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Jul 25, 2024

If you're looking at the fundamentals of accessibility content, it is defined as:

  1. It's a way to comprehend. All information must be presented in a way that is easily comprehended by all users, regardless of what user agent (browsers and screen readers, or any other software) they use or the limitations they could possess.
  2. Operating. Visitors need to be able navigate the website, and take advantage of every option, even though they don't have an ordinary mouse.
  3. A simple and concise HTML code. Content, forms menus, links and various other elements of a website are to be understood by people who use it.
  4. Robust. A variety of gadgets, like screen readers, software that allows to recognize voices, and braille readers must be capable of understanding your written text.

But, how do make accessibility an integral part of the procedure? What are the factors you should take into consideration and how can you adapt the existing site? What tools are available to determine if you have connectivity to the internet?

Make accessibility an essential consideration

Web sites that can be accessed start with the correct attitude. It is crucial to bring all involved including the developer and also the owner of the business as well as the content manager etc. In the same area.

One of the most efficient methods to learn about accessibility is to test the sites you enjoy using the help of a screen reader. VoiceOver is a fantastic choice for Windows users, and VoiceOver works well when it comes to Mac users. You can follow the usual steps to search for an article or website and add the item to the shopping cart as well as gain an understanding of the best way to utilize the program in a new method.

Screenshot of Storefront, our accessible theme.

If you're using The WordPress themes directory this task is already done for you. look up the keyword "Accessibility" and you'll discover a variety of options. If you're creating your own theme, and are looking for guidelines on accessibility, look up The WordPress Theme Handbook has comprehensive, clear accessibility guidelines that will help you get going on the right track.

As you build your website, test things constantly. It's much easier to modify your website during the course of building rather than rebuilding once your site is completed!

The tools for making eCommerce available

It's crucial to have the right tools to develop an eCommerce website that's easy to access. Below, you'll find several excellent options to test one or two of these. Certain of them will be discussed when discussing specific accessibility issues later on in this blog post.

     Screen Reader Test:    

Accessibility Testing General

Color Checks:

WordPress The Plugins for WordPress are:

Website visitor using a braille reader tool on his computer.

How Do You Create a Website for eCommerce that is Usable

     Accessible Images with accessible images    

To help users with visual impairments navigate around your site's pictures, be sure to have alt text in each image. Screen readers utilize alt texts as a way to "read" the image (tip: Google does, too!). If you're a developer be sure every image element includes the alt attribute. If you're an administrator of a website, then you're able to make use of the fundamental WordPress function to quickly create alt text for pictures that you upload.

An excellent place to start is to look at the intention of your image.

     1. Does it transmit simple information, e.g. the image or single symbol?

If you decide to do this, make sure you define the image in a way that allows your audience to picture it. The appropriate alt text would include "Woman pushing a stroller across the street."

     2. Does it convey complex information, e.g. charts or infographics?

For complex images they may be difficult to explain the information in a clear method; it may be necessary to provide an elaborate explanation. There are a variety of ways to do this, for example referring to an area on the website which provides an explanation of the complicated image with greater detail. Find out more information on how to handle this.

     3. Can it be used only as a decorational feature, e.g. the element in a bouquet used in the layout of the website?

Check that screen readers do not overlook ornamental elements in the form of an empty alt attribute

If you're in the best case scenario will likely be using images that have attractive elements within the CSS instead of your HTML.

If you're inclined to insert keywords in the alt text of your image for SEO reasons keep in mind the fact that Google is a user-friendly company that puts a high value on. It's important to make sure the alt attributes work when explaining your photo instead of listing keywords.

One of the most important points to keep in mind when you are putting hyperlinks on your website is to ensure that you inform the users of your website about what is going to take place once they have clicked. Even if they are reading the hyperlink in an unrelated context (which occurs frequently on certain types of screens readers) It is important to inform them of the next action.

Here are a few bad examples of link text:

  • To find out more about the candles we offer, visit us here.
  • Get our size chart to determine your ideal size.

Examples of great text to use as links:

  • For further information on our candles, visit the Candle FAQs.
  • For determining the ideal size, you can download our sizing chart in the format of PDF.

However, there are times when it's beneficial or even essential to include links with text like "Read further." An illustration of this is a grid that shows the most recent blog entries are on your site. Every short piece of content ends with an "Read More" link. What do you do in that case?

It is best to utilize this attribute, which is known as the label-aria attribute. It lets you add the name that you would like to add for your link. The link that includes the attribute aria label attribute could be displayed in the this:

Poor solar installations can result in your investment going to waste. There are 15 important questions you ought to ask any solar company before deciding to believe their track record. [Read more...]

But, what happens if you wish to connect to images? In the case of images an alt attribute will be the hyperlink's text. If, for instance, you've designed a mockup for your eBook for download, make sure to set the alt attribute to read something along the lines of "eBook on choosing the best color of lipstick for to your complexion." The visitors will be informed on your website about the image and the contents which are displayed upon clicking it.

     Accessible Fonts Accessible Fonts Accessible fonts    

The very first factor you must consider is the size of your font. It's essential to ensure that the text is able to be understood by blind people in one way or have trouble seeing smaller font sizes. There's no minimum size for fonts, but the ideal start point for is 16px in the text body.

It's usually the responsibility of the browsers of users to change the size of fonts this can be done by increasing the size of fonts or by zooming into an online page, and employing the responsive design. It's important to create your website in a way that lets users increase their zoom to up to 200% and not be impeded to accessing or viewing information on your website. Particularly, you'll want to stop truncated and overlaid text as the font size changes. The best way to check this is to try the font by yourself. Find instructions for each browser on this page.

Consider the fonts you pick, as well. A font that is difficult or curly can be very difficult to read and best suited for occasional use (such to create a distinctive ornamental element). Make sure to limit your fonts only to only a handful on your website so that the information is not confusing and easier to comprehend.

An example of the Ishihara Color Blindness Test – circles filled with dots and numbers in different colors.
It is the Ishihara Color Blindness Test, commonly used to detect color blindness.

Accessible Colors

People with different eyesight do not perceive different colors in the same way. According to estimates, around 8 percent of all people as well as 0.5 percent of women are suffering from at the very at least one type color-blindness. Therefore, your site should be operational and compatible with grayscale. It is possible to use software such as the Google Chrome extension Grayscale both in black and white to check.

Contrast is among the most important factors that affect accessibility to the web. Check out the fonts on images or backgrounds and also the contrast among components (such as images and buttons) that are close each other.

Ideally, you'll need the luminosity to be 4.5:1 for body text, as well as 3:1 for those which are long. The Contrast Tester is a fantastic instrument for testing the background against. Background and testing your preference with grayscale.

A key rule to bear in mind is Do not rely solely on colors for all you need to know. Shapes and symbols could be an effective way to convey the similar message.

If the above scenario is true when your error message for contact forms appears red, you may also consider adding an exclamation point or stop point symbol in order to make it clear your visitors have colorblindness to red and green. Use of texture as well as patterns are also great methods to show the distinction.

accessible headings

It is important to realize that headings aren't simply there in order to look good They're the primary structural component of the content on a page. Utilizing the right heading elements will allow users to identify the various areas and headings of a page and navigate it efficiently.

What could a good heading structure consist of?

"h1>" should be used for indicating the topic on the webpage. The code should only be utilized once per page. It can be used to indicate the title of a blog entry or the title of an article, for example.

The H2> and

They are used to show different elements of the material below.

Here's a good example heading style to use for blog post titles:

What are the benefits from using a stainless steel water bottle? Water bottles are ideal for taking when you go camping. They're used for boiling water during the wild. They're durable and can stand up to the elements. Water bottles made of stainless steel will keep beverages cooler and last for longer. The stainless steel bottles are the best option. They do not release harmful chemicals as most plastic bottles release. They're not corrosive as other metals. They can be washed in the dishwasher.

It is evident that it is organized a way it is so that visitors to the site or screen reader will be able to be able to quickly understand the information on every page.

     Accessible Forms Accessible Forms    

Formulations aren't easy for screen readers. However, they're the method used to collect data about payments, specific details about your product, and leads. That's why it's essential to make sure that the forms you use are accessible and simple to find.

The ideal place to start is by designing labels even if placeholders are there! The label should inform users about the fields that they will need to fill in (e.g. Email Address) and the placeholder must provide instructions on how to fill out these fields (e.g. [email protected]). It is the main part of a screen reader to be able to read the text of your app.

Make sure that all fields required are clearly labeled and instructions (especially on formatting guidelines for dates, numbers or other details.) are written in a manner which is easy to comprehend.

Also, it is important to make sure the forms you design can be simple to use to be easily completed and navigated with the keyboard. If you are a programmer, be sure that you're careful when making use of Javascript to manipulate information on forms, as well as when making form elements available or changing them. A misuse of Javascript is one of the primary reason for forms not being accessible completely.

     Accessible Video Accessible Video    

Videos are a great opportunity to present your products and showcase the benefits of your product as well as share the views of your customers. You must ensure that your videos are easy to access and accessible!

Another way of doing this is including captions in your videos for those who have hearing impairments or who have trouble hearing. The University of Washington provides great guidelines on how to the addition of captions on your video yourself. But, if you are working with an experienced video editor it is easy to have them add captions.

Audio descriptions is an essential step for blind users to being able to understand the content of the video. You can add an audio track that provides important information about the content of the film, especially the parts of the film that don't have narration. You can also use transcripts for a summary of the audio and to describe the content of the video.

It is also worth looking at the video player. Make sure that the player you pick supports closed captions and provides the option of switching audio descriptions off and back on. Make sure that every button in the player can be operated by the keyboard or screen reader.

      Keyboard Navigation Keyboard Navigation    

The topic was covered in the form of a couple of paragraphs about the subject before, however it is essential to ensure that your website is run using only the keyboard. This is especially beneficial for those with impairments of their motors. This may cause difficulties using the standard mouse.

As the tab button can be used to move around the page It is crucial that the navigation of your web pages are designed in a manner that follows the visual flow on the webpage (left from right to left, from top to lowest). Be sure to test your site to verify that you can navigate using Tab according to the ordering that follows:

  1. Header
  2. Main navigation menu
  3. All navigational and link pages
  4. Footer

Additionally, take time to look over the application, widgets and plug-ins. Make sure they can easily be removed using by pressing the Escape button and adhere to the correct accessibility guidelines that apply to widgets.

The main thing to remember is test to test, and then try it! Take your time going through all pages on your keyboard and be sure that they're easy to navigate.

     Downloads accessible via HTTP0    

If you're selling digital downloads through your eCommerce site, you must be sure that the downloads are able to be downloadable.

Another method of making PDFs more accessible is to include PDF tags that offer a clear and logical description of the content that's accessible to screen users. Adobe Acrobat provides a great tutorial on how to make PDFs more user-friendly.

It is important to be aware of other aspects we have discussed previously including the size of your font in contrast, the colors and contrast of your digital download designs.

Woman with hearing aid using a laptop on a couch.

     available course    

When designing online courses, you should be sure to think about ideas like captions for video and transcripts for audio. Consider possibilities of making your course available in different formats like audio, videos along with text, so that there is an option for everyone. A lot of the principles of design discussed above could be applied to teaching.

It's important that you provide different options to communicate to your pupils. For those who are not verbally able, they could not reach you and ask questions, and students who are blind may not be able to answer queries online easily. It's the same with submitting any assignments or coursework. You must be willing to work with your students and work with them in order to ensure they get most value from the course.

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In the end, when it comes to creating an accessible online shop, it's essential to invest the time to understand the ways that users with disabilities are able to interact with your website. If you've got a solid knowledge of this, you'll be able to consider accessibility at the entire development process and, ultimately offer a superior customer experience to your customers.

If you're seeking more information, WordPress provides a great online accessibility guidebookthat contains even more test methods, the most effective development strategies, as well as recommendations for store owners.

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