In this article, there are some of the ways that sites can be built to meet the needs of the blind or visually impaired. If you wish to build a site that caters for the needs of the blind or visually impaired visitors of your site then several aspects need to be considered. Since the variations of these conditions are so different some general principles that can be followed are:
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Add alternative text for all non text based objects, such as images and videos, as screen readers and other assistive technologies can not read graphics. These objects also do not enlarge in the same way text does which makes it difficult for those increasing text size to improve readability.
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Use descriptive titles for each page. Visitors with screen readers will be informed of the content they are about to read.
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Ensure all pages share the same navigation so that users are aware of where they are and where they can go at all times.
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Avoid generic descriptions on links and navigation such as click here, as it does not provide enough information about where the user will be taken.
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Avoid building pages that prevent users from setting their own browser preferences, such as increasing / decreasing font size.
If you wish to go a step further and cater for specific visually impaired groups, then the following options can also be considered:
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Bring the enlarge/decrease text function to the global navigation. This allows for quick access for those visitors that need this
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Add a color contrasting feature to the site. This allows users to change the color to a setting that best suits their needs.
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Provide text only versions of the site for pages that cannot meet accessibility guidelines, such as image maps.
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Provide warnings for refreshes and timeouts so that those with assistive technology are aware of changes before they are impacted.
By simply following these options, you are also improving accessibility and usability for a wider variety of users.