One of my biggest misconceptions when I first started learning about accessibility was… well, basically everything I thought I knew about assistive technology. When we talk about accessibility, we talk a lot about screen readers and other assistive devices. And if you’ve never used or been around this kind of technology, it’s easy […]
3 Accessibility Misconceptions to Leave Behind in 2021
Misconception: Accessibility Features Are Only Used by People with Disabilities The most obvious example of this is probably Captions. Maybe you’ve got a prospect in a loud room or who simply doesn’t want to turn the sound on their device on. Captions, an accessibility feature, will ensure that your audience still receives your content’s […]
How to Talk to Clients about Web Accessibility
You’re a web developer. Your clients expect you to be an expert on all things web development. So it’s up to you to make sure that when it comes to the details of their big project, they’re making good decisions. That’s especially important when it comes to accessibility. Many people don’t give much thought as […]
Apple’s New “People Detection” Accessibility Feature
iOS 14 has already given us some really cool accessibility features. People Detection, however, is on another level. This feature is only available on iPhone 12 Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max and certain iPads. But it shows a serious commitment to pushing the boundaries of a smartphone as an accessibility device. What is People Detection? […]
Accessibility Questions to Ask Your Web Developer
Your company needs a website. So you’ve decided to seek out a talented individual to build you one. You know you want a site that is functional and accessible. What questions do you need to ask to ensure that the person you’re hiring knows what they’re doing? Here are a few to get you started. […]
Answers to Common Questions About Alt Text
What is Alt Text? Alt text is an attribute added to an image to tell the browser what is contained in the image. This is important for accessibility—ensuring users on assistive devices understand the context and contents of the image. Alt text can also act as a fallback if the image is unable to render […]
Can AI Write Your Alt Text?
Not too many years ago, visual recognition software would’ve sounded like something out of a science fiction movie. Today, many tech companies have software like this available. These technologies use AI and machine learning to parse images and identify their subject matter. One huge use case for this technology is alt text for images. […]
Should You Use a PDF For That?
The PDF is among the most popular file types on the internet. Almost every computer or mobile device can open a PDF and authors of PDFs have a lot of control over what the end result will look like. But there are some significant drawbacks to the PDF. Companies who utilize this file type, particularly […]
How is WCAG 2.1 different from WCAG 2.0?
WCAG 2.1 adds some important guidelines to WCAG 2.0. This article will give an overview of a few of these added guidelines. In particular, we will look at the guidelines added to make the web more mobile-friendly. We will also look at some of the guidelines directed toward users with cognitive and learning disabilities. A complete list […]
What’s Unique About California’s Web Accessibility Laws?
Why does this matter? Once your website or content is online, it is available for anyone to access—and that includes users in the state of California. Which means you are liable for any of their statutes that your site violates. But what exactly are these statutes? And what makes them different from the web accessibility […]