Spurit: web-accessibility

With this post we launch a series of mini-cases devoted to digital accessibility in online stores, so from now on you will find here some illustrated examples that you may find useful for your own website. Let’s dive in! When people can’t see a web page, they rely on screen readers to wayfind online. Screen readers use Text-To-Speech technology to convert text information into synthesized speech (or Braille for the deafblind users). But screen readers don’t simply read out al...l the text on the page word by wordthe web is based on HTML, and when done properly, a web page has a clear structure where each element is named and described correctly. This is how the absence of the HTML structure and landmarks looks with a screen reader. Instead of different sections to choose from (on the right), there’s just a blank space that can’t be navigated at all (on the left). [Text on the image: Bad example: A window of a screen reader opened for a website page shows no page structure. Good example: There is a clear page structure that is available for a screen reader.]

Just like curbs and thresholds present a serious problem in the physical world for someone who uses a wheelchair, digital barriers make it impossible for many people to navigate the web. And as several activities, including shopping, are so much easier for people with disabilities to do online, creating accessible eCommerce is very important. If your shop is accessible, it means that all people can use your services and place an order, whether they suffer from permanent or te...mporary disabilities or not, so an accessible website improves your website’s SEO and increases your market share. Just think about a blind person who wants to order something from an online store. If the website is not accessible and there’s no one able-bodied to help, they simply won’t be able to do so. From a business point of view, an inaccessible online store for people with disabilities is missing out on conversions, clients and revenue (even without mentioning the possibility of getting a WCAG compliance lawsuit). And with the AODA deadline coming on January 1, 2021, why wait?

In the previous post, we’ve mentioned that failure to comply with WCAG 2.0 AA requirements ends up in fines according to AODA. But what does AA stand for? WCAG has three levels: A, AA, and AAA, and they all mean different levels of accessibility. Level A:... the easiest level to achieve, which denotes minimum requirements for accessibility. According to AODA, all new websites and their content must meet this level. Level AA: a more comprehensive level that includes more detailed accessibility requirements. AODA states that by January 1, 2021, all websites and their content must conform to this level. Level AAA: the most comprehensive accessibility level with the highest degree of compliance, which is currently not required by AODA. To sum it all up, now level A is obligatory, and level AA becomes a must in just 13 days. So is your website already accessible?

AODA is just one of the laws and legislations that are aimed to make the web accessible to all Canadians: - The Accessible Canada Act (Bill C-81) - Nova Scotia Accessibility Act - The Accessibility for Manitobans Act (AMA)... - British Columbia Accessibility Act (Bill M 219) These acts have a special focus on digital accessibility and websites failure to comply with WCAG 2.0 AA requirements could end up with a fine of up to $250,000. And this is just the beginning, as other provinces (British Ontario, Saskatchewan, and Yukon) are planning to follow suit with their own accessibility initiatives, when the Accessible Canada Act is in place. According to the Canadian government, if legal standards aren’t met, the mandated consequences are inevitable. So, when being accessible is not only a must but is also good for business, why wait?

An accessible website makes life easier for so many people, but what are the benefits for businesses? If a website is AODA compliant, business owners: - Save time and money without settling legal disputes or lawsuits; - Avoid steep penalties, which increase with each subsequent violation;... - Increase their market share and profits by being accessible to more people; - Improve their SEO, as Google favors accessible websites; - Build trust and a positive image of their brand among customers. These are just some of the reasons why digital accessibility is always a win-win for everyone and the community in general. Helping people to live a quality life and growing a business at the same time has never been easier!