Difference between revisions of "Category:Accessibility"

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From [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accessibility Accessibility] on [[Wikipedia]]
From [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accessibility Accessibility] on [[Wikipedia]]


===Types of Disabilities===
* [[:Category: Types of Disabilities | Types of Disabilities]]
[[:Category: Types of Disabilities | Types of Disabilities]]
* [[Why Accessibility]]
* [[The Business Value of Accessible Software]].
* [[Assistive Technology that Benefits Everyone]].
* [[Accessibility Legal Issues | Read about Accessibility Legal Issues.]]


== Why Accessibility ==
== Standards and Guidelines ==
[https://twitter.com/jameswillweb/status/789212365325828096 [[File:Jameswilliamsaccessibilityquote.jpg|400px]]]<br /> <br/>
The official standard is the [https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20/ WCAG 2.0 standard] by the [[World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)]]. For resources related to the standard, see [[:Category: WCAG Guidelines | WCAG Guidelines]].
Accessibility is the act of designing for an audience that includes people who have disabilities, and may (or may not) be using additional software or hardware to complete their goals. Accessibility is a way of thinking about design and development. [[Dylan Barrell]] explains it in his article &quot;What is accessibility?&quot; (which is no longer available) in terms of a series of traits.
* '''Accessibility is empathy''' for your users.
* '''Accessibility is usability''' in the things you build.
* '''Accessibility is compliance''' with best practices, so you don't have to reinvent the wheel (or make your user do the same).
* '''Accessibility is making the experience better for all users''', with an emphasis on the users at the edge of the experience.
* And '''Accessibility is practical''' - not idealistic - in its pursuit of a better experience.
 
(There's a great discussion of how a map can be accessible not by aligning with the letter of accessibility requirements, but by reassessing what the core user need actually is and building it instead or in addition to the map, in the article.)
 
[[Paul Boag]] raises many of the same points in his article [https://boagworld.com/accessibility/accessibility-is-not-what-you-think/ Accessibility is not what you think], putting the emphasis on the fact that accessible solutions aren't strictly for the profoundly disabled edge cases. Yes, they are covered by good accessibility solutions, but good accessibility solutions benefit everyone. Accessibility is not a few things, though you'll meet people who think that it is. It is not a checklist of things to do so that your software passes a compliance test, a list of things to do so you don't get sued, or a pain in your ass. (Or rather, if it's a pain in your ass, so is User Experience and everything else that's going to make your product successful, so deal.)
 
[http://www.claimingcrip.com/2016/01/accessibility-is-not-nice-thing-to-do.html Accessibility is not a &quot;nice thing to do&quot;], as [[Karin Hitselberger]] explains in her article of the same name. It's the law. And it's the law because Karin and you and I all share the same rights to life and dignity and safety and security. It's not kindness, and it's not charity. It's the baseline.
 
[https://www.applevis.com/blog/advocacy-ios-apps-opinion/accessibility-not-feature-and-developers-should-never-treat-it-such Accessibility is not a 'Feature' and Developers Should Never Treat It as Such] (by [[Michael Hansen]] on [[AppleVis]]). Similarly, [https://timkadlec.com/2015/02/access-optional/ Access is not Optional] (by [[Tim Kadlec]]).  
 
I've written a few things about Accessibility over the years, which can be boiled down to these two points:
 
* [[Accessibility: You must be aware of your own stereotypes | You must be aware of your own stereotypes]]
* [[Accessibility: You will not always be able-bodied | You will not always be able-bodied]]
 
==Business Value==
Good accessibility is good business.
 
* It provides access to a market of customers that otherwise cannot spend money on your product.  
* It provides a competitive advantage over companies that are not accessible - Dell Corporate has lost bids to more accessible competitors in the government sector, and we'd rather be the company others lose bids to.
* It frequently provides higher quality than inaccessible products -- products that are thought through from an accessibility lens are often easier to use for non-disabled users, or provide features that otherwise may not be thought about. (For example, while Closed Captioning was developed specifically for Deaf audiences, it's a service that almost everyone has used at some point, whether at a crowded bar or in a room with a sleeping baby.)
* It ensures continued use of the product to customers that transition from non-disabled to disabled. (Keeping a customer is just as important as gaining a customer.)
* It lowers legal risk of civil rights and access lawsuits.
 
Further reading:


* [http://digitaldesignstandards.com/standard/accessibility/designing-accessibility-simply-good-business/ Why Designing for Accessibility is Simply Good Business] by [[Digital Design Standards]]
Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines ([[:Category:ATAG Guidelines | ATAG Guidelines]]) specify additional criteria for authoring tools (things that output HTML). ATAG Guidelines use the WCAG Guidelines as a backbone, so if your new blogging site or social media tool isn't WCAG compliant, it won't be ATAG compliant either.  
* [https://www.microsoft.com/enable/business/value.aspx The Business Value of Integrating Accessible Technology into Business Organizations] by [[Microsoft]]
* [http://simplyaccessible.com/article/accessibility-according-to-my-mechanic/ Why accessibility is good for business (according to my mechanic)] by [[Nicholas Steenhout]] at [[Simply Accessible]]
* [https://qz.com/work/1703963/businesses-should-pay-attention-to-consumers-with-disabilities/ The disabled community is the world's third-largest economic power] by [[Christina Mallon]] at [[Quartz]].


==Legal Issues==
WAI-ARIA ([[:Category:ARIA | ARIA]] for short) outlines the guidelines for creating accessible rich internet applications.
[[Accessibility Legal Issues]]


== Standards and Guidelines ==
The official standard is the [https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20/ WCAG 2.0 standard] by the W3C. For resources related to the standard, see [[:Category: WCAG Guidelines]].
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/guidelines/futuremedia/accessibility/mobile BBC Mobile Accessibility Standards &amp; Guidelines]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/guidelines/futuremedia/accessibility/mobile BBC Mobile Accessibility Standards &amp; Guidelines]
* [http://www-03.ibm.com/able/guidelines/ci162/accessibility_checklist.html IBM Web Accessibility Checklist Version 7]
* [http://www-03.ibm.com/able/guidelines/ci162/accessibility_checklist.html IBM Web Accessibility Checklist Version 7]
== Getting it done ==
== Getting it done ==
[[Accessibility 101]]: The things you need to get started
[[Accessibility 101]]: The things you need to get started
=== Fostering the Culture ===
=== Fostering the Culture ===
* [https://aneventapart.com/news/post/extreme-design-by-derek-featherstonean-event-apart-video Extreme Design] by Derek Featherstone is a one-hour video of how accessible design benefits everyone.
* [https://aneventapart.com/news/post/extreme-design-by-derek-featherstonean-event-apart-video Extreme Design] by [[Derek Featherstone]] is a one-hour video of how accessible design benefits everyone.
* [https://blogs.dropbox.com/tech/2017/04/creating-a-culture-of-accessibility/ Creating a Culture of Accessibility] by Cordelia McGee Tubs at the Dropbox Tech Blog. This article discusses generating excitement around accessibility, running an accessibility device lab, rewarding the organization's champions, spreading knowledge, and developing a culture of learning around accessibility.
* [https://blogs.dropbox.com/tech/2017/04/creating-a-culture-of-accessibility/ Creating a Culture of Accessibility] by [[Cordelia McGee Tubs]] at the [[Dropbox Tech Blog]]. This article discusses generating excitement around accessibility, running an accessibility device lab, rewarding the organization's champions, spreading knowledge, and developing a culture of learning around accessibility.
* [https://alistapart.com/article/reframing-accessibility-for-the-web Reframing Accessibility for the Web] by me at A List Apart. This article discusses how stereotypes work, how they're interfering with our accessible design process, and one approach to testing for accessibility that takes the stereotypes out of the direct line of fire.
* [https://alistapart.com/article/reframing-accessibility-for-the-web Reframing Accessibility for the Web] by [[anne m. gibson]] at [[A List Apart]]. This article discusses how stereotypes work, how they're interfering with our accessible design process, and one approach to testing for accessibility that takes the stereotypes out of the direct line of fire.
* [https://accessibility.digital.gov Accessibility for Teams] by the US Government outlines how each role at an organization or in a team can improve the accessibility of a product.  
* [https://accessibility.digital.gov Accessibility for Teams] by the US Government outlines how each role at an organization or in a team can improve the accessibility of a product.
===Agile and Accessibility ===
 
* [http://www.interactiveaccessibility.com/blog/how-write-user-stories-accessibility-requirements#.WWBfR8aZPUp How to write user stories user stories for web accessibility] by Kathy Wahlbin at Interactive Accessibility
===Specific topics===
===Specific topics===
* [[Accessible Error Handling]]
* [[Accessible Error Handling]]
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* [[WAI-ARIA]] <-- this totally doesn't belong here but I'm not sure where to put it yet
* [[WAI-ARIA]] <-- this totally doesn't belong here but I'm not sure where to put it yet
* [http://webaim.org/resources/ WebAIM Resources page]
* [http://webaim.org/resources/ WebAIM Resources page]
[[Category:Design]]

Revision as of 22:56, 20 July 2020

The Basics

Accessibility in the sense considered here refers to the design of products, devices, services, or environments so as to be usable by people who experience disabilities. The concept of accessible design and practice of accessible development ensures both "direct access" (i.e. unassisted) and "indirect access" meaning compatibility with a person's assistive technology (for example, computer screen readers).

From Accessibility on Wikipedia

Standards and Guidelines

The official standard is the WCAG 2.0 standard by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). For resources related to the standard, see WCAG Guidelines.

Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines ( ATAG Guidelines) specify additional criteria for authoring tools (things that output HTML). ATAG Guidelines use the WCAG Guidelines as a backbone, so if your new blogging site or social media tool isn't WCAG compliant, it won't be ATAG compliant either.

WAI-ARIA ( ARIA for short) outlines the guidelines for creating accessible rich internet applications.

Getting it done

Accessibility 101: The things you need to get started

Fostering the Culture

Specific topics

Testing tools

Why test with people who have disabilities?

How to test

Accessibility & Mobile Design

Accessibility & Game Design

anne’s Accessibility talks

Related topics

Accessible PDF files

Web Accessibility 101: Screen Magnification &amp; Reflow in Acrobat Reader https://youtu.be/fCrZhnFrxjk

Additional Resources