Accessibility Guidelines

While accessibility is a legal requirement mandated by federal Section 508 requirements, ADA Title II, and Maryland Non-Visual Access requirements, accessible design principles lead to better experiences for Marylanders of all abilities when interacting with the state of Maryland.

The use of Plain Language supports the Governor’s executive order, but also simplifies the understanding of content; the use of contrasting color schemes reduces eye strain, particularly with aging populations; captioning of video content affords greater choice in how all users consume online material.

Accessibility, as part of a user-centered design approach, acknowledges the broad diversity of Maryland’s population. Depending on how it is defined, roughly 12-15% of Marylanders self-identify as having a disability, but this does not account for the absolute number of residents who would benefit by incorporating accessible design principles. This is a significant subset of the population and merits consideration as we seek to build a more inclusive digital experience.

Digital Accessibility is a set of principles intended to ensure that a website or application can be viewed, understood, and manipulated with equal ease, regardless of the modality by which it is accessed. While accessibility is conventionally thought of in cases where a disability is medical and permanent, good accessibility practices ensure equality for people regardless of the permanence of a disability. For instance, lost eyeglasses may make it harder to read a computer screen, a broken arm may mean that someone is limited to one hand for typing or mouse control, or a noisy environment may mean it becomes necessary to turn on captions for a video.

Below are pragmatic guidelines and principles to develop easily accessible content for all Marylanders, organized under the four pillars of accessibility spelled out by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust (POUR).

Perceivable

Definition: Content must be presented in a way that users can perceive, regardless of their sensory abilities.

Guidelines

Text Alternatives: Provide text alternatives (alt text) for non-text content, such as images, videos, and audio files.
Audio and Video: Ensure that multimedia content includes captions, transcripts, and audio descriptions to accommodate different users.
Color Contrast: Use sufficient contrast between text and background colors to enhance readability.
Flexible Layouts: Design layouts that can adapt to different screen sizes and orientations, making content accessible on various devices.
Resizable Text: Ensure that text can be resized up to 200% without loss of content or functionality.

Operable

Definition: Users must be able to operate the interface effectively, regardless of their physical capabilities.

Guidelines

Keyboard Accessibility: Ensure all interactive elements (links, buttons, forms) can be accessed and operated using a keyboard alone.
Timing Adjustments: Provide users with options to adjust or turn off time limits for completing tasks.
Navigation: Create clear and consistent navigation mechanisms, including a logical structure and identifiable links.
Focus Indicators: Ensure that users can see which element is currently focused, aiding in keyboard navigation.
Avoiding Content that Causes Seizures: Do not use content that flashes or blinks at a frequency that could trigger seizures (more than three flashes in one second).

Understandable

Definition: Content must be easy to understand and use, ensuring that users can comprehend the information presented.

Guidelines

Clear Language: Use plain language and avoid jargon unless necessary; provide definitions for complex terms.
Consistent Design: Maintain consistent navigation and design elements across pages to reduce cognitive load.
Error Prevention: Offer guidance to help users avoid mistakes (e.g., clear instructions, confirmation dialogues).
Readable Fonts: Use easily readable fonts and maintain appropriate line spacing and paragraph structure.
Help and Documentation: Provide accessible help and documentation to assist users in understanding how to use the content.

Robust

Definition: Content must be robust enough to be interpreted reliably by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies.

Guidelines

Semantic HTML: Use semantic HTML to enhance the meaning and structure of content, making it easier for assistive technologies to interpret. A potential resource for developers would be the ‘HTML: good semantics’ webpage: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Learn/Accessibility/HTML
Valid Code: Ensure that the code is valid and follows web standards to maintain compatibility with current and future technologies. A potential tool to utilize could be the validator by the W3C, e.g. https://validator.w3.org/
Testing Across Platforms: Regularly test content with different web browsers, devices (including iOS and Android OS), and assistive technologies (see below in the resources section for a free screen reader that can be used for accessibility testing) to ensure consistent functionality.
Progressive Enhancement: Progressive enhancement is a way of building websites and applications based on the idea that you should make your page work with HTML first. It means creating a design that achieves a simpler-but-still-usable experience for users of older browsers and devices with limited capabilities, while at the same time being a design that progresses the user experience up to a more-compelling, fully-featured experience for users of newer browsers and devices with richer capabilities.

Conclusion

By adhering to the WCAG principles of Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust, content developers can create inclusive web experiences that are accessible to all users. Implementing these guidelines not only helps meet legal requirements but also broadens the audience and enhances user satisfaction.

Additional Resources

For more detailed information about accessibility requirements and guidelines, refer to the following resources:

Perceivable

Operable

Understandable

Robust

Additional Resources

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