Accessibility - Components of Web accessibility

For websites to be accessible to individuals with disabilities, diverse components of web design and digital interface must operate together. These elements are as follows: 

  • Content – information on a web page or in a web-based application, including:  
    • Natural elements like text, graphics, and audio 
    • Structure, presentation, and other elements which are defined by code or markup 
  • Assistive technology – such as screen readers, alternative/adaptive keyboards and switches, scanning software 
  • User agents – web browsers, media platforms, and readers that render web content 
  • Authoring tools – software that builds websites and web pages 
  • Developers – architects, programmers, and graphic designers who turn content into digital resources 
  • Evaluation tools – web accessibility assessment tools, HTML/CSS validators, browser extensions 
  • Users – people who use their abilities, experience, knowledge, and adaptive strategies to access the web and other digital resources 

Correlation of components 

The graphic that follows shows how web accessibility components relate to each other: 

  • Web developers use authoring tools and evaluation tools to create web content. 
  • People (users) utilize user agents like web browsers, media players, and assistive technology to access and interact with the content. 

illustration showing how web accessibility components relate, Web developers usually use authoring tools and evaluation tools to create web content. People use web browsers, media players, assistive technologies to get and interact with the content.

Interdependencies  

There are interdependencies among the previously described components. For the web to be fully accessible, the components must all function together.  

This is an example of interdependencies when utilizing alternative text for images: 

  • Technical specifications within HTML code defines the alternative text For instance, HTML defines the alternative text attribute “alt” of the image element “img”. 
  • WAI (Web Accessibility Initiative) guidelines - define how to implement alternative text for accessibility in the different components. 
  • Developers or content editors provide the appropriate alternative text wording. 
  • Authoring tools enable, facilitate, and promote providing alternative text in a web page. 
  • Evaluation tools are used to check that alternative text exists. 
  • User agents provide human and machine interface to the alternative text. 
  • Assistive technologies provide human interface to the alternative text in various modalities. 
  • Users know how to get alternative text from their user agent and/or assistive technology as needed. 
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Digital Accessibility Training
This offering provides educational sessions and workshops on digital accessibility. Training covers topics such as accessibility standards, tools, and techniques to help participants create and maintain accessible digital content and services.