Introduction

Digital accessibility is the practice of designing and developing digital content, tools, and technologies so that they can be used by everyone, including people with disabilities. As our lives become increasingly dependent on digital spaces, it’s essential that these environments are inclusive and usable by all.

Accessibility isn't just about compliance with legal standards—it's about inclusivity, respect and equal opportunity. Over one billion people worldwide live with some form of disability, and without accessible digital content, they may face significant barriers to participating fully in society. When digital spaces are accessible, they benefit everyone by improving usability, enhancing user experience and expanding reach to a broader audience. In short, accessibility is a key part of creating a more inclusive and equitable digital world. 

Legal Standard
In accordance with Title II of the ADA, JMU will be following the Web Content Accessibility Guideline (WCAG) 2.1, Level AA standard. Learn more the Title II Web Standards Update

A person with a disability is defined in the Americans with Disabilites Act as any individual who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity, such as (but not limited to) walking, hearing, seeing, speaking, learning or caring for oneself. An individual may have more than one disability, and the combination of disabilities can affect daily life in unique ways.

Sometimes the limitations that a person with a disability experiences are due to design choices made by other people. For instance, when an institution designs buildings with ramps, automatic doors, and elevators, access for a person in a wheelchair is no longer limited. Similarly, following accessibility best practices for online content means that people with cognitive, visual, auditory, and other disabilities are not limited in their access to online information

Invisible disabilities, also known as hidden disabilities, are types of disabilities that are not immediately apparent to others. They can include chronic pain, fatigue, dizziness, weakness, cognitive impairments, psychological disabilities, as well as hearing and vision impairments. These disabilities can sometimes or always limit daily activities, range from mild challenges to severe limitations and vary from person to person.

Likewise, it is important to remember that every individual experiences and navigates disability differently. People with the same diagnosis or disability type may use very different adaptive techniques and interact very differently with digital content.

Disability Categories

Categorizing disabilities can vary greatly depending on context. However, some categorization may help us when developing accessible content. For example, these categories relate to potential challenges using digital content:

• Cognitive/Learning
• Auditory
• Visual (including blind, low vision, and color blind)
• Motor/Physical
• Speech

Get in the habit of asking questions like, “could a person with an auditory disability access this multimedia?” Or “could someone with a cognitive or visual impairment navigate this document easily?”

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are built around four core principles that form the foundation for creating accessible web content. These principles ensure that anyone, regardless of ability, can perceive, navigate, and interact with digital content. These principles are often referred to by the acronym POUR:

• Perceivable - Information and user interface elements must be presented in ways that users can perceive. In other words, nothing should be invisible to all of a user’s senses. For example, images should include text alternatives, and audio content should have captions or transcripts.

• Operable - User interface components and navigation must be usable by all. This means users must be able to interact with the site—whether they're using a mouse, keyboard, or assistive technology. Interactions shouldn't rely on actions that some users cannot perform.

• Understandable - Information and the operation of the interface must be clear and predictable. Users should be able to comprehend both the content and how to use the interface. Instructions should be easy to follow, and interactions should behave in expected ways.

• Robust - Content must be compatible with a wide range of technologies, including assistive tools. As technology evolves, content should remain accessible and functional across different devices, browsers, and assistive technologies like screen readers.

Now that you understand the importance of digital accessibility, let’s explore practical ways to make your content more accessible.

View Fundamental Guides