A presentation at Code on the Beach in in Atlantic Beach, FL, USA by Todd Libby
Making a Strong Case for Accessibility Todd Libby @toddlibby
Thank you!
Maine
Arizona
Portland, Maine 🦞 Phoenix, Arizona 🥵 Accessibility Team Lead @ WebstaurantStore Accessibility Engineer @ Centre for Inclusive Design W3C Invited Expert - Accessibility & WCAG3 ➡︎ 23 years of developer, design, & accessibility experience
Using Data to Advocate
WebAIM Million Report • One million homepages https://webaim.org/projects/million/
WebAIM Million Report • One million homepages • 50.8+ million accessibility errors https://webaim.org/projects/million/
WebAIM Million Report • One million homepages • 50.8+ million accessibility errors • Decreased 1.1% since February 2021 https://webaim.org/projects/million/
WebAIM Million Report • 887 elements to 955 elements per home page
WebAIM Million Report • 887 elements to 955 elements per home page • Increased 7.7% since February 2021
WebAIM Million Report • 887 elements to 955 elements per home page • Increased 7.7% since February 2021 • 5.3% of all home page errors had a detected accessibility error
96.8% had WCAG 2 failures
Low Contrast Text
SC 1.4.3 Contrast (Minimum)(Level AA) “The visual presentation of text and images of text has a contrast ratio of at least 4.5 to 1” https://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG21/Understanding/contrast-minimum.html
Missing Alternative Text
<img src=“/path/to/img/lobster.png”> 🚫 <img src=“/path/to/img/lobster.png” alt=“”> ✅ <img src=“/path/to/img/lobster.png” alt=“Todd’s lobster roll, hot butter, and blueberry soda.”> ✅
• Low contrast text • Missing alternative text of images • Empty links • Missing form input labels • Empty buttons • Missing document language
96.5% of all errors
Examples of practical digital accessibility “Low-hanging fruit” • Color contrast that exceeds guidelines (>10 to 1 ratio) • Accessible color schemes • Keyboard/screen reader accessible • Accessible components (accordions, modals, tooltips, etc.) • Performant web apps, PWAs, mobile apps, Web sites
More Examples of practical digital accessibility • Scrollable interactive content • Alternative text on images where necessary (infographics, charts, graphs) • Accessible when viewing mobile phone screen (glare from sun) • Other situational disabilities • Broken arm • Child on lap
Disability is just Blind, Deaf, or Paralysis. Right?
Learning / Cognitive ADHD / ADD Fibromyalgia / Arthritis Tremors / Parkinson’s Migraine Headaches / Photophobia
Excuses
“The client doesn’t have the budget for it.”
“We’ll get to it after launch.”
“Why do we even need to make this thing accessible?”
“Why do we even need to make this thing accessible?” “There is no time to do this.”
“Why do we even need to make this thing accessible?” “There is no time to do this.” “We don’t have disabled users.”
“Why do we even need to make this thing accessible?” “There is no time to do this.” “We don’t have disabled users.” “The people that use our product are not disabled.”
“It’s a huge waste of time.”
Buy-In
Buy-In How do I et buy-in from stakeholders, clients, collea ues? g g • Support trickles down from stakeholders to managers, teams, and individuals.
Buy-In How do I et buy-in from stakeholders, clients, collea ues? • Support trickles down from stakeholders to managers, teams, and individuals. g g • Do this from the start. Low maintenance is needed, because of accessible designs and clean code.
Buy-In How do I et buy-in from stakeholders, clients, collea ues? • Support trickles down from stakeholders to managers, teams, and individuals. • Do this from the start. Low maintenance is needed, because of accessibility and clean code. g g • Cite instances from the lawsuits that have been won against major corporations (Domino’s Pizza, Target, Bank of America).
Buy-In How do I et buy-in from stakeholders, clients, collea ues? • Support trickles down from stakeholders to managers, teams, and individuals. • Do this from the start. Low maintenance is needed, because of accessibility and clean code. • Cite instances from the lawsuits that have been won against major corporations (Domino’s Pizza, Target, Bank of America). g g • Live testing with disabled users recorded on video.
$8 Trillion Worldwide of disposable income of individuals with disabilities https://www.triplepundit.com/story/2022/investing-disability-inclusion/741416
$490 Billion Disposable income of individuals with disabilities in the U.S. https://diverseabilitymagazine.com/2018/09/buying-power-people-disabilities/
Advocates
Organization Advocates Teams or individuals that advocate in your or anization g • Having a person throughout each department or a team focused on accessibility as a liaison.
Organization Advocates Teams or individuals that advocate in your or anization • Having a person throughout each department or a team focused on accessibility as a liaison. g • Someone that can answer questions and work with others to practice the guidelines and work with others to make accessible products.
Organization Advocates Teams or individuals that advocate in your or anization • Having a person throughout each department or a team focused on accessibility as a liaison. • Someone that can answer questions and work with others to practice the guidelines and work with others to make accessible products. g • Help set up documentation and tooling, serve as an intermediary between departments.
Assessment
Assessment Assess the product and the proficiency within the or anization g • Gauging where the product(s) are as far as how inclusive and accessible they are is a key priority.
Assessment Assess the product and the proficiency within the or anization • Gauging where the product(s) are as far as how inclusive and accessible they are is a key priority. g • What is the current state of the product, website, or mobile application?
Assessment Assess the product and the proficiency within the or anization • Gauging where the product(s) are as far as how inclusive and accessible they are is a key priority. • What is the current state of the product, website, or mobile application? g • Getting the general idea of the level of knowledge that teams and people in the company currently have.
Assessment Assess the product and the proficiency within the or anization • Gauging where the product(s) are as far as how inclusive and accessible they are is a key priority. • What is the current state of the product, website, or mobile application? • Getting the general idea of the level of knowledge that teams and people in the company currently have. g • How versed are they in guidelines (WCAG) and practices?
Assessment Assess the product and the proficiency within the or anization • Gauging where the product(s) are as far as how inclusive and accessible they are is a key priority. • What is the current state of the product, website, or mobile application? • Getting the general idea of the level of knowledge that teams and people in the company currently have. • How versed are they in guidelines (WCAG) and practices? g • How much training do you have and will you need?
Training
Training Maintainin A Written Record • Of all accessibility training done g • To meet requirements that apply to the organization
Training Maintainin A Written Record • Of all accessibility training done • To meet requirements that apply to the organization g • Great way to keep data on all training done in organization
Training Maintainin A Written Record • Of all accessibility training done • To meet requirements that apply to the organization • Great way to keep data on all training done in organization g • Record the training and who trained and when it was completed
Training Maintainin A Written Record • Of all accessibility training done • To meet requirements that apply to the organization • Great way to keep data on all training done in organization g • Record the training and who trained and when it was completed • If there is no inter-organizational training use orgs that do training.
Training Maintainin A Written Record • Of all accessibility training done • To meet requirements that apply to the organization • Great way to keep data on all training done in organization • Record the training and who trained and when it was completed • If there is no inter-organizational training use orgs that do training. • Deque • TPGi g • WebAIM
Guidelines
Guidelines Consistent implementation • Design systems ensure accessibility and inclusivity and the understanding of code better
Guidelines Consistent implementation • Design systems ensure accessibility and inclusivity and the understanding of code better • Accessible components reduce time to implement
Guidelines Consistent implementation • Design systems ensure accessibility and inclusivity and the understanding of code better • Accessible components reduce time to implement ffi • Testing procedures implemented so people can do jobs well and e ciently
Guidelines Consistent implementation • Design systems ensure accessibility and inclusivity and the understanding of code better • Accessible components reduce time to implement • Testing procedures implemented so people can do jobs well and e ffi • Document guidelines in a collaborative manner using tools ciently
Standards
Standards Guidelines from different countries • American Disabilities Act (ADA) - United States • Section 508 (U.S. Government)
Standards Guidelines from different countries • American Disabilities Act (ADA) - United States • Section 508 (U.S. Government) • Accessible Canada Act (ACA) - Canada
Standards Guidelines from different countries • American Disabilities Act (ADA) - United States • Section 508 (U.S. Government) • Accessible Canada Act (ACA) - Canada • EN 301 549 - European Union
Standards Guidelines from different countries • American Disabilities Act (ADA) - United States • Section 508 (U.S. Government) • Accessible Canada Act (ACA) - Canada • EN 301 549 - European Union • Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) - Internationally
Standards Guidelines from different countries • American Disabilities Act (ADA) - United States • Section 508 (U.S. Government) • Accessible Canada Act (ACA) - Canada • EN 301 549 - European Union • Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) - Internationally • Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CPRD) • Article 9 • Article 21
Testing
Use Cases/Testing Hirin disabled people g • Test & record cases where disabled users are using the product
Use Cases/Testing Hirin disabled people • Test & record cases where disabled users are using the product g • Present to colleagues/stakeholders
Use Cases/Testing Hirin disabled people • Test & record cases where disabled users are using the product • Present to colleagues/stakeholders • Outsource testing with companies: g • Fable
Use Cases/Testing Hirin disabled people • Test & record cases where disabled users are using the product • Present to colleagues/stakeholders • Outsource testing with companies: • Fable • Hire disabled people! g • Teaching and advocating
Accessibility Overlays
“We use an accessibility overlay. We’re okay.”
AccessiBe Audioeye Equalweb Facil’iti Usablenet Userway Many, many more!
Overlays will get you sued.
!==
So what do we do?
Do The Work
Maintenance Accessibility is never done • Automated testing wherever possible with new releases or changes
Maintenance Accessibility is never done • Automated testing wherever possible with new releases or changes • Screen reader analysis before every release
Maintenance Accessibility is never done • Automated testing wherever possible with new releases or changes • Screen reader analysis before every release • Annual audits
Maintenance Accessibility is never done • Automated testing wherever possible with new releases or changes • Screen reader analysis before every release • Annual audits • User testing
Maintenance Accessibility is never done • Automated testing wherever possible with new releases or changes • Screen reader analysis before every release • Annual audits • User testing • Accessibility is never done! Keep moving forward!
Maintenance Accessibility is never done • Automated testing wherever possible with new releases or changes • Screen reader analysis before every release • Annual audits • User testing • Accessibility is never done! Keep moving forward! • Like the web, accessibility is always evolving
“…our industry as a whole thinks less and less about accessibility (not that we ever had an A game on the subject), and talks less and less about progressive enhancement, preferring to chase the ephemeral goal posts of overengineered solutions to non-problems.” Jeffrey Zeldman - https://www.zeldman.com/2019/12/01/bluebeanieday2019/
Design and develop for people not like yourself and keep that in mind when throwing words like “inclusive” and “accessible” around.
A11y is a right. NOT a privilege. https://cottonbureau.com/products/a11y-is-a-right#/5254640/
Links https://noti.st/colabottles/SJME5e/making-a-strongcase-for-accessibility https://toddl.dev/slides/ @toddlibby on Twitter
Thanks!
Accessibility is often overlooked or bolted on to the end of a project from the experiences in my career in web development and design. This talk speaks on these points and how you can bring accessibility to your organization.
The following resources were mentioned during the presentation or are useful additional information.
The original article that led to this talk.
The 2022 report on the accessibility of the top 1,000,000 home pages.
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1
The contrast of text success criterion talked about in the presentation.
To invest in disability inclusion is to tap into underutilized resources that can benefit not only the people employed, but also a company’s bottom line, concludes a recent report from the Global Business Coalition for Education’s (GBC-Education) Disability Task Force.
The needs of adults with disabilities are frequently overlooked in the marketplace and when businesses are designing and promoting products and services.
Build inclusive products. Fable Upskill provides custom training for digital teams to gain the skills to build inclusive products.
Overlays are a broad term for technologies that aim to improve the accessibility of a website. They apply third-party source code (typically JavaScript) to make improvements to the front-end code of the website.
Truth in advertising does not exist for overlay vendors False claims at the expense of customers and persons with disabilities.
It seems fair to first frame accessiBe by what we know of it today. Adrian Roselli provides links so you can validate them yourself. Adrian’s opinion (expert and otherwise) is grounded in these.
Adrian Roselli found UserWay had taken the meat of the accessiBe post, re-cast as its own effort, and was using it as a marketing effort to frame its overlay as a better product than accessiBe.
Another Blue Beanie Day. Generally, each year, Blue Beanie Day gets smaller, possibly in part because I’m too busy to promote it beforehand (or during, or after). And because it immediately follows U.S. Thanksgiving, so gets broadcast when many U.S. web folks are offline and in food comas.
Accessibility for all is a right, not a privilege. Making things accessible for all, includes all. Let’s make it so. Show your support for the Accessibility community today and wear it proudly!
Todd on Twitter
for free. You
can too.