How to Conduct an Accessibility Audit on Your WordPress Website
We have been asked many times about how to conduct an accessibility audit on your organization’s digital platform. We will address how, but if your organization is not familiar with accessibility. Then your organization might want to review a prior blog post in which we discuss Accessibility. Conducting an accessibility audit is important to ensure that your WordPress website is compliant with ADA regulations. Here are some steps to follow:
Step 1: Understand WCAG guidelines
Before conducting an audit, it’s important to have a good understanding of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). These guidelines cover a range of accessibility issues and provide detailed instructions on how to ensure your website is accessible to people with disabilities.
Step 2: Use accessibility tools
There are various accessibility tools available to help you audit your WordPress website. Here are some examples:
- The Accessibility Checker plugin: This plugin scans your website for accessibility issues and provides suggestions for improvements.
- The Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool: This tool checks your website against WCAG guidelines and provides a report on any issues that need to be addressed.
Step 3: Test your website manually
While accessibility tools can be helpful, it’s important to also test your website manually. Here are some things to look out for:
- Ensure that all images have alt text.
- Test keyboard accessibility.
- Ensure that all videos have captions and transcripts.
- Check color contrast ratios.
Step 4: Address any issues
Once you’ve conducted your audit, it’s important to address any accessibility issues you find. This might involve making small changes to your website, such as adding alt text to images, or more significant changes, such as redesigning your website’s layout.
Remember to involve people with disabilities in the design process to ensure that your website is truly accessible. And don’t forget to regularly check your website for accessibility issues to maintain compliance with ADA regulations.
Implementing Accessibility Improvements on Your Website
Improving the accessibility of your website for people with disabilities can seem daunting, but it’s an important step toward ADA compliance. Here are some key steps to take:
1. Identify Barriers
Start by identifying the areas of your website that might be difficult for people with disabilities to access. Common barriers include:
- Images without alt text
- Inaccessible videos or audio content
- Confusing navigation
- Small text size or low color contrast
- Unresponsive or poorly-designed forms
Take note of these barriers and make a list of the changes you’ll need to make to your website to address them.
2. Prioritize Changes
Depending on the number of changes needed, it may be helpful to prioritize them. Start with the changes that will have the biggest impact on accessibility, such as adding alt text to images or improving the color contrast of your website. You can then move on to the smaller changes that will still help improve accessibility.
3. Involve People with Disabilities
Involving people with disabilities in the design process can help ensure that your website is truly accessible. Seek feedback from people with a range of disabilities, including visual, auditory, physical, and cognitive disabilities. They can help identify barriers that you may not have considered and provide valuable insight into how to address them.
4. Make Changes
Now it’s time to start making changes to your website. This may involve working with a web developer or designer to implement the changes needed. Examples of changes you might make include:
- Adding alt text to images
- Improving color contrast
- Implementing keyboard accessibility
- Providing descriptive captions for videos or audio content
- Simplifying navigation
5. Test Your Website
After making changes to your website, it’s important to test it thoroughly to ensure that the changes have had the desired impact on accessibility. Use accessibility testing tools like the Accessibility Checker plugin to identify any remaining barriers and make necessary changes.
By following these steps, you can make your website more accessible and achieve ADA compliance for people with disabilities.
Conclusion
We can assist your organization with any accessibility issues, you can contact us by clicking here. The image is courtesy of Brooke Cagle.
JDS WebDesign is a Web Design and Brand Marketing Agency located in Marietta, Georgia. We create AWESOME on line presence for Start-ups and Influential People/Organizations. To learn more about us or how we can help you and your organization, you can contact us or schedule a meeting.
Join our mailing list to keep up with JDS WebDesign and find get tutorials and information about how to improve your website or business.
Get Your Mobile Application TODAY!!!
Unlock your next state of growth. Mobile applications that change minds & deliver more!!!
CLICK THE RED BUTTON BELOW TO GET STARTED!!!
