Written by Accessibud

Dec 20, 2023

The Fundamentals of Inclusive Web Design

Inclusive web design isn’t as daunting as it may initially seem. It’s about ensuring that your site is easily navigable, readable, and understandable for all users, irrespective of their abilities or disabilities.

Inclusive web design is much more than just a technical consideration; it’s a approach that aims to pull down barriers and build bridges. It’s about creating websites that not just cater to every person’s unique needs, but engage them in a meaningful, positive experience. This encompasses everyone- the young, old, tech-savvy, tech-averse, and individuals across the spectrum of abilities.

Here’s a simple analogy: Think of inclusive web design like a public building equipped with features like ramps, Braille signs, and visual indicators. These features aren’t just for a specific group of people - they can be beneficial to all. A parent pushing a stroller can use the ramp, someone in a hurry might find the visual indicators helpful, and so on.

In the same way, an inclusive website uses features such as simple language, high contrast, logical navigation, closed captions, clear instructions, alternative text for images and so on to make the site more accessible and enjoyable for everyone.

At its core, inclusive web design is empathetic web design. It is grounded in the belief that everyone deserves a seamless web experience, that technology should empower rather than hinder, and that everyone should be able to fully engage with the digital world.

The Importance of Accessibility in Web Design

When we talk about accessibility in web design, we’re referring to the practice of making your website usable and understandable for everyone. It’s about giving equal access and opportunities to all users, regardless of their physical, cognitive, or technological abilities.

But why is this so important? Consider this: there are over a billion people in the world with some form of disability. That represents a significant portion of your potential visitor base who might have their experience hampered---or completely denied---by inaccessible web design.

Moreover, an accessible website tends to benefit everyone, not just those with disabilities. For instance, good contrast helps the visually impaired, but it can also make your site more readable in bright sunlight. Similarly, simplified language aids people with cognitive disabilities, but also benefits users for whom English is a second language.

“The power of the Web is in its universality. Access by everyone regardless of disability is an essential aspect.” - Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide Web

Beyond usability, accessible web design can also improve your site’s SEO performance. Search engine algorithms are increasingly prioritizing sites that are accessible and user-friendly. An accessible website is more likely to rank better in search engine result pages (SERPs), leading to higher visibility and more organic traffic.

Finally, let’s not forget the legal implications. Several countries have laws that require websites to be accessible to people with disabilities. Non-compliance can result in legal actions and hefty fines.

Key Takeaways

Accessibility in web design means creating sites that everyone can use, regardless of physical, cognitive, or technological abilities.
Accessible design benefits all users, not just those with disabilities.
Inaccessible websites may face legal actions and fines in certain countries.
Search engines favor accessible websites, making this a strategic SEO move.

So, as you embark on your journey to more inclusive web design, remember: it’s not only a smart and ethical move---it’s also good business.

Inclusive Design and User Experience

Understanding the connection between inclusive design and user experience is a crucial step on the path to creating a website that is accessible to all kinds of users. Your goal as a web designer should be to provide a positive experience for every user, regardless of their abilities, preferences, or the device they’re using. But how can this be achieved? Let’s delve deeper.

Achieving Inclusivity and Positive User Experience

Inclusive design doesn’t just mean making your website usable for people with disabilities. It’s about ensuring that every single user can interact with your site effortlessly. This includes people with temporary impairments such as a broken arm, parents holding a baby, senior citizens who may not be as tech-savvy, or people in low light environments. It essentially means designing for diversity.

Positive user experience, on the other hand, is not solely about usability. It’s about providing a pleasing, seamless, and memorable interaction for the user. This includes the feelings a user has when navigating your site, the perception they form about your brand, and the ease in which they can accomplish their desired tasks.

Note: User Experience (UX) and Inclusive Design are not separate entities; they work hand in hand. Improving the user experience essentially involves taking measures to ensure inclusive design.

Elements of Inclusive User Experience

Here are some of the vital elements that result in an inclusive user experience:

Consideration of User Diversity: This means acknowledging the range of human diversity and designing interfaces that cater to their needs. For example, some users may prefer to use a keyboard rather than a mouse, while others may rely on screen readers or other assistive technologies.
Simplicity: The user interface should be intuitive and straightforward. Eliminate any complications or unnecessary steps that make your site difficult to use.
Consistency: Consistency in the design can help users feel more comfortable navigating your site. Elements should behave predictably to avoid causing confusion or frustration.
Flexibility: The design should be adaptable to different devices, screen sizes, and orientations. Additionally, users should be able to personalize the user interface to suit their own preferences or needs.
Effectively communicate errors: If a user makes an error, they should be notified promptly and clearly. The error message should be constructive, guiding the user on how to correct their mistake.

Taking these elements into account during the design process will significantly improve the inclusivity of your website, providing a positive and satisfying user experience for all.

Principles of Inclusive Web Design

At the heart of inclusive web design are key principles that help ensure good access and user experience for all. The following points serve as essential directives:

Perceivable Information

Web content must be presentable to all individuals in ways they can perceive. This includes using alternatives like text descriptions for non-text content, providing transcripts for audio, and ensuring content is compatible with assistive technologies such as screen readers.

Operable User Interface

The user interface components and navigation must be operable. Websites should be fully navigable using just a keyboard, and enough time should be provided to users for them to use the content. Additionally, avoid designs that are likely to trigger seizures or physical reactions.

Understandable Information

The information and operation of the user interface must be understandable to users. This includes making text readable and comprehensible, and designing consistent navigation and predictable website operation.

Robust Content

The content must be robust enough to be interpreted by a wide range of user agents, including assistive technologies. This means keeping up to speed with developments in technology and user needs and maintaining forward compatibility.

The application of these principles doesn’t just extend to the design and building of a new website but also to maintaining and updating an existing one. Remember, achieving inclusivity is an ongoing process, not a one-time event.

Consider Financial Accessibility

Finally, don’t forget about financial accessibility. Though it might not seem at first like a design issue, the choice of payment methods, for example, can affect the overall user experience and inclusivity.

Incorporating Universal Usability

When we talk about universal usability, we’re referring to the principle of creating web designs that can be used effortlessly by all people, regardless of their physical or cognitive abilities. It aims to enable the widest range of people to access, navigate, understand, and interact with a website seamlessly.

Incorporating universal usability involves a wide range of design choices and practices. Key among these are:

Intuitive Navigation: Everyone should be able to navigate your website with ease. This means clear menus, recognizable icons, and a logical navigational flow.
Consistent design: Consistency in your web design can significantly enhance user experience. Aim to maintain a similar layout and design elements throughout your site, so users do not get lost or confused.
Clear and simple language: Use plain English that’s easily understood by all. Avoid unnecessary jargon, acronyms, or overly-complicated language.
Responsive and flexible design: Your website should display well on all devices, with designs that adapt to the user’s device of choice whether it’s a desktop, laptop, tablet, or smartphone.
Sufficient contrasting colors: People with visual impairments or color blindness should also be able to distinguish between various elements on your site. Apply contrasting colors to ensure all content is easily distinguishable.

Focus on Contextual Understanding

Enhancing readability goes beyond using simple language. It also involves providing additional context or explanation when necessary. For example, including glossaries for technical language, alts for images, and closed captions or transcripts for audio or video content.

The Role of Feedback

Effective feedback mechanisms help users understand whether an action was successful or not. From simple color changes upon clicking buttons to direct confirmation messages, feedback helps users orient themselves and feel in control.

Inclusive web design isn’t purely about accessibility. It’s about meeting every user where they are and giving them a satisfying, hassle-free experience. It might require more work on your part, but the benefits in terms of increased user satisfaction, broader reach, and better SEO ranking are well worth the effort.

The Role of Color and Contrast in Inclusive Design

When it comes to inclusive web design, the strategic use of color and contrast plays a crucial role. They not only create aesthetic appeal but aid in navigating and understanding the content. A thoughtful selection of colors stimulates engagement, while conscientious application of contrast promotes readability and accessibility, ensuring that no user feels left out.

Effective Use of Color in Inclusive Design

Color plays a dual role — it’s an aesthetic element and a functional tool in web design. It acts as a communication channel to guide users through the website intuitively.

Semantic connotations: Colors carry semantic signals; red often suggests a warning or error, while green typically symbolizes success or affirmation. By conforming to these conventions, you help all users intuitively understand your website.
Contrast management: Delivering high contrast between the text and its background color helps users, including those with visual impairments, read the content seamlessly.
Colorblindness consideration: About 1 in 12 men and 1 in 200 women worldwide are colorblind. Use color combinations that are perceptible by people who have color vision deficiencies.

Contrast for Enhanced Readability and Accessibility

Contrast is not just about color. It’s about making elements stand out. Be it text, buttons, or images, the right contrast helps users distinguish between different elements, making your website accessible and easy to comprehend.

Incorporating high contrast in text aids readability, but remember to:

Avoid very bright or very dark colors: They can strain the eyes. Go for softer shades that offer a comfortable reading experience.
Use high contrast ratios: The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) recommend a minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for larger text.

Applying contrast effectively goes beyond text. It’s essential to ensure that interactive elements, like buttons and links, stand out clearly against their background. This helps everyone, but especially those with visual limitations, recognize and use them correctly.

The Power of Testing in Color and Contrast Use

Finally, remember the importance of testing your color and contrast choices. Tools like contrast checkers and color blindness simulators can offer insights into how your choices impact different user groups. Prioritize regular testing to ensure your website remains inclusive and accessible to everyone.

Typography and Readability for All

Typography plays a significant role in making web content legible and accessible to all users. Graphic elements like text size, font choice, line spacing, and color contrast can greatly affect a person’s ability to comfortably read and understand the information presented.

Font Choice and Accessibility

Fonts should be chosen for their readability and legibility. Serif fonts, with their distinct lines and edges, are generally easier to read on print, while sans serif fonts like Arial or Helvetica are usually better for digital presentations. Additionally, you should avoid using fonts that are overly decorative, as they can be more difficult to decipher especially for individuals with visual impairments.

Adjustable Text Size

Your website’s design should allow for flexibility in text size without disrupting your layout. Some users might need to increase the size of your content to read comfortably. Ensure that your design adapts well to these changes, with your text reflowing to accommodate different font sizes without causing overlapping or cut-off points.

Line Spacing and Readability

Line spacing, or the vertical distance between lines of text, should be considered too. While too much spacing can cause a disjointed reading experience, too little spacing can make text lines blend together. a good rule of thumb is to set your line spacing to at least 1.5 times the font size.

Contrast Ratio for Legibility

Text color and background color need to have a high contrast ratio for text to be legible. Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) recommend a contrast ratio of 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text. Tools like WebAIM’s contrast checker can help you determine if your color combinations meet accessibility standards.

Remember, a significant portion of your audience may have some form of visual impairment. The design should not just be physically appealing, but functional and inclusive for all readers.

Making Interactions Accessible

Inclusive web design should always make interactions accessible and easy to understand for all users.

The Principle of Simple and Predictable Interactions

Becoming truly inclusive means ensuring that every interaction your user has with your site is as simple and predictable as possible. Simplicity in design and predictable user interfaces reduce the cognitive load on your user. The easier, the better.

Inclusive design stresses upon maintaining consistency throughout your website’s navigation. This consistency not only makes navigating your website more accessible but also familiarizes users with your site’s interface faster.

Interactive Elements

Interactive elements are effectively used to achieve inclusive design. Care must be taken while using buttons, forms, and other inputs to ensure they are accessible and understandable to all. These care areas include intuitive naming, clear error messaging, and visible focus states.

Inclusive web design keeps all users in mind, including those who rely heavily on keyboard navigation. This involves making sure every function and interaction is manageable using a keyboard solely. Keyboard navigation compatibility improves overall website accessibility to a great extent.

Offering Choice in Interactions

Offering multiple ways to interact with your website allows for a wider inclusion of audiences with different abilities. For instance, providing alternatives to exclusively mouse-driven actions, such as hover or drag-and-drop, ensures an accessible user experience.

Delivering Real-time Feedback

An excellent practice of inclusive web design is the delivery of real-time feedback to users during their interactions with your site. This can include notifying the user of mistakes, providing hints, or expressing successful actions. Real-time feedback can aid comprehension and facilitate easy usability.

Designing for Different Abilities

To provide an inclusive digital landscape, we must consider designing for different abilities. It refers to creating web experiences that are accessible, usable, and enjoyable for people with various abilities and impairments. To ensure our design is inclusive, one must consider these variants:

Visual Impairments: This includes a wide range of abilities from those who are color blind or have low vision to users who are completely blind. Techniques that can help these users include providing alt text for images and ensuring a high contrast between text and background colors.
Hearing Impairments: People who are hard of hearing or deaf need accommodations like subtitles or transcripts for audio content.
Mobility Impairments: These users may have difficulty with tasks that require precise mouse movements or typing, or may not be able to use traditional input devices at all. Offering alternative navigation methods and flexible interaction designs can increase accessibility for these users.
Cognitive Impairments: These can include difficulties with understanding, remembering, and focusing on information. Breaking content into smaller, manageable pieces and staying away from overly complex language or designs can help those with cognitive impairments.

Empathy in Action: Design Choices for Different Abilities

Inclusive design necessitates a deep understanding of different users’ experiences and needs. This approach is only possible when empathy lies at the heart of your design process. By intentionally and empathetically considering the spectrum of human abilities, we can make strides in creating more inclusive web experiences. The goal is to design adaptable interfaces that work for people across different abilities without the need for additional adaptations or specialized designs.

Notably, designing for different abilities doesn’t imply sacrificing aesthetics or functionality; instead, it’s about finding the perfect balance that ensures accessibility and equal digital access for all. Therefore, remember that accessibility doesn’t restrict creativity, it elicits innovation and inclusive design solutions.

Navigating through a website should be smooth and intuitive, regardless of the user’s abilities or disabilities. A well-designed navigation system guides the visitor through your site’s content without confusion. Let’s examine some principles to keep in mind when designing your site’s navigation structure.

You might be tempted to get creative with menu titles, but being “cute” or “clever” can often lead to confusion for your users. Clarity should always trump creativity in this case. Stick to standard language that communicates the content of the page clearly.

Logical Hierarchy

Don’t present all your site’s content at the same level. Instead, organize your content logically, where each subpage neatly fits under a broader category. Structuring your site’s content in this way makes use of cognitive schemas, helping users predict where they might find certain types of information.

Breadcrumb trails show the user their current location relative to the website’s hierarchy. They’re a secondary navigation scheme that helps users understand and navigate complex websites. Breadcrumbs should be horizontally arranged, use small text, and be clearly separated.

No matter where users are on your website, the primary navigation menu should remain consistent. It’s disorienting and frustrating when menus shift and change. A consistent navigation structure across all pages builds user confidence and understanding of your site.

Don’t make users search for your navigation menu. It should be visible on every page, preferably in the same location. Hidden navigation menus create unnecessary cognitive load and can lead to user frustration and abandonment of tasks.

Accessibility Features

Incorporate accessibility features into your navigation design like skip links and keyboard navigation to cater to users with different abilities. Remember, your aim is to build a website that’s inclusive, usable, and offers a positive user experience for all visitors.

Responsive and Adaptive Design

Responsive and adaptive designs are fundamental attributes of inclusive web pages. They cater to a broad range of devices, screen sizes, and user preferences, enhancing the overall user experience. Let’s dissect these two principles further.

The Art of Responsive Design

Responsive design is the idea that your website should fluidly adapt to fit any device or screen size. This format uses flexible layouts, resizable images, and CSS media queries to create a dynamic viewing experience across devices.

Flexible Layouts: Instead of working with fixed width parameters, a responsive design uses relative units like percentages to create a more scalable interface.
Resizable Images: Images should scale and transform intelligently, retaining clarity and avoiding distortion or excessive data use.
CSS Media Queries: These are powerful tools that allow the website to collect data about the visiting device and use it to conditionally apply CSS styles.

The Mechanism of Adaptive Design

Adaptive design, on the other hand, uses static layouts based on predetermined screen sizes. Through these breakpoints, the design adapts to the specific device’s viewport. It targets specific devices with differing formats and aesthetics.

Static Layouts: These predefined grid layouts match popular device resolutions, preventing unwanted changes as the viewport size alters.
Breakpoints: These specific points are where the site’s layout changes to provide the best possible view in the available space.
Device-specific Formatting: Adaptive design recognizes the type of device and optimizes the content specifically for that platform.

Remember, choosing between responsive and adaptive design principles essentially depends on your audience and the goals of your website. While responsive design champions flexibility and fluidity, adaptive design offers a more tailor-fit experience for specific device types.

The Role of Aesthetics in Inclusive Design

You might be thinking, “What does the look and feel of a website have to do with inclusive design?” The answer is, “A lot!” As with any form of communication, the way your website presents its content can either engage or alienate users.

The Balancing Act of Aesthetics and Accessibility

Striking the right balance between visual appeal and usability can be a challenge. While a visually striking design can capture the user’s attention, it should never do so at the expense of readability or navigability. All users, regardless of their abilities or disabilities, should be able to access the content and functionalities of your website with ease.

Think of aesthetics as the cherry on top of your web design cake---a delightful addition, but not at the cost of undermining the cake itself. Remember, you’re designing for diverse audiences with diverse needs!

Utilizing White Space

One effective way to enhance both aesthetics and accessibility is by utilizing white space. This doesn’t necessarily have to be ‘white’---rather, it refers to the unmarked portions of a page. An adequate allocation of white space around texts and images can greatly enhance readability and reduce visual clutter.

But be careful not to go overboard. Too much white space might lead to a lack of context or connection between different elements of your website, making it hard for users to follow.

Using Colors Intelligently

Colors can play a critical role in setting the mood and tone of your website. But once again, keep inclusivity in mind. Avoid using color as the only means of conveying important information, as this could exclude users who are color-blind or have other visual impairments.

Also, ensure there is adequate contrast between text color and background color for optimum readability.

Keeping Aesthetic Consistency

This involves maintaining a consistent visual language throughout your website. Everything, from the choice of colors to the style of images, the typography, and layout, should feel consistent and predictable. This not only enhances the user experience but also instills a sense of trust and familiarity with your brand.

Tools and Techniques to Aid Aesthetic Accessibility

There are many tools and techniques available to help you design an aesthetically pleasing yet inclusive website. Some include:

Color contrast checkers: These tools can help you ensure your color choices meet accessibility guidelines for contrast ratio.
Accessibility overlays: While somewhat controversial, some believe these tools can provide a quick fix for accessibility issues. Do your research before using them.
Usability testing with diverse user groups: Being open to feedback from a diverse range of users can provide valuable insight into how accessible and appealing your website really is.

In conclusion, aesthetics in inclusive design is all about finding the sweet spot between engaging visuals and optimum usability. Keep your users at the heart of the design process, and you’ll create a web experience that is truly inclusive and delightful for all.

The Impact of Inclusive Design on SEO

You might be wondering how inclusive web design contributes to your website’s Search Engine Optimization (SEO) performance. Well, creating an accessible, easy-to-navigate, and user-friendly website won’t just boost your inclusivity; it will also positively influence your SEO. Here’s how:

Improves Crawling and Indexing

Inclusive design often incorporates clean, well-structured code, which can be easily understood by search engine bots. With improved crawling and indexing, your website’s visibility in search engine results could significantly increase. Plus, if you incorporate Alt text for images and transcripts for videos, search engines can better understand the content, enhancing your search engine rankings.

Boosts User Engagement

Remember this---the longer a visitor stays on your site, the better. Providing a design that caters to diverse users will help keep visitors engaged. They’ll spend more time exploring your content, reducing your bounce rate, and improving your SEO.

Enhances Mobile-Friendliness

A huge part of inclusive design is making sure your site runs seamlessly on all devices. Considering that mobile-friendliness is a critical ranking factor in SEO, designing your site to be accessible on mobile devices can significantly boost your SEO performance.

Increased Website Speed

Inclusive websites are usually not heavy on unnecessary elements that can slow down website speed. A fast-loading site doesn’t just improve user experience---it’s another critical factor search engines consider when ranking sites.

Note: While inclusive web design can significantly improve your SEO, you should never forget about the importance of quality, relevant content. After all, search engines aim to deliver the most relevant results to users’ search queries. So, ensure your content is solid, and your inclusive design will take care of the rest.

Tools for Building an Inclusive Website

Creating an inclusive website might appear daunting, but fortunately, there are several tools available that can assist you in accomplishing this task. These tools help simplify the process, allowing you to meet accessibility guidelines, identify potential issues, and ensure your website is user-friendly to all.

Accessibility Evaluation Tools

Firstly, there are various tools available that allow you to evaluate the current level of accessibility on your website. These tools scan your website and highlight any areas that do not meet standards, providing a great starting point for improvement.

WAVE Evaluation Tool: This operates as a web accessibility evaluation tool, offering straightforward feedback on potential issues with your site’s design.
Achecker: This resource checks your website against various accessibility guidelines, identifying potential issues and suggesting solutions.
Pa11y: An excellent tool that provides you with automated accessibility reports.

Design and Development Tools

Creating an accessible website from scratch requires specific design and development tools. These assist in creating more inclusive design elements and layouts.

Color Oracle: A simulator that helps you understand how your choice of colors will appear to those with various forms of colorblindness.
Readability Test Tool: This tool lets you check the readability of your content, ensuring it’s accessible to various reading levels.
InVision: This powerful tool offers features for designing interactive and inclusive user interfaces.

Screen readers play a critical role for visually impaired users, reading out textual contents of websites. Optimizing your site for these tools is key for true web inclusion.

JAWS: A widely used tool amongst the visually impaired community, providing spoken navigation of websites.
NVDA: A free, high-quality screen reader that is compatible with many web formats.
VoiceOver: This is a native screen reader on Apple devices, very helpful for testing your website’s compatibility with iOS and macOS.

Keep in mind that while these tools help you strive towards an inclusive design, they’re just aids in the process. Moreover, receiving feedback from users with various abilities and iterating your design based on their experience is also crucial. Accessibility should always be an ongoing process on any website.

Testing Your Website for Inclusivity

Testing is a crucial aspect of ensuring good inclusive web design. Even after carefully considering all necessary principles and elements, it’s essential to test your website’s inclusiveness with various tools and resources. User testing with diverse audiences can provide invaluable insights into a site’s accessibility and inclusivity.

Types of Inclusivity Tests

Automated Testing: There are various automated accessibility testing tools available that can help identify certain accessibility issues. These tools can be a valuable part of your testing process, running a check for basic accessibility features and providing you with a report on any potential issues.

Manual Testing: Automated tools can’t identify all accessibility problems, particularly those that require a subjective interpretation. For this reason, manual testing is also crucial to ensuring the inclusivity of your website. This type of testing usually involves navigating through the site using only a keyboard or using a screenreader to determine whether all elements are accessible.

Usability Testing: Usability testing revolves around actual potential users engaging with the website. By observing users as they navigate your website, you can gain profound insights into how inclusive and accessible your site is in practice. User testing can reveal issues that may have been overlooked in automated or manual testing and help highlight areas for improvement.

Feedback and Iteration

Feedback plays an essential role in inclusivity testing. Gathering feedback from users who have difficulties or challenges using your website offers you the opportunity to understand their experiences and make necessary improvements. Combining feedback with an iterative design process---where you make continuous improvements based on results and feedback throughout the design and development process---can result in an exceptionally inclusive website.

Common Testing Mistakes

While testing your website for inclusivity, it’s important to avoid some common pitfalls. These could include relying solely on automated testing, not conducting user testing with diverse user groups, ignoring minor issues which could have a cumulative effect on usability, and not actively seeking feedback. Remember, inclusive web design revolves around an ongoing practice of development, testing, feedback, and refinement.

Inclusive Design: Best Practices and Examples

When it comes to designing for inclusivity, best practices are pivotal. They act as guidelines, leading you towards a website that’s accessible to all. But what does that look like in practical terms? Let’s explore some techniques for creating an accessible website, along with real-world examples of inclusivity done right.

Text Alternatives

Best Practice: Every non-text element, such as an image, should have a text alternative. This provides a description helpful to users with visual impairments and also aids search engines in crawling your site.

Example: The BBC offers subtitles, audio descriptions, and sign language interpretation for its content.

Including Users in the Design Process

Best Practice: Involve your users from the start. Regular feedback can help you make vital adjustments, ensuring your website is genuinely inclusive.

Example: Facebook employs a wide range of disabled users to test their platform and incorporates their feedback into improvements.

Utilizing a Logical Structure

Best Practice: A well-structured website allows all users to navigate and understand your content effectively. Headings should be in a logical order, and text should be broken up for readability.

Example: Google’s search results page employs a clear, logical structure that makes navigating the page straightforward.

Offering Control Over Time-Sensitive Content

Best Practice: Any moving, blinking, or scrolling content that starts automatically should be controllable by the user. Removing the element of surprise makes for a more accessible experience.

Example: Netflix provides options to pause, rewind, or skip forward in their video content.

Avoiding Content that Causes Seizures

Best Practice: It’s crucial to avoid designing content that flashes more than three times per second as this can trigger seizures in people with photosensitive epilepsy.

Example: Art site DeviantArt gives users the ability to filter out flashing images, ensuring safe browsing for everyone.

Providing Clear Instructions

Best Practice: Ensure instructions are clear and available both visually and verbally. This makes your website accessible across various types of impairments.

Example: Amazon’s Alexa provides both verbal and written instructions for interacting with the device.

Remember, inclusive design isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution - it’s about providing a variety of ways for users to access your content. By applying these best practices and learning from successful examples, you can create a web experience that is truly accessible for all.