Web accessibility implies to providing everyone the access to same information irrespective any kind of impairments or disabilities they may have. Today the internet is considered to be the key source for communication, commerce, entertainment and information. Hence, one cannot undermine the importance of web accessibility for users having disabilities or special needs. Web accessibility aids in making sure that websites and online tools are designed and developed in a manner that individuals with disabilities can use them without any hindrance.  Companies like AccessiBe considerably contribute in making websites accessible for all.

Members of the Web Accessibility Initiative (WIP) of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) are the ones who strive to enforce guidelines across the internet that supports web accessibility.  They have published the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) that underline how digital content, services and tools can be made more accessible to people with disabilities. Web accessibility makes a website and any content on it a lot easier to understand and user friendly for all users. This includes people withdisabilities and limitations like:

  • Blindness
  • Low vision
  • Deafness
  • Hearing loss
  • Speech disabilities
  • Physical disabilities
  • Learning disabilities
  • Cognitive disabilities

These disabilities can be permanent or temporary.

By putting emphasis on the level of accessibility of a website, one can also enhance the user experience (UX) for all of their online visitors, including any individual with disability that may land on the site. This will show the website leads, visitors and customers that the company truly cares about them as individual, and thereby help in boosting its brand value and loyalty.

It is often thought that creating accessible sites just benefits a small percentage of the target audience. But so is not the case. Almost all people might experience some sort of temporary disability at some point in life, during which accessible websites may seem like a great boon. For example, in case a person slips from the stairs and breaks their wrist, they might not be able to use a mouse to navigate their PC for a few days. On the other hand, if someone has a bad migraine, witnessing poor contrast on a website may aggravate the issues.  Moreover, as a person ages, their sight, hearing, and dexterity will be eventually impacted. Developing accessible websites makes it possible for all users to consume content from the platform regardless of the disabilities they may have. Building an accessible website creates an inclusive experience, which essentially is beneficial for the greater good.

AccessiBe is a market leader when it comes to web accessibility solutions and technologies. They provide varying AI-Powered solutions for testing and remediating web accessibility. Through this company, one can also avail professional services that are focused on creating an inclusive web and helping businesses to comply with web accessibility standards and regulations i.e. WCAG and ADA. Details about such solutions can be found online.