Quick Reference
Web Accessibility Principles
Article Contents
Principles
Accessibility guidelines and techniques are based on four core principles:
- Perceivable – Available through sight, hearing, or touch.
- Operable – Compatible with keyboard or mouse.
- Understandable – Easy to comprehend.
- Robust – Works across browsers, assistive technologies, mobile devices, old devices/browsers, etc. Follows standards.
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Alternative Text
- Every non-text element needs a text equivalent (often conveyed in the alt attribute) to provide an alternative to the image content.
- The alt attribute should present the content and function of an image, but not necessarily a detailed description.
- If an image is decorative, or redundant to nearby text, it should have empty alternative text (alt=””).
- If an image is a link or hotspot, the alt text must describe the link’s function.
- Words like “picture of,” “image of,” or “link to” are redundant. Screen readers already identify images and links by default.
- Ensure alternative text is as succinct as necessary.
Readability
- Use the simplest language appropriate to your content and audience.
- Use white space (line length, text spacing) to improve readability.
- Supplement text with images and icons.
- Check spelling, grammar, and reading grade level.
Content Navigation
- Create semantic structure with regions, headings, and lists.
- Provide a skip link to help [...]