An accessibility statement is a message to your visitors about your intent to make your website easy to use for those with disabilities
Having an accessibility statement is required for some websites such as if you’re selling specific products or services in the EU or if your organization is receiving federal funding in the U.S., but we like to add it to every website we build.
This statement may also offer more information to your visitors such as what accessibility features you offer, who to contact if there are issues, and the technical tools your website works best with (screen readers, browsers, etc.)
According to Equalize Digital, a company that helps WordPress website owners and developers to make their websites accessible, “regulatory guidance and court rulings have shown that a lack of one may be viewed as a failure to provide sufficient communication around accessibility conformance, and a lack of good-faith effort.”
At Harmony Website Design, we believe in supporting everyone’s access to your website
This means we work in accessibility from the ground up. Design features such as good color contrast, adequate font size, large buttons, and image descriptions are all easy-to-incorporate and make your website easier to navigate. By adding just a little bit of code, we can ensure it works with accessibility devices, and we test the website on screen readers. Our developers have been certified in basic website accessibility and attend the annual WordPress Accessibility Conference to keep up with current updates.
An accessible website not only supports the 1.3 billion people around the world navigating life with a disability, it:
- Helps those with disabilities such as deteriorating eyesight and reduced dexterity.
- Communicates to search engines what your business offers.
- Sets you apart from competitors with inaccessible websites.
- Provides more clarity and easier navigation on your website (which helps everyone)!
An accessibility statement shares your commitment to accessibility compliance, but it’s obviously not a replacement for actually addressing issues. We recommend and guide you to be transparent about what you actually offer in regards to accessibility.
Learn more about W3C’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).
