Web Accessibility: From Basics to Latest Trends

Basic Concepts of Web Accessibility

Web accessibility refers to ensuring that everyone can easily use websites, including individuals with visual, auditory, or physical disabilities, older adults, people with temporary injuries, and even those unfamiliar with technology. It focuses on the ease of access to all elements on a webpage, such as text, images, and buttons, considering a broader range of users and usage situations than usability.

Specifically, web accessibility aims to enable users to obtain information and operate functions regardless of disabilities. For example, visually impaired individuals can understand website content using screen readers, hearing-impaired users can read subtitles for video content, and individuals with limited hand mobility can navigate using keyboards or voice commands. The goal of web accessibility is to create a web environment where anyone can access information and operate functionalities.

Importance of Web Accessibility

Ensuring web accessibility has significant social and business implications. From a social perspective, it allows individuals with disabilities and older adults to access web information without barriers, promoting social participation and improving quality of life (QOL). Removing barriers to web usage is also a part of corporate social responsibility (CSR).

From a legal standpoint, the importance of accessibility is increasing. In Japan, the Act for Eliminating Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities was enacted in 2016, promoting an inclusive society. A 2021 amendment made it mandatory for private companies to provide reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities or older adults, taking effect on April 1, 2024. This means that ensuring web accessibility is now a legal requirement.

From a business perspective, accessibility broadens the potential user base, enhances website reliability, and improves brand value. Conversely, poor accessibility may lead to some users (e.g., disabled or older users) abandoning the site, negatively impacting sales and customer satisfaction. In some countries, lawsuits have been filed against websites lacking accessibility, highlighting its importance on a global scale.

Concrete Measures to Improve Web Accessibility

Improving web accessibility requires both technical and design considerations. Below are some key improvements and their explanations:

• Providing Alternative Text (Alt Attributes)

  • All images should have alt attributes to describe their content in text.
  • Example: <img src="example.jpg" alt="Red jacket (front view)">

• Ensuring Sufficient Color Contrast

  • Text and background colors should have a high contrast ratio for readability.
  • WCAG recommends a minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1.

• Keyboard Navigation Support

  • All UI elements should be operable using only a keyboard.
  • Example: Using tabindex="0" to enable focus navigation.

• Utilizing WAI-ARIA

  • aria-label and role attributes help screen readers convey information correctly.
  • Example: <button aria-label="Close">❌</button>

• Providing Text Alternatives for Multimedia

  • Videos should have subtitles, and audio content should have transcripts.
  • Example: <track src="subtitles.vtt" kind="subtitles" srclang="en" label="English">

Latest Technological Trends

Advancements in AI, speech recognition, and AR (augmented reality) are driving accessibility improvements.

• AI-Powered Image Recognition

  • AI can generate alternative text automatically (e.g., Facebook’s automatic alt text feature).

• Automatic Speech Recognition and Subtitle Generation

  • YouTube’s auto-captioning and Zoom’s real-time captioning.

• Voice Assistants

  • Hands-free operation via Siri or Google Assistant.

• AR Technology

  • Real-time caption display using smart glasses.

Web Accessibility Standards: Overview of WCAG

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are the international standard for web accessibility.

WCAG’s Four Principles (POUR)

1. Perceivable – Example: Providing alternative text for images.
2. Operable – Example: Designing sites to be navigable via keyboard.
3. Understandable – Example: Clear and predictable navigation.
4. Robust – Example: Using proper HTML markup to ensure compatibility with assistive technologies.

WCAG has three conformance levels: A, AA, and AAA. Most businesses and public sector websites aim for AA compliance.

Conclusion

Web accessibility is essential for ensuring equal access to information for all users. Beyond legal requirements, creating accessible websites benefits businesses by enhancing usability for a broader audience.

Starting with small improvements and continuously working toward better accessibility will contribute to a more inclusive web environment.