How do you customize web accessibility for different web apps?

1 Scenario 1: A web app with complex interactions and dynamic content

Some web apps have complex interactions and dynamic content, such as drag and drop, sliders, tabs, accordions, modals, or live updates. These web apps can present difficulties for users who rely on keyboard navigation, screen readers, or other assistive technologies. To ensure that these web apps are accessible to all users, you should ensure that the keyboard focus order is logical and consistent, with a visible and clear focus. Additionally, you should use ARIA attributes and roles to provide semantic information and context for the interactive elements and dynamic content. Furthermore, you should provide feedback and notifications for user actions and content changes using live regions, alerts, or other methods. Finally, you should adhere to the WCAG principles and criteria for operable, understandable, and robust web content.

2 Scenario 2: A web app with multimedia content and audio output

Some web apps have multimedia content and audio output, such as videos, podcasts, audio books, or voice assistants. These web apps can pose challenges for users who have hearing impairments, low vision, or cognitive disabilities. To customize web accessibility for these web apps, you need to ensure that the user can access and control captions, transcripts, or sign language for the audio content; audio descriptions, text alternatives, or summaries for the visual content; and options to adjust the volume, speed, pitch, or tone of the audio output easily and independently. Additionally, it's important to follow the WCAG principles and criteria for perceivable and adaptable web content.

3 Scenario 3: A web app with forms and data input

Some web apps have forms and data input, such as surveys, quizzes, online shopping, or registration. However, these may pose challenges for users with visual impairments, motor impairments, or learning disabilities. To make these web apps accessible for all users, you need to ensure clear and descriptive labels, instructions, and error messages for the form fields and data input. Additionally, the form elements and text input should have sufficient contrast, size, and spacing. Furthermore, there should be multiple ways to submit the form and to navigate between the form sections such as buttons, links, or keyboard shortcuts. Finally, the WCAG principles and criteria for understandable and robust web content should be followed.

4 Scenario 4: A web app with graphics and animations

Some web apps have graphics and animations, such as charts, diagrams, games, or slideshows. These web apps can pose challenges for users who have visual impairments, color blindness, or epilepsy. Therefore, to customize web accessibility for these web apps, it is important to provide text alternatives, captions, or legends for the graphics and the animations that are easily accessible and controllable independently. Furthermore, colors should be distinguishable, meaningful, and consistent—allowing users to change or override them if needed. Additionally, flashing, blinking, or moving content that can cause seizures or distractions should be avoided or minimized—with the ability for users to stop or pause them if needed. Ultimately, following the WCAG principles and criteria for perceivable and adaptable web content is essential.

5 Scenario 5: A web app with localization and internationalization

Localization and internationalization of web apps can pose challenges for users with different preferences, needs, or expectations based on their language, culture, or region. To customize web accessibility, the web app must provide clear and consistent language identification, direction, and switching for the web content and user interface. Additionally, it should provide appropriate and respectful content, symbols, icons, and colors for the target audience and context. Furthermore, it should provide options to customize the layout, format, and display of the web content and user interface such as font size, orientation, date, time, currency or units. Finally, the web app must follow WCAG principles and criteria for perceivable and understandable web content.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?