Digital accessibility watch August - September 2021

We feel that it is getting closer and there, you'll tell me... WHAT ??
Well, the WCAG 3, a little explanation of these future guidelines: https://w3c.github.io/silver/explainer/
So WCAG 2.2 too, mechanically, are fast approaching, be ready for a jump, not huge but still: https://www.visionaustralia.org/services/digital-access/blog/the-new-requirements-for-wcag-2-2

Last minute: all videos from the September online accessibility event Inclusive Design 24 https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/id24

Enjoy !

Accessibility in laws, standards and recommendations #

• Public consultation “Review of EU rules on accessibility of websites and digital content for people with disabilities”, if you have a little time: https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/12537-Accessible-web-&-digital-content-for-people-with-disabilities-review-of-EU-rules / public-consultation_en
• WCAG 3, a new way to assess accessibility with figures: https://www.boia.org/blog/wcag-3.0-may-introduce-new-rating-scale-for-accessibility
• ARIA Recommendations for Dummies, Episode 2: https://www.deque.com/blog/aria-spec-for-the-uninitiated-part-2/
• As a reminder, episode 1 : https://www.deque.com/blog/aria-spec-for-the-uninitiated-part-1/

Feedback and accessibility #

• The least of it, to read (fr): https://blog.octo.com/accessibilite-faites-ce-minimum-pour-derisquer/
• 4 of the most frequent errors in ARIA, must be careful: https://www.maxability.co.in/2021/08/22/4-aria-mistakes/
• Video on Html and a11y semantics in practice: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSNUi7pRmWg
• Accessibility audit approach for a library site, well done and more generic than implied : https://journals.publishing.umich.edu/weaveux/article/id/218/
• Still some issues between CSS and screen readers, read: https://uselessdivs.com/blog/the-effect-of-css-on-screen-readers

Accessibility strategy #

• Doing an audit when you have already corrected the basic and easy a11y errors is better: https://adactio.com/journal/18458
• Beyond WCAG : https://hiddedevries.nl/en/blog/2021-09-08-subsets-and-supersets-of-wcag
• Accessibility is more than just a technical problem, 3 good reasons : https://ux.shopify.com/accessibility-is-more-than-a-technical-problem-ca6bb9dee8ce
• The basic rules for an accessible email : https://www.litmus.com/blog/ultimate-guide-accessible-emails/
• Points of vigilance in digital accessibility for purchases and buyers: https://www.tpgi.com/accessibility-strategy-for-procurement/

Test accessibility #

• Latest version of the Text Spacing bookmarklet, update: https://cdpn.io/stevef/debug/YLMqbo
• User testing methodology in a11y, nice to read: https://ux.shopify.com/how-to-test-for-accessibility-with-users-at-every-design-stage-ec655fed7878
• A specific tool for accessibility testing and its use, interesting approach: https://dataingovernment.blog.gov.uk/2021/02/16/how-we-created-a-reporting-tool-to-improve-the-accessibility-of-gov-uk/
• Test iframes a11y: https://convergeaccessibility.com/2021/08/09/accessibility-testing-and-iframes/
• Audit the accessibility of a design, how... a good reminder: https://www.a11yproject.com/posts/2021-08-14-reviewing-a-design-for-accessibility/
• HTML test case for a11y and their support by AT Jaws, VoiceOver, NVDA, practice: https://russmaxdesign.github.io/accessible-forms/
• Test with a screen reader, what you need to know: https://www.boia.org/blog/can-you-check-web-accessibility-by-downloading-a-screen-reader
• Everything about keyboard traps: https://www.boia.org/blog/avoid-keyboard-traps-to-make-your-site-more-accessible
• Combine Pa11y and axis, must see: http://www.craigabbott.co.uk/blog/combining-axe-core-and-pa11y

Technical accessibility points #

• On the importance of the order of focusing, an essential concept to understand: https://devyarns.com/logical-focus-order/
• Everything about the definition lists, dl: https://benmyers.dev/blog/on-the-dl/
• Make your website authentication accessible: https://www.boia.org/blog/is-your-sites-authentication-process-accessible
• Make online help accessible: https://www.boia.org/blog/make-sure-your-websites-help-resources-are-available-and-accessible
• Hidden controls and WCAG 2.2, new: https://www.boia.org/blog/wcag-2.2-introduces-new-requirements-for-hidden-controls
• Redundant entries and their impact on a11y, WCAG 2.2: https://www.boia.org/blog/what-is-redundant-entry-and-how-does-it-affect-accessibility
• Drag-n-drop and a11y: https://www.boia.org/blog/how-drag-and-drop-movements-affect-web-accessibility
• Live chat and a11y: https://www.boia.org/blog/does-live-chat-make-a-site-less-accessible
• CSS overflow properties for accessible, simple and efficient content: https://convergeaccessibility.com/2021/09/07/using-css-3-overflow-properties-to-make-containers-meet-wcag-2-1/

Mobile apps #

• Mobile a11y apps a full summary: https://increment.com/mobile/best-practices-for-building-accessible-mobile-apps/

Ergonomics, UI & UX #

• TAdER - Text Adaptability is Essential for Reading, we explain everything about why the text must be able to adapt to the user in digital reading: http://www.tader.info/
• Designer for cognitive impairments, good summary: https://ux.shopify.com/designing-for-cognitive-disabilities-b2933d58c278
• Improve user personas: https://www.uxbooth.com/articles/rethinking-user-personas/

Resources #

• There is a lack of studies and therefore of figures on disability in France (fr): https://www.slate.fr/story/214940/tribune-france-retard-etudes-handicap-passage-modele-medical-social-changer-connaissances-pratiques-inclusion-enseignement-superieur-recherche
• Which element can contain which element in HTML, essential : https://caninclude.glitch.me/
• Resources for accessible tables: https://www.digitala11y.com/resources-for-building-accessible-tables/
• A JS / npm module to easily have references to a WCAG criterion, practical: https://www.npmjs.com/package/wcagify
• Resource under Github for video subtitling, bible (fr): https://github.com/emma11y/sous-titres/
• List of shortcuts and gestures for screen readers, essential: https://dequeuniversity.com/screenreaders/

Others #

• Misconceptions about a11y swept away, classic but worth remembering: https://alvaromontoro.com/blog/67989/myths-about-web-accessibility#accessibility-is-for-people-with-disabilities
• The expert profession a11y (fr): https://access42.net/metier-conseil-expertise-accessibilite-numerique
• A nice interview with a UX / UI expert a11y (fr): https://www.alsacreations.com/actu/lire/1833-Interview-des-gens-du-Web--Marie-Guillaumet.html
• Voice synthesis where are we? : https://tink.uk/notes-on-synthetic-speech/