as a general productivity tool. When users are driving and their eyes are occupied on the road, they can still send and receive messages safely using dictation software.
Even more common, the technology has also been used extensively for voice search applications such as Google Home and Amazon's Alexa.
While more efficient and timesaving for everyone, predictive text and keyboard shortcuts were originally intended to assist those with arthritis or tremors, as well as those with learning disabilities, to make the work of typing less arduous.
Closed captioning was originally designed to aid those who are hearing impaired, however they've received far more widespread use in recent years. With videos often defaulted to autoplay on websites and social platforms, poor user experience results as audio often activates at inopportune moments. This problem has been mitigated by companies like Facebook defaulting to the use of captions for videos in their feeds. This mainstream adoption has also led to a general improvement in captioning technology.
With the January 2021 deadline to comply with the WCAG 2.0 Level AA of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) already passed, it is prudent to consider what actions your organization needs to take in order to ensure compliance.
Applying to private and non-profit organizations with more than 50 employees, including organizations in the public sector, failure to comply with these new regulations can result in fines of up to $100,000 per day.
Sites that are compliant with WCAG 2.0 guidelines instead provide users with text alternatives for non-text content, formats that include large print, and high contrast visuals to eliminate visual barriers.
The web accessibility movement is not a temporary one; web design and development processes will continue to improve and adapt.
Designing and developing a site with accessibility best practices in mind should be paramount. It’s imperative to ensure all content, including dynamic content, is easily accessible to all users regardless of ability.
A good place to begin is to assess the current state of your organization’s website, including all existing pages, downloadable documents, and current processes for posting and publishing content. Determine which accessibility practices your company is already engaged in, and identify areas in need of enhancement. Always work towards discontinuing practices that detract from your site’s accessibility goals.
Update practices, procedures and organizational policies to redefine your organization’s standards and commitment to accessibility. Create a communications and implementation plan to ensure that best practices are followed for all ongoing and upcoming digital projects within your organization. If everyone is on the same page with regards to the beneficial impact improving accessibility has on your overall business, it will be easier to get buy-in from stakeholders and fellow employees.
PortageCyberTech can help. If your organization is looking to create and implement an accessibility roadmap, our team of digital experts is here to guide you with tips and best practices for creating a budget and providing employee training and workshops. Contact us now.