Audience

When designing a website, the audience is very important to consider. Though many users will have no problem with access, others may be disabled and need websites that meet their needs. Such disabilities can include visually impaired, hearing impaired, and movement impaired. Baldwin (2004) says that in order for webpages to be accessible to people with disabilities, it is important to create a clear, structure that is separate from the presentation of the page. This means that your HTML tags should flow from top to bottom in a meaningful way [because] screen readers for the blind read the content on the pages in that order. Baldwin also says creating webpages with only the needed links for each level of navigation is recommended for all sites by ADA (American Disabilities Association) and required for all governmental websites.

Some points to remember when creating a website include providing text alternatives for any non-text content so that it can be changed into other forms people need, such as large print, braille, speech, symbols, or simpler language, create content that can be presented in different ways (for example simpler layout) without losing information or structure, make it easier for users to see and hear content including separating foreground from background and make all functionality available from a keyboard (Caldwell, B., Cooper, M., Reid, L. G., & Vanderheiden, G., 2008). Without these accommodations in place, a web designer can potentially lose an audience of disabled people. A text alternative includes the ALT tag that can be attached to pictures or other media. This tag, which used to show up in older browsers as a yellow note when the mouse hovered, is read aloud to users through text-to-speech software.

The color of font also can impact the visually impaired. See Design. The size of font you choose for your website is also important. The visually impaired audience may need specially sized font to read your website, if they are not able to use their own computers to change the size. To make a website user friendly for deaf or hard of hearing users, make sure each video includes captioning or text documents. Berke (2010), says the options available for adding captions or subtitles to web video have sharply increased.

In light of the mobile world we now live in, it is important to consider how mobile phones, tablets, ipods, etc., will see your site. This is discussed in the chapter on Design.

Finally, accessibility also looks at the way that different socioeconomic groups are able to access the Internet. More information about this is in the Legal chapter.