What are the best practices for making news content accessible to people with disabilities?
Written by AI and the LinkedIn community
News content is a vital source of information and education for many people, but not everyone can access it equally. People with disabilities may face various barriers to reading, watching, listening, or interacting with news content, such as low vision, hearing loss, cognitive impairments, or motor difficulties. To make news content more accessible and inclusive, news producers need to follow some best practices that can enhance the user experience and satisfaction of people with disabilities. Here are some of the most important ones.
1. Use clear and simple language
One of the best ways to make news content accessible is to use clear and simple language that can be understood by a wide range of audiences, including people with low literacy, learning disabilities, or limited language skills. Avoid jargon, slang, acronyms, or complex sentences that may confuse or frustrate readers. Use short paragraphs, bullet points, headings, and subheadings to organize your content and make it easier to scan and follow. Use active voice, present tense, and positive statements to convey your message clearly and concisely.
2. Provide alternative text and captions
Another essential practice to make news content accessible is to provide alternative text and captions for images, videos, audio, and other multimedia elements. Alternative text is a brief description of the content and function of an image that can be read by screen readers or other assistive technologies for people who are blind or have low vision. Captions are text versions of the audio content of a video or audio file that can be displayed on the screen for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Alternative text and captions should be accurate, relevant, and concise, and should not repeat information that is already available in the text or audio.
3. Use accessible colors and fonts
A third important practice to make news content accessible is to use accessible colors and fonts that can be easily seen and read by people with different visual abilities and preferences. Use high contrast colors that create a clear distinction between the text and the background, and avoid using color alone to convey meaning or emphasis. Use fonts that are legible, consistent, and large enough to be read comfortably. Avoid using decorative, italic, or all-caps fonts that may be difficult to read or interpret. Use bold or underline to highlight important words or phrases, but do not overuse them.
4. Provide keyboard and touch access
A fourth crucial practice to make news content accessible is to provide keyboard and touch access for people who use alternative input devices or methods to navigate and interact with the web. Keyboard access means that users can access all the features and functions of your website using only the keyboard, without relying on the mouse or other pointing devices. Touch access means that users can access all the features and functions of your website using touch gestures, such as tapping, swiping, or pinching, on touch-enabled devices, such as smartphones or tablets. Keyboard and touch access should be intuitive, consistent, and responsive, and should not interfere with the content or layout of your website.
5. Test and evaluate your accessibility
A fifth and final practice to make news content accessible is to test and evaluate your accessibility using various tools and methods, such as automated checkers, manual inspections, user feedback, or user testing. Testing and evaluating your accessibility can help you identify and fix any issues or errors that may affect the user experience and satisfaction of people with disabilities. Testing and evaluating your accessibility can also help you comply with the accessibility standards and guidelines, such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), that are widely adopted and recognized by the web community and the law.
