What Is Digital Accessibility?

When websites, tools, and technologies are designed with users with disabilities in mind, they are digitally accessible. This page highlights the importance of digital accessibility, the usage of certain accessibility-related terms, accessibility laws, and principles for integrating digital accessibility.

Digital Accessibility Definitions and Relative Terms

  • Digital accessibility means that digital platforms and website content can be used, on at least a basic level, by individuals with disabilities. It aims to eliminate accessibility barriers during the development or creation of digital content and spaces. Ultimately, digital accessibility benefits everyone, regardless of bodily ability.
  • Remediation refers to the process of identifying and addressing barriers to digital accessibility. In other words, remediation is the process of fixing accessibility issues.
  • Accommodations are individualized adjustments or modifications made to ensure accessibility by removing accessibility barriers caused by inaccessible design. Accommodations aim to fix issues specific to an individual user or community member.

Title II

Title II establishes new standards for digital technology and web content, requiring that entities, both at the state and federal levels, provide equal access for users with disabilities. 

Importance

Digital accessibility is extremely important; it ensures that everyone has equal access to resources, materials, and content. When we fail to incorporate accessibility into digital spaces, they become exclusionary. By placing digital accessibility at the forefront, we can work to ensure that digital content and platforms are inclusive and accessible to all audiences

POUR Principles

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA describes specific accessibility standards, divided into four larger POUR Principles. The POUR Principles define what it means for digital content to be accessible:

  • Perceivable: Information must be presentable in ways users can perceive, whether visually, audibly, or through assistive technology. This includes alt text for images, captions for video, and sufficient color contrast.
  • Operable: Users must be able to navigate and interact with all content and controls, including by keyboard alone, without encountering traps, time limits, or flashing content that could cause seizures.
  • Understandable: Content must be readable, predictable, and designed to help users avoid and correct mistakes.
  • Robust: Content must be compatible with current and evolving assistive technologies.