Web inclusiveness: concepts and requirements. Common mistakes in the accessibility of web resources

Inclusive Web Design is the creation and development of websites and web applications to make them accessible and usable for all users, including those with special needs: people with disabilities, different visual, hearing, mobility, or cognitive impairments.

Web inclusiveness

In different countries, inclusive web design can be implemented and regulated by different institutions and organizations. Here are some of them:

1. Government agencies and regulatory bodies: In some countries, government agencies are responsible for establishing standards and regulations related to inclusive web design. These standards might be mandatory for government and public web projects.
2. International organizations and standardization groups: Organizations such as the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) have an important role in establishing international standards for inclusive web design. For example, the W3C has developed the WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) standard, which provides detailed recommendations for creating accessible web resources.
3. Public organizations and activists: Public organizations that advocate for the rights and needs of people with disabilities can promote and monitor digital inclusion.
4. Developers and designers: Developers, development teams, agencies, and designers are responsible for implementing digital inclusion by considering the principles and using technical tools that allow them to create accessible web resources.
5. Businesses and commercial organizations: Companies that develop and maintain websites and applications are also responsible for providing digital inclusion for their users.

Overall, implementing web accessibility is a task that requires the efforts of many parties, among them government agencies, public organizations, international standardization groups, and developers themselves.

The main criteria for evaluating digital inclusion:

1. Accessibility:

• providing access to the content and functionality of the website for all users, especially those with disabilities;
• providing alternative options for multimedia content, such as text descriptions or audio descriptions.

2. Control and interactivity:

• providing the ability to navigate the website using various devices and methods, such as keyboard, mouse, touch screen, voice commands, etc;
• availability of interactive elements (e.g. buttons or forms) without restrictions for users with different abilities.

3. Intuitive and easy to use:

• providing a clear and navigable website logic;
• minimizing the use of complex or technical terms that may be unclear to some users.

4. Compatibility with different technologies and browsers:

• providing compatibility of the website with different web browsers and technologies, including assistive technologies;
• using web development standards, such as HTML, CSS and JavaScript, to achieve wide compatibility.

5. Flexibility and adaptability:

• website adaptation to different screen sizes and devices (responsive design);
• allowing users to customize the content display (for example, font size or color scheme).

6. Accessibility:

• website should be accessible and functional even for users with disabilities or slow internet connections;
• gradual functionality decline to maintain the accessibility of important content and operations.

These criteria help guarantee that websites are accessible and usable for all users, independently of their needs and abilities. Understanding and following these criteria is an important step in developing accessible and inclusive web resources.

The WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) standard, developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) for evaluating and providing digital inclusion, includes the following compliance levels: A, AA, and AAA.

1. Level A indicates the basic level of accessibility. If a web resource complies with the criteria of Level A, it is considered to be minimally accessible. This means that the website can be used by most people with different abilities, including those who use assistive technologies.
2. Level AA includes all of the Level A criteria as well as some additional criteria. If a website complies with the criteria of Level AA, it offers a higher level of accessibility. It is usually recommended for most web projects.
3. Level AAA includes all the criteria of levels A and AA, plus even more additional criteria. This level ensures the highest level of accessibility and meets the highest standards of digital inclusion.

The compliance level depends on the specific needs and characteristics of the web project. For example, some important public resources, especially public or government websites, require compliance with a specific level of compliance, most often AA.

It's important to remember that following the WCAG conformance levels is an important step in creating web resources that are accessible to all users, irrespective of their characteristics and capabilities.

Several well-known web accessibility mistakes may occur during development. These errors can complicate using or interacting with a website for people with disabilities.

Common accessibility mistakes:

1. No alternative text for images: when images do not have a text description (alt-attribute), it is difficult or impossible for visually impaired people to understand what is on them.
2. Using headings and tags incorrectly: incorrect use of headings, poor heading structure, or lack of tags can make it difficult to navigate and understand content for people who use screen readers.
3. Low color contrast: Low contrast between text and background can complicate reading for people with visual impairments.
4. Using colors that are difficult to distinguish: If colors are difficult to distinguish, it can cause difficulties for users who have color perception problems.
5. Disabled forms and lack of error messages: Disabled forms or lack of error messages on the forms can make it hard for people with disabilities to use the site.
6. Absence of keyboard navigation: If one cannot navigate a website using a keyboard, it is difficult to use for people with mobility disabilities.
7. Insufficient support of assistive technologies: Sites that do not work correctly with reading programs, screens for the visually impaired, or other assistive technologies cannot be used by people who have disabilities.
8. No access to video and audio content: video and audio content should have descriptions, audio captions, and other accessibility means for people with hearing or visual impairments.

All of these mistakes can be avoided or reduced by following the principles of design inclusion and adhering to WCAG standards. It is important to meet the needs of all users, regardless of their capabilities.