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Top 20 Must-Know Tips for Web Accessibility

Ismael Ramos ๐Ÿš€ on July 12, 2023

Table of content 1 - Learn how to use a screen reader Most commonly used keys 2 - Gain good knowledge of ARIA Most common ARIA attr...
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olalla-olinda

Wow, thanks for sharing these tips. Very useful!!

Congrats and keep up the good work.

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Ismael Ramos ๐Ÿš€

Thanks for your words! I am glad you find it useful!

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Hasan Ali

Wow, thank you for creating this resource! Iโ€™ve learnt a lot and I immediately need to start putting a lot of these into practice. My semantic HTML is okay, but thereโ€™s so many things I can improve on. I didnโ€™t know โ€œfigcaptionโ€ was a thing ๐Ÿคฏ

I really like and appreciate the format too! Itโ€™s very helpful having plenty of examples ๐Ÿ™Œ๐Ÿพ

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Ismael Ramos ๐Ÿš€

I'm glad! That's what it's all about, that we all learn.

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Ben Sinclair

Tip #21 - browse the accessibility tag posts here on DEV:

#a11y

the practice of making your website usable by as many people as possible
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Ismael Ramos ๐Ÿš€ • Edited

๐Ÿ˜† Nice tip! ๐Ÿ‘Œ

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Benjamin Grand

Thank you very much, very important article! Aria is too often "forgotten" and too many people are impacted.

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Ismael Ramos ๐Ÿš€

Agree!

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Yousuf Ahamad

good

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Efren Marin

Not enough web accessibility attention is given so I'm happy to see a comprehensive article like this one. Awesome work!

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Ismael Ramos ๐Ÿš€

I completely agree with you! Thanks for the feedback :)

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artydev

Great, thank you

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Layan Yasoda

Great Post! โค๏ธ

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Ismael Ramos ๐Ÿš€

Thanks!

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fruntend

ะกongratulations ๐Ÿฅณ! Your article hit the top posts for the week - dev.to/fruntend/top-10-posts-for-f...
Keep it up ๐Ÿ‘

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Ismael Ramos ๐Ÿš€

๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿป๐Ÿ’ช๐Ÿป

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Moinul Moin

Thanks, Great stuff!

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Ismael Ramos ๐Ÿš€

๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿป๐Ÿ‘๐Ÿป thanks!

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coco

Great post, useful

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Ismael Ramos ๐Ÿš€

Thanks, I'm glad you found the post useful. ๐Ÿ‘Œ

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timjohnson2584

So there you have it! We've covered what I believe are the top 20 must-know tips for web accessibility. Special thanks to @pablo_medina for his feedback!
The next article in the series will ๋‰ดํ† ๋ผ be about "Common accessibility challenges our team has faced". Stay tuned!
And remember, making your website accessible is not just a good practice, it is the right thing to do.
two hands reaching out to help each other
This post may be long but I hope you have learned something new from among all. If you think this might help other people, please hit the like button so that others can read it. โค๏ธ
Web accessibility is crucial for ensuring that websites are usable and inclusive for all individuals, including those with disabilities. Here are 20 must-know tips to help you improve web accessibility:

Provide alternative text (alt text) for images: Alt text describes the content of an image for people who cannot see it. It should be concise and descriptive.

Use proper heading structure: Use heading tags (h1, h2, h3, etc.) to structure your content. This helps screen readers and users navigate through the page easily.

Use descriptive link text: Make sure your hyperlink text is meaningful on its own, instead of using generic phrases like "click here."

Ensure keyboard accessibility: All functionality and interactive elements on your website should be accessible using the keyboard alone, without relying on mouse or touch.

Use color with caution: Avoid conveying important information solely through color. Ensure sufficient color contrast between text and background for readability.

Provide transcripts for multimedia content: If you have audio or video content, provide transcripts or captions to make it accessible to people with hearing impairments.

Create descriptive form labels: Use descriptive labels for form fields and provide clear instructions to assist users in completing forms.

Enable resizable text: Allow users to resize text without affecting the website's layout or functionality. Avoid fixed font sizes.

Ensure logical and consistent navigation: Design your website's navigation in a clear and consistent manner, making it easy for users to find their way around.

Provide skip links: Include a "skip to main content" link at the top of each page to help users bypass repetitive navigation menus.

Use ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) attributes: ARIA attributes provide additional information to assistive technologies in interpreting complex web elements like menus, sliders, and tabs.

Test with screen readers: Use screen reader software, such as NVDA (NonVisual Desktop Access) or VoiceOver, to experience your website from a user's perspective.

Optimize forms for accessibility: Use proper markup for form fields, provide clear error messages, and ensure the form can be submitted without relying solely on mouse interactions.

Design for sufficient focus indication: Ensure that there is a clear visual indication of the currently focused element for keyboard and screen reader users.

Make videos and animations accessible: Provide controls for users to start, pause, and stop videos or animations. Avoid auto-playing media.

Optimize for mobile accessibility: Ensure your website is responsive and usable on mobile devices, with sufficient touch target sizes and well-organized content.

Provide clear error messages: When errors occur, offer descriptive messages near the form field in question, explaining what went wrong and how to fix it.

Test for color blindness: Check that your website remains usable for individuals with color vision deficiencies. There are online tools available to simulate various types of color blindness.

Ensure readable content: Use a legible font type, appropriate font size (with the ability to resize), and sufficient line spacing to enhance readability.

Regularly evaluate and improve accessibility: Perform regular accessibility audits, gather user feedback, and stay updated with accessibility guidelines to continuously improve your website's accessibility.

Remember, web accessibility is an ongoing process, and incorporating these tips will help make your website more inclusive and usable for everyone.