Accessibility and inclusion

In sections below you will find:

• Processes to learn about
• Templates and examples
• Tools to help

Web content accessibility standards

Accessibility is a person's ability to have the access they need to websites, tools, technologies and content, regardless of their disability.

Improving content accessibility means reducing barriers to comprehension like providing alternative text for images or having captions or transcript text available for a video which can improve the overall experience of the users.

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (aka: WCAG) are principles intended for web and content creators to ensure that all people can view, interact, and share information.

Resources worth reading

• Accessibility Basics Usability.gov share the basics and best practices for accessibility.

• Understanding WCAG 2.0 This is a guide to WCAG 2.0, and how to implement it for your organization.

• Mobile Accessibility: How WCAG 2.0 and Other W3C/WAI Guidelines Apply to Mobile This article describes how WCAG 2.0 and its principles, guidelines, and success criteria can be applied to mobile web content, mobile web apps, native apps, and hybrid apps using web components inside native apps.

• What is WCAG? Your 5-Minute Guide to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Level Access provides this quick guide to WCAG. Includes information on a service where you can chat with a WCAG Compliance Specialist.

• Using persona profiles to test accessibility GOV.UK share a stack of articles and resources about accessibility in government.

• Accessibility for content designers Digital.gov share a process of ensuring their content is easier for everyone to read, and accessible to everyone who needs to use them.

• Accessibility for user experience (UX) designers This article for UX designers presents a guide for you to use for your projects.

• Understanding accessibility requirements for public sector bodies Another guide from GOV.UK. This one will help your team understand why they need to meet website and mobile app accessibility regulations.

• Making online public services accessible The UK Government lists the four steps you should take now to make sure your online services are accessible.

• Make content accessible - digital guide The Australian Government's practical guide to making your content accessible for those with a disability (includes self-assessment tools).

• Content accessibility Sarah Winters from Content Design London shares her take on content accessibility.

• Electronic Accessibility The University of California share a comprehensive guide to ensuring that content is accessible to individuals with disabilities.

• Quick reference for content providers This PDF is a quick reference guide for IT accessibility.

• Running research sessions with disabled people GOV.UK share the steps to follow when you carry out research with people who have a disability.

• Making your service accessible: An introduction An introductory guide on making your service accessible.

• Accessibility GOV.UK explain how their team works to ensure that both the Design System and Front-end are accessible.

• Talking, thinking and learning about digital accessibility and inclusion HMRC share their insights and learnings about digital accessibility and inclusion.

• How we made GOV.UK more accessible GOV.UK share how they made their website more accessible, their challenges, and the learnings they took away.

How to make content more inclusive

Inclusive content acknowledges that your users are made up of all kinds of people and serves and resonates with diverse audiences with different characteristics.

When creating inclusive content, the main goal is to make all content accessible to as many people -  especially those from the underrepresented groups - through thoughtful and respectful content.

Processes to learn about

• Inclusive Design Microsoft provide a toolkit that you can download and retrofit to your design team's goals.

• Inclusive Design Principles An article about designing for the needs of people with permanent, temporary, situational, or changing disabilities. Plus, a downloadable set of illustrated posters to hang on your wall.

• Disability and inclusive language In this guest post for Content Design London, Alex White talks about rethinking your approach to language as it changes, talking to people, and testing your content.

• Writing about people These guidelines from Content Design London will help you create content that feels more inclusive for your audience.

• 7 Ways to Make Your Content Writing More Inclusive ContentWriters.com share ways to make your content writing more inclusive.

• Creating an Inclusive Digital Content Strategy Some ideas on how to create a content strategy that promotes inclusion.

• Elevating Your Brand With a More Inclusive UX Usability Geek present some strategies on how to make your UX more inclusive.

• Inclusive UX writing This guide from Adobe discusses inclusive UX writing, for readability and visuals.

• 6 Principles for Inclusive Design Some principles for adopting an inclusive mindset in your design practice, inspired by the author's existing research, and conversations with designers and researchers.

• An Incomplete Guide to Inclusive Language for Startups and Tech This up-to-date guide from Buffer focuses on tech, but is relevant to all industries.

• Writing inclusive documentation Another good example from Google demonstrating what to include (and not include) in documentation, to ensure you are being inclusive.

• How to Do Inclusive Content That Helps Your Audience and Business This Content Marketing Institute article provides a thorough look at using inclusive, open, and positive language for audiences.

• 5 Must-Do's for Writing Inclusive Job Descriptions A really interesting look at what can happen when you use gendered terms, or things like 'rockstar' and 'ninja'.