{"id":6907,"date":"2024-02-29T14:18:27","date_gmt":"2024-02-29T13:18:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/skillstown-nl.prod.stuurlui.dev\/com\/?p=6907"},"modified":"2024-06-07T15:41:18","modified_gmt":"2024-06-07T13:41:18","slug":"everyone-is-welcome-in-the-world-of-digital-accessibility","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/skillstown-nl.prod.stuurlui.dev\/com\/blog\/everyone-is-welcome-in-the-world-of-digital-accessibility\/","title":{"rendered":"Everyone is welcome in the world of digital accessibility"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"6907\" class=\"elementor elementor-6907\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-6cd91368 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"6cd91368\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-fd19723\" data-id=\"fd19723\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-369349d8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"369349d8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe concept of inclusion seems more popular than ever, but isn\u2019t that absurd? Inclusion has always been important, and will always be important. Yet, the term &#8216;inclusion&#8217; goes much further than the image you may have of it. Take digital accessibility, for example. Have you ever stopped to think about how people with a physical or cognitive disability navigate online?\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-534fb01b elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"534fb01b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Martijn Halekor, our own Front End Web Developer, pays attention to inclusion and digital accessibility within the <a href=\"https:\/\/skillstown-nl.prod.stuurlui.dev\/com\/\">online learning platform of SkillsTown<\/a>. He was happy to explain the importance of these principles, based on the design process behind WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines), which are the standards for web content accessibility.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1b748166 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"1b748166\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Let\u2019s introduce you to Martijn<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-af8f6cc elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"af8f6cc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t&#8220;I am responsible for the visual and interactive design of the user interface for SkillsTown&#8217;s online learning platform. This includes elements like buttons, sliders, and input fields. My work acts as the link between the end-user and the system backend,&#8221; Martijn explains. &#8220;Unfortunately, in my field, digital accessibility is often neglected. It&#8217;s a pity, because with relatively little effort, you can serve many more people with your digital product or website.&#8221;\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-838b556 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"838b556\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"531\" height=\"589\" src=\"https:\/\/skillstown-nl.prod.stuurlui.dev\/com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/02\/martijn-2022-1.jpg\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-6912\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/skillstown-nl.prod.stuurlui.dev\/com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/02\/martijn-2022-1.jpg 531w, https:\/\/skillstown-nl.prod.stuurlui.dev\/com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2024\/02\/martijn-2022-1-270x300.jpg 270w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 531px) 100vw, 531px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-640a3df elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"640a3df\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>To explain the subject for those unfamiliar with IT, Martijn provides an illustrative example: \u201cConsider a major railway station located anywhere in the country. This station is equipped with facilities for individuals who are blind, deaf, or use wheelchairs. Essentially, this analogy applies to websites and applications, which should similarly accommodate a spectrum of potential disabilities, regardless of their nature.&#8221;<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2323166f elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"2323166f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The four principles of accessibility within your website<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-24cb9568 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"24cb9568\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe WCAG guidelines for digital accessibility can be summarized in four principles. These are important for digital accessibility, as they provide a foundation for creating an inclusive online environment. This results in an accessible website where everyone, including individuals with visual, auditory impairments or learning disorders such as dyslexia, can effortlessly obtain and use information. Below, we elaborate on the four principles:\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d172f6e elementor-align-left elementor-icon-list--layout-traditional elementor-list-item-link-full_width elementor-widget elementor-widget-icon-list\" data-id=\"d172f6e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"icon-list.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-icon-list-items\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-caret-right\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text\"><strong>Perceptibility<\/strong> is key for users who may be colour blind, visually impaired, deaf, hard of hearing, or susceptible to seizures. It involves thoughtful colour use, providing alternative text for visual media to complement screen readers, and minimising the use of potentially seizure-inducing flashing animations.<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-caret-right\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text\">A website's <strong>operability<\/strong> must cater to navigation via various means, such as keyboard-only use. Martijn observes, \"I'm a keyboard enthusiast, but I've noticed many sites aren't built for keyboard-only navigation. Disconnect your mouse and try using only your keyboard for a day. It's an eye-opener to the potential challenges faced by those who don't have the luxury of choice.\"<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-caret-right\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text\">The principle of <strong>understandibility<\/strong> is key for users who may be colour blind, visually impaired, deaf, hard of hearing, or susceptible to seizures. It involves thoughtful colour use, providing alternative text for visual media to complement screen readers, and minimising the use of potentially seizure-inducing flashing animations.<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-caret-right\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text\">The <strong>robustness<\/strong> of a website is a more technical story, but it comes down to the site containing error-free software and striving for maximum compatibility with current and future browsers. It\u2019s about maintaining the accessibility of content and functionality, regardless of the user\u2019s device or control methods.<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-75c166c7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"75c166c7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The biggest misconception<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-762ec0be elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"762ec0be\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tThe greatest misconception about digital accessibility is that people think it is only necessary for those with a disability, and therefore only beneficial for around sixteen percent of your target audience or employees. \u201cSuch a view diminishes the importance of these design principles. Meeting these standards enhances the experience for all users and makes your product more accessible to, you guessed it, everyone.\u201d\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cc02264 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"cc02264\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Lets show you some examples<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a533e2e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a533e2e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>At SkillsTown, we consider digital accessibility in everything we create within the <a href=\"https:\/\/skillstown-nl.prod.stuurlui.dev\/com\/\">online learning platform<\/a>. Martijn offers a selection of examples to illustrate this:<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d9fca17 elementor-align-left elementor-icon-list--layout-traditional elementor-list-item-link-full_width elementor-widget elementor-widget-icon-list\" data-id=\"d9fca17\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"icon-list.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-icon-list-items\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-caret-right\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text\">\"Sufficient contrast in colour usage is essential for an inclusive website. The standard colour palette is carefully tuned, taking contrast requirements into account to ensure text remains higly legible. Additionally, we offer a tool during platform personalisation that allows you to check and, if necessary, improve the contrast value of your own brand colour.<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-caret-right\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text\">People with hearing impairments often face challenges with elements such as video content. For this group, we provide subtitles for videos as a standard feature.<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-caret-right\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text\">While text-to-speech capabilities are valuable, they don't capture visual content, which is why we also use descriptive alt-texts to make images accessible. Additionally, our platform includes options for enlarging text to assist users with limited vision.<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-caret-right\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text\">We have improved navigation menus so that they can be easily operated with just the keyboard. This is a must for anyone unable to use a mouse.<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-caret-right\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text\">We have incorporated periodic consultations with our copywriters into our design process, ensuring that all buttons, sliders, and menus are clearly labelled and do not cause confusion.\"<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-332111ae elementor-align-left elementor-icon-list--layout-traditional elementor-list-item-link-full_width elementor-widget elementor-widget-icon-list\" data-id=\"332111ae\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"icon-list.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-icon-list-items\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-caret-right\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text\">What about your digital accessibility?<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-265158a3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"265158a3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Do you want to be digitally accessible for all of your employees? If the answer is yes, you might benefit from additional information and support. Visit your online learning platform and enrol in the &#8216;Digital Accessibility&#8217; e-learning course. If you haven&#8217;t started using the online learning platform yet, now is the perfect time to<a href=\"https:\/\/skillstown-nl.prod.stuurlui.dev\/com\/demo\/\"> explore the possibilities<\/a>!<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The concept of inclusion seems more popular than ever, but isn\u2019t that absurd? Inclusion has always been important, and will always be important. Yet, the term &#8216;inclusion&#8217; goes much further than the image you may have of it. Take digital accessibility, for example. Have you ever stopped to think about how people with a physical [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":6910,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12,17,19],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6907","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-employee-development","category-online-learning-in-practice","category-sharing-knowledge-online"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/skillstown-nl.prod.stuurlui.dev\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6907","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/skillstown-nl.prod.stuurlui.dev\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/skillstown-nl.prod.stuurlui.dev\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skillstown-nl.prod.stuurlui.dev\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skillstown-nl.prod.stuurlui.dev\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6907"}],"version-history":[{"count":28,"href":"https:\/\/skillstown-nl.prod.stuurlui.dev\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6907\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7150,"href":"https:\/\/skillstown-nl.prod.stuurlui.dev\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6907\/revisions\/7150"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skillstown-nl.prod.stuurlui.dev\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6910"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/skillstown-nl.prod.stuurlui.dev\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6907"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skillstown-nl.prod.stuurlui.dev\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6907"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/skillstown-nl.prod.stuurlui.dev\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6907"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}