Tools to Provide Accessibility

I am using the site https:validator.w3.org, which is used to test websites for accessibility for those blind or visually impaired although it is not good for those who are deaf. If you design the code for both blind and visually impaired as well as for those who are hearing impaired, the video must also include closed captioning so the design would be for everyone. If a user is both hearing and visually impaired at the same time, they would need assistive technology to have a braille display and keyboard. The designer would need to know what limitations the assistive technology has and must change the code to allow diverse types of displays to be used. Closed captions can be used for the ones that have no hearing issues but are in a room where it would be rude to blast the audio so they can hear it over the noise or when headphones are not available. While Blogs such as mine that I tested in have lots of unnecessary code if you use auto coding and not code it by yourself. I tested it and it came up with 251 errors.  

 

Below is the result of the test I performed on our library system. When a login is needed, the ability to test the accessibility results in an error. PDF files still have issues for screen readers to scan and read because PDF is not a text file but acts more like a picture file to be read. The best practice is to limit the use of PDF files so that screen readers can read what is being displayed.  

I have tested some of the information because my reading speed is slow so at times, I use screen reading software like Natural Reading and Read and Write Gold. Both Natural Reading and Read and Write Gold have issues reading pictures and what they are and if any PDF is on a website, both software can read text formats (like if a webpage is coded using HTML it can read the text code as text while with pictures it can read the name of the picture but not describe what the picture is or looks like unless the individual inputs added code to describe the picture for the screen reader to read.) 

The best Ted Talk I watched is https://www.ted.com/playlists/372/designing_for_disability. This Ted Talk describes both why design should include everyone and when we design for disability. We all benefit when designers plan for the disabled because they design for everyone. Too often programing code is tested for functionality and not accessibility.