Enhancing digital accessibility: your questions answered!
TTC is a proud accessibility partner of the Australian Network on Disability (AND) conference over the last two years. Our digital accessibility support for the conference has involved reviewing identified platforms for accessibility barriers. Supporting with how to fix this, if possible, and in supporting with the creation of any communications required to enable a better user experience.
Top Tip: consider accessibility in relation to your conference platform when organising your next large event.
During TTC’s presentation at the AND conference we shared that, in the spirit of learning from each other, we would write a blog about all the questions we were asked across the day! Here are some key takeaways from the questions asked, and you can read more on our website!
1. Understanding Digital Accessibility
Digital accessibility ensures that apps, platforms, and websites are designed in a way that eliminates barriers and allows individuals with disabilities to interact and access information effortlessly. By integrating accessibility practices into your team's processes, you can ensure that the digital environments you create are accessible to everyone!
2. Structuring Content for Inclusivity
When developing content, it is essential to consider several key factors to make it accessible and usable for people with disabilities and the broader audience. These considerations include employing clear headings and paragraphs to aid navigation, maintaining appropriate colour contrast, providing text alternatives for visuals, and ensuring message clarity and conciseness.
3. Benefits of External Accessibility Assessments
A periodical review of your website by an external provider is good practice (such as an annual review). These assessments provide an independent verification of accessibility, validating your internal testing or uncovering additional issues. External accessibility practices bring valuable expertise, diverse experiences, and knowledge of global standards to enhance your digital accessibility efforts.
4. The Potential of AI and Automation
There is a lot of potential for AI and automation to assist people with disabilities, both now and especially in the future as the technology develops and evolves. The use cases and reliability of AI and automation technologies are continuing to be explored, and it has the same potential to help people with disability do so as it does any other person. However, it's crucial to note that AI is still in its early stages, and caution should be exercised as it may not always provide accurate or reliable information.
5. Shifting Left in Accessibility
The concept of "shifting left" emphasizes incorporating digital accessibility considerations earlier in the software development lifecycle. By factoring in accessibility from the design phase, potential accessibility issues can be minimized, enabling developers to integrate accessibility into their work and perform ongoing accessibility testing. Ideally, accessibility should be a consideration during the procurement phase of any digital tool or environment.
About Us
TTC’s goal within our Digital Accessibility Practice is to support teams to embed accessibility into the way that they work. Ultimately meaning that those teams have integrated accessibility as part of their development lifecycle and ‘business as usual’ activities and do not need to rely on a third party to manage accessibility on their behalf. We want to raise awareness within the community about digital accessibility and to continue to do good work that will create a more inclusive world for all.
TTC started its Digital Accessibility Practice with lived experience in mind, and it has been important from the beginning to bring the voice of people with lived experience of disability into the conversation. Our practice offers tailored consulting services and coaching, training, tooling solutions and accessibility audits. At TTC, we believe the digital world will become more accessible and usable.
Get in touch
If you are planning your next large event, or if you have any question at all relating to digital accessibility, please do reach out to Samantha Dancey, Global Accessibility Practice Lead, [email protected]