Practice Management Alert

Think of usability as both a science and an art.

Professional website designers can maximize user accessibility via specialized knowledge and various tools (see resource below for more information), but anyone who can build or maintain a basic website can make sure the information they’re presenting is fully available to users.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), entities should focus on these six aspects of their practice’s website to boost accessibility:

• Use high color contrast. People whose vision is limited or who live with color blindness may not be able to see light-colored text on a light-colored background.
• Use cues beyond color. For example, people who live with color blindness may not be able to see that a hyperlink exists within a body of text if the hyperlink is a different color but not also underlined.
• Use text alternatives. Also called “alt text,” text alternatives are written descriptions or additional context that convey the purpose of any pictures, illustrations, graphs, or charts on a website.
• Use captions on videos. People who have hearing disabilities may not be able to access any information conveyed in a video unless they’re captioned. Additionally, don’t use “auto-play” function on videos because people may be confused about the sound’s origin.
• Make online forms accessible. People who rely on screen readers need labels for each field in a form. Other design choices, like offering clear instructions and error indicators, make forms easier for all users.
• Ensure keyboard navigation is possible. Some people require the use of a keyboard, rather than a mouse, to navigate websites. If your website is only navigable by mouse, then it may not be usable for people with disabilities.

Resource: Read the Web Accessibility Initiative and find general information and specific tutorials here: www.w3.org/WAI.