3 Keys To Making Your Website Perceivable
Key 01: Every Image Must Include Alt Text
Many disabled people cannot see, or they cannot see very well. And for this reason, these individuals cannot engage with the images that are posted on your website.
To ensure that these images can be understood and, in turn, “perceived,” every image must include an alternate image test. By including alternative image text, a description of this image can be attached to each image.
A screen reader – among other tools and software – can take this alternate image text and convert it into audio or braille, among other possibilities. Doing so allows someone who cannot see to understand the images on your site.
Key 02: Rely On Captions/Transcripts
You may have videos on your website. And, while video is a wonderful format, there are a lot of people who cannot see these videos and, as such, are unable to understand them.
But that’s not all: many people who use the internet can see things and, as such, watch videos. And yet, they cannot hear properly, making it difficult for them to understand the content within a particular video.
To ensure that your videos are accessible to both those who cannot see as well as those who cannot hear, you must include captions and, if possible, transcripts.
Someone who cannot hear properly can use captions to understand what is being said. And, if someone cannot see, they can use a screen reader to turn the transcripts into audio, allowing them to understand a video’s content.
Key 03: Make Use Of Clear Color Schemes
To make your website perceivable, it is of the utmost importance that your website’s design serves its content rather than the other way around.
Just as an example, if your website relies on text, then it’s important that you choose clear, easy-to-read fonts, such as “Times New Roman” and “Calibri.”
Outside of choosing effective fonts, though, you must also choose color schemes that make it easy to see the text on your site and to understand what is being presented.
Just as another example, if the text on your site is light, then choose a dark background. Or, if the text on your site is dark, then choose a light background.
A clear color scheme makes the content on your website accessible and easy to understand.
