Accessibility for All!

I love the idea that making the web accessible for people with disabilities is really making the web accessible for everyone. It is true in education that the more the senses someone uses and engagement they have with what they are learning, the more likely they are to retain the information. For example, when learning a language it is best to read it, write it, hear it spoken, and speak it. Although using smell, taste, and touch may not seem applicable to learning a language, eating or preparing a meal of a new culture creates a meaningful experience that is associated with the language. This makes things like vocabulary more accessible in a student's memory because other vivid memories are triggered. In web design interactivity and accessibility translate to a stickier website that is more likely to be used by all types of people.

I also like the idea that accessibility is about people first. It is easy design for yourself and not the users, especially those with disabilities you do not have. In the beginning, it takes more time and patience to remember to always include "alt" attributes for photos, tags for forms, flexible text that can be re-sized, variations in color scheme for those with visual impairments, etc. But as Interact with Web Standards emphasizes, it is important to simply always design with accessibility in mind, every step along the way. Instead of viewing accessibility standards as a checklist to verify at the end of development it should infused into the original design. As a web design student, having a list of things to remember will help initially until it comes naturally.

Cognitive disorders, which involve processing capabilities, can be a challenge in design. I know that people process information differently and as a result have optimal ways for learning and retaining information. Since websites are tools for conveying information it makes sense that it must accommodate those with cognitive disorders. Making a website easy to navigate and scan is part of this process. "Easy" is all relative, but through appropriate testing it should be clear what improvements can be made.

I imagine that designing an accessible site can be challenging for a web designer, but there are laws requiring it and ultimately the benefits outweigh the challenges. A career that I once saw as the creative front-end aspect of web development can really be quite technical. It really requires lots of attention to detail and organization. But in the end an accessible website is worth the effort.