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Why web accessibility matters

Web accessibility means removing barriers that prevent people from interacting with or accessing websites. It’s a combination of common sense, empathy, and understanding.

Web accessibility consists of two parts:

  • Philosophy — Ensuring that you provide an equivalent user experience for all users.
  • Process — Techniques & code that let us implement this philosophy.

They both are equally important to achieve the goal of creating an accessible website.

Giving more people more access

Today, access to online information is essential to our daily lives. Making web content accessible allows more people to take advantage of this important web content, and contributes to increased independence and freedom.

According to WebAIM, most studies find that about one fifth (20%) of the population has some kind of disability. While not all disabilities make it difficult to interact with technology and the web, this population represent a significant audience for any web products. Further, as the population ages, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) projects that the number of people with disabilities will grow.

{% hint style="info" %} There are many myths about web accessibility and people who are unfamiliar with web accessibility tend to misunderstand it. Read the most common accessibility myths to find out where your perceptions may be flawed. {% endhint %}

Key benefits of an accessible website

1. Improve the lives of people with disabilities

Accessible websites are part of a culture of accessibility and inclusion. Web accessibility is essential for equal opportunity. Providing an accessible website is one way your organization can demonstrate that it’s helping to support the needs of a diverse society.

According to a 2010 report from the U.S. Census Bureau, around 18.7% of the U.S. population lives with a disability and, out of that number, 12.6% have a severe disability. If you want to have the largest audience/customer base possible, make sure this population can access your website.

A study in the United Kingdom (UK) found that 71% of web users with a disability will simply leave a website that is not accessible.

{% hint style="info" %} In the U.S., public sector organizations (government-funded programs/schools, airlines, and nonprofits) are required to follow certain website accessibility rules. Having an accessible website means complying with your country’s equality and anti-discrimination law. U.S. government websites need to conform to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Learn more about how people with disabilities use the web. {% endhint %}

2. Improve usability for all types of users

Accessibility is not just about users who have disabilities. It also means designing for users who:

  • Have a slow Internet connection
    • rural areas where high speed connections are not available
    • mobile phone reception is limited
    • bandwidth congestion
  • Use older technologies
    • old web browser
    • operating system
  • Have a small screen or an unusual device
  • Can't listen to audio content because of where they are (e.g. work, hospital, library)
  • Infrequent or beginning web users who might not have as much technological literacy as experienced web users
  • Enabling content works across platforms, such as mobile devices, screen readers, and different operating systems and browsers

3. Better Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Search engines prefer accessible websites. Most search engines are only able to process text and the way it is structured. By having a well-marked up site, they can index your site for more relevant information in search results.