Implementing Web Accessibility Standards in Your Designs
As we begin our coding journey, let’s appreciate this simple, yet profound truth – the internet belongs to everyone. Just like Spiderman, we are responsible for keeping it that way. So, as we ready ourselves to create the next Facebook or maybe a cute little online shop selling lemon pies that’ll make your granny proud, it is crucial for everyone to be able to enjoy our creation. This, dear friend, involves what we call ‘Web Accessibility Standards’.
Remember, these standards are not just a nice-to-have; they’re a must-have. And because you’re here, ready to defeat the evil villains of inaccessible web design, we’ll take you through the golden rules, step by step.
What are Web Accessibility Standards?
Picture this: you’ve built an amazing “Find Your Spirit Animal” website (because who doesn’t want to be a sloth, right?), but your friend who’s colorblind can’t take the quiz because the color indicators don’t work for him. So, you see, Web Accessibility Standards focus on making your website usable for everyone, including those with disabilities.
But I’m Just a Codie-Newbie?
Not a problem. Today, we’re just focusing on the basics. So even if you’re feeling more like a dizzy duckling than a coding condor, you’ll fit right in!
HTML Speaks Accessibility
HTML, our silent and loyal companion in the coding world, has always been the champion for accessibility. By correctly structuring the HTML content, like using correct tags for headings (;h1>, ;h2>,..), lists (;ul>, ;li>) and other semantic elements, we create a clear map for assistive technologies to read.
Alt-texts – A Thousand Words in One Line
Remember, not everyone can see your cool flying pig logo. So, what do we do? We use alt text! Adding an alt attribute to your image tag will ensure screen readers describe the image. So, your line of code should look something like this: ;<img src=””mypiglogo.jpg”” alt=””Logo” />>. Cool, right?
The Beauty of CSS
Next in our toolkit is CSS. You can say CSS is the interior designer of the web world. It likes things pretty, but it also cares about accessibility. By using high contrasting colors, larger fonts, and creating spacious clickable zones, you’re ensuring everyone can interact with your web page.
Don’t Forget Media Queries
Adding media queries to your CSS allows you to make your site responsive, which means it’ll look great, even on Aunt Berta’s over-zoomed tablet.
PHP, JavaScript, & WordPress – The Three Musketeers
Once you command these three, you’re approaching knight status in your coding journey. PHP, JavaScript and WordPress all have libraries for improving accessibility, like enabling keyboard navigation, text-to-speech functionality, and accessible themes.
And that, my friend, is the basics of implementing web accessibility in your design. So next time you’re working on your project, remember that little detail about creating a website for everyone. It might seem like a drop in the ocean, but, as the saying goes, the ocean would be less without that one drop.
