Debunking Myths Related to Digital Accessibility

When considering web design and development, accessibility is often viewed as a complex and time-consuming venture.

Many professionals shy away from it, believing it to be an arduous task that requires extensive expertise and resources. However, this couldn't be further from the truth.

Today, we're going to debunk some common myths about accessibility and show you why it's not as challenging as you might think when it comes to implementing inclusivity into your work.

1. Accessibility is only for people with disabilities

Let's start with a fundamental misconception. While it's true that accessibility primarily benefits individuals with disabilities, its impact extends far beyond this group.

Consider, for instance, how closed captions not only assist those with hearing impairments but also benefit people watching videos in noisy environments or non-native speakers trying to follow along.

Accessibility features often enhance the user experience for everyone, making your content more usable and enjoyable across the board.

2. Implementing accessibility is expensive and time-consuming

Many people believe that making a website accessible requires a complete overhaul of existing designs and significant additional development time.

In reality, when accessibility is considered from the very beginning, it often requires minimal extra effort.

Moreover, many accessibility features, such as proper heading structure and alt text for images, are simple to implement and can be incorporated into your regular workflow with ease.

3. Accessible websites are ugly and boring

This myth couldn't be further from the truth. Accessibility and aesthetics are not mutually exclusive.

In fact, many principles of accessible design, such as clear typography, good colour contrast, and logical layout, contribute to a more visually appealing and user-friendly website.

With a bit of creativity, you can create beautiful designs that are visually appealing and fully accessible to all users.

4. Accessibility is only about screen readers

While screen reader compatibility is indeed an important aspect of web accessibility, it's just one piece of the puzzle. Accessibility encompasses a wide range of considerations, including keyboard navigation, colour contrast, text resizing, and more. By focusing on these various aspects, you're creating a better experience for users with different needs, not just those who use screen readers.

5. Automated tools can solve all accessibility issues

Automated accessibility checkers are fantastic tools, but they're not a complete solution. While they can identify many technical issues, they can't evaluate subjective elements like the clarity of your content or the logic of your navigation. A combination of automated tools and manual testing (using an accessibility tester with actual accessibility needs) is the best approach to ensure comprehensive accessibility.

6. Accessibility is the responsibility of developers alone

Creating an accessible website is a team effort. While developers play a crucial role in implementing accessible features, designers, content creators, and project managers all have important parts to play. From choosing accessible colour schemes to writing clear and concise content, everyone contributes to the overall accessibility of a website.

Conclusion

Now that we've debunked these myths, let's focus on the reality - which is that implementing accessibility is not only achievable but also incredibly rewarding. By making your website accessible, you're opening your content to a wider audience, improving user experience for everyone, and potentially even boosting your search engine rankings.

Implementing small changes to your website, such as proper heading structures, alt text for images, and good colour contrasts, you can ensure that you are taking the steps to cater your website to the large portion of our population that have visual impairments, motor disabilities, and more! When it comes to accessibility, every small step matters.