Accessibility Remediation: Definition and How To Fix Issues
Accessibility Remediation: Definition and How To Fix Issues
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Accessibility remediation is the process of finding and fixing accessibility issues that negatively affect the user experience for individuals with disabilities. Learn how to identify common accessibility errors and how to remediate them below.
Accessibility remediation. It might sound like a highly complicated process that only someone with extensive technical knowledge can do. The reality is it’s a straightforward process that involves making small, yet impactful, changes that ensures everyone — including those with disabilities — can access and navigate digital content.
Below, we’ll review what accessibility remediation is, how to remediate accessibility barriers, and how the process benefits both your customers and your business.
What is Accessibility Remediation?
Accessibility remediation is the process of identifying and correcting barriers that prevent people with disabilities from fully accessing and using digital content, products, or physical environments. It involves thoroughly assessing and addressing accessibility issues that might obstruct users with various disabilities — including visual, auditory, physical, or cognitive — from interacting with digital or physical spaces.
In digital environments, website remediation usually involves making content compliant with accessibility standards like those in the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). For example, if your digital content doesn’t contain alt text for images, the remediation process would involve adding those descriptions to make them accessible for individuals with visual impairments. In physical spaces, accessibility remediation might include modifying the building to ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This might include installing wheelchair ramps, adjusting door or aisle widths, or improving signage.
The goal of accessibility remediation is to create a more inclusive environment where all individuals can access, benefit from, and participate in the same opportunities and resources.
How to Tackle Website or App Accessibility Violations
Before starting the web accessibility remediation process, you need to evaluate the digital accessibility of your existing site. Checking for accessibility isn’t as complex as you think — especially if you know what to look for.
Below, we’ll review some of the accessibility issues you should be aware of and how to check for them. We’ll also discuss steps you can take to remediate them and enhance your digital accessibility.
Create Accessible Multimedia Content
Multimedia content — such as videos or audio files — should be accessible to individuals with disabilities. For video content, ensure each includes accurate, descriptive captions so individuals with auditory impairments can understand the content. Each one should also include a transcript that can be read by screen readers. This allows users with low vision or blindness to access the video and engage with the content easily. Finally, avoid using autoplay on videos or audio clips as much as possible, as individuals with disabilities may find it distracting. It can also trigger seizures in people with epilepsy or other neurological disorders.
Ensure Screen Reader Compatibility
Most people with disabilities rely on assistive technologies such as screen readers to access, navigate, and interact with digital content. You’ll want to ensure your digital content is compatible with these technologies. Semantic HTML, ARIA roles, and the correct heading structure can help maximize accessibility for screen readers and create a more accessible website.
Create Accessible PDFs
PDFs and other online documents are often overlooked as part of digital accessibility. However, they should be just as accessible and usable to individuals with disabilities as the rest of your content. Following a hierarchical content structure, keeping content clean and simple, including alt text, and ensuring content is accessible by keyboard and screen readers are all examples of making digital documents more accessible to the disability community.
Include Alt Text
Alt text (also known as alternative text) is a written description of non-text content such as images, graphs, charts, or infographics. Including alt text ensures screen reader users don’t miss valuable context on the page. Keep alt text simple, concise, and descriptive, as this will help with readability.
Keep Navigation Accessible
Because most users with disabilities rely on screen readers or keyboard commands to navigate web content, it’s important to prioritize clear, consistent, and intuitive design elements that keep navigation simple. For example, using descriptive text labels ensures keyboard and screen reader technologies can use all interactive elements. A structured, logical organization will help users with cognitive disabilities navigate content more easily.
It’s important to note the list above is by no means exhaustive. Accessibility barriers can live virtually anywhere in your digital content. That’s where a website accessibility checker (like this one from AudioEye) comes in. These accessibility solutions help you identify accessibility barriers and remediate them, enabling you to create accessible, inclusive digital assets or mobile apps that work cohesively and smoothly for people with disabilities.
Fixing Accessibility Issues
As we mentioned above, accessibility barriers can exist anywhere in your digital content, making identifying them — let alone fixing them — feel overwhelming. Luckily, there are a few easy ways to find and fix accessibility issues.
The first step is familiarizing yourself with accessibility guidelines. International accessibility laws, including the ADA, Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, the European Accessibility Act (EAA), and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), cite WCAG 2.1 Level AA as the standard for accessibility. These guidelines include best practices for design elements such as color contrast, heading use, navigation, non-text elements, and assistive technology compatibility — all of which you should be familiar with.
From here, consider using an accessibility testing tool. These tools can save you valuable time and resources as you evaluate your content for accessibility. However, avoid using software alone to identify accessibility issues. Software is a great starting point for determining your current accessibility level, but most accessibility software can only identify common accessibility issues. More complex issues — such as the accuracy of alt text or video captions — can only be determined through human intervention. That’s why we recommend using a hybrid approach to fixing accessibility issues.
For example, AudioEye’s Automated Accessibility Platform can automatically scan digital content and highlight common accessibility errors like missing alt text or poor color contrast. Our Automated Fixes automatically resolve these issues, remediating issues that negatively impact the user experience. AudioEye then goes a step further via our Expert Services and Managed Custom Fixes. Ran by a team of human experts and users with real disabilities, our Expert Services resolve more complex accessibility issues that software alone can’t detect. By taking a hybrid approach to accessibility remediation, you create digital content that is as accessible and inclusive to as many users as possible.
Why is Accessibility Remediation Important?
Everyone deserves equal access to the internet — regardless of their demographics, location, background, or ability. All users should be able to actively access and participate in digital spaces. Accessibility remediation plays a key part in ensuring this.
Additionally, accessibility remediation enables you to avoid potential legal action. As mentioned above, government agencies worldwide mandate digital content to be accessible to users with disabilities. Failing to conform with WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards puts your organization at risk of legal consequences, including lawsuits and demand letters. Legal action can cost your organization thousands of dollars in both legal fees and fines, but it can also damage your reputation and paint your company in a negative light.
For example, Ratio Coffee received a demand letter from an attorney on behalf of a customer stating their website was in violation of the ADA. Using accessibility remediation and support from AudioEye, the company was able to eliminate accessibility barriers and avoid a $20,000 fine. Similarly, Gendarme avoided a $15,000 ADA-compliance lawsuit by undergoing accessibility remediation and improving the user experience for those with disabilities.
From a business perspective, accessibility remediation yields a number of benefits. From boosting your SEO rankings to expanding your audience reach, accessibility remediation creates numerous opportunities. For example, Kasasa Financial, a financial technology and marketing services company, captured an additional 15% in incremental revenue by leveraging AudioEye’s accessibility remediation tools.
Unlocking the Advantages of Accessibility Remediation with AudioEye
Accessibility remediation unlocks numerous opportunities — from creating new revenue streams and minimizing legal risks to improving customer loyalty and boosting brand reputation. By proactively addressing accessibility needs, you show your commitment to inclusivity, something that resonates positively with both customers and stakeholders.
To help you get started with accessibility remediation, there’s AudioEye. Our first step is giving you a comprehensive view of your digital accessibility via our free Website Accessibility Scanner. From here, we take a hybrid approach to remediating accessibility issues. We find and fix common accessibility issues with our automated software and remediate the rest with support from our team of experts. Plus, we offer comprehensive legal support, helping you easily navigate accessibility lawsuits and avoid expensive consequences.
Learn more about how AudioEye can enhance your digital accessibility by scheduling a demo.
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