DDA Website Accessibility

Website accessibility is becoming better known as a requirement for website owners but few know exactly what it is. In simple terms, it is making the content and information on your website accessible to as many people as possible regardless of their level of ability or disability. Internet users with disabilities such as visual impairments or those who require screen readers (text-to-speech) to read information on websites. Therefore it is important to make the content and information on your website accessible to these users and these technologies. Common examples of inaccessible content are:

  • Text information conveyed as an image but doesn't have a suitable text alternative.
  • Information conveyed within a Flash element.
  • Information triggered by a JavaScript action such as popup windows or drop-down navgation menus.

In most cases the website owner won't have any involvement in this process as it's mostly down to the web designers or developers to ensure the site is built to the required standard. In the UK, the standard level of compliance is widely acknowledged to be Priority 2 (Double A) of the Web Content Accessiblity Guidelines (WCAG).

Website owners looking to apply for Business Link funding to help with the cost of their website should also ensure they choose a web design agency who develop websites to this Priority 2 (Double A) standard, as this is now a pre-requisite for the Business Link funding application process.

At DX Net, we can cover various website accessibility requirements, from the common double A standard through to more comprehensive requirements such as those with full text only versions of the website for those with screen reading technologies or those who have significant visual impairments.

If you are unsure of whether your website conforms to the recommended level of website accessibility, get in touch and we can arrange an accessibility audit and come back to you with advice where necessary.