Accessibility

Accessibility in web design means creating web pages that everyone can use, regardless of hardware, software, or any sensory or physical impairment.

• Those who cannot see or use a mouse.
• Deaf users whose first language is sign language.
• Visitors whose primary language is not your language.
• People who use special assistive software or hardware to access the Web.
• People who are colour blind or can’t see low colour contrast.

These people need access to web pages, and as a web developer, you need to know about accessibility.

Do you want to know more about accessibility?

The Handbook on WordPress Accessibility is in the making, so here is some information to get you started.

Are you a theme or plugin developer?

Read the Theme Handbook on Accessibility Guidelines and learn about controls, forms, heading structure, use of colour, skip links and use of media.

Proper color contrast is a key requirement for web accessibility. To achieve AA level accessibility compliance (our target for Texas A&M University websites), text should have a ratio of at least 4.5:1 (larger text, at least 3:1). For web designers and developers here, that means paying particular attention to gray on gray as well as darker grays used in combination with maroon. The only sure way to know if your color contrast is acceptable is to use a color contrast tool. Color contrast tools and resources referenced by W3C in Contrast (Minimum), Understanding SC1.4.3:

• Contrast Analyser – Application
• Contrast Ratio Analyser - online service
• Colour Contrast Analyser - Firefox Extension
• Colour Contrast Check
• Contrast Ratio Calculator
• Color Contrast Samples
• Atypical colour response
• Colors On the Web Color Contrast Analyzer
• Tool to convert images based on color loss so that contrast is restored as luminance contrast when there was only color contrast (that was lost due to color deficiency)
• List of color contrast tools
• American Printing House for the Blind Guidelines for Large Print