A11y: Sensory Characteristics

Sensory characteristics refer to instructions or sequences that on the senses to understand.

Key Takeaways

  • Instructions and information should not rely on one sense alone (touch, visual, audio)
  • Always provide more than one way to identify an item (e.g. audio + visual)

Sensory Information and Content & Instruction

Instructions or any other information you provide for users can’t rely on a singular sensory characteristics alone. Sensory characteristics include (but are not limited to):

  • shape
  • color
  • size
  • visual location
  • orientation
  • sound
  • physical action and touch

It’s best to rely on at least two different methods when explaining something or providing instructions, with one of those methods being textual.

Example 1

Click the green right arrow to go to the registration page.

  • Issue: Avoid the word ‘click’ whenever possible, no matter the situation (not to mention, nobody ‘clicks’ on a mobile device)
  • Issue: ‘green right arrow’ relies on three visual queues: color, orientation, and shape.
  • Issue: the green right arrow may or may not be near the text that provides the instruction.

Use the green ‘Go to Registration’ arrow button to begin the registration process.

  • Labeling the button ‘Go to Registration’ provides a non-visual queue (audio) in addition to the three visual queues. This

The button can still be green, and it can still be a right-facing arrow, but having both an audio and visual queue makes it much more likely that anyone will understand its purpose.

Example 2

Use the small button to the left of the gray box…

  • Issue: ‘small button’ is relative and may depend on someone’s perception.
  • Issue: ‘to the left of’ relies on visual location, and visual location may change depending on what device is being used to access the content.
  • Issue: ‘gray box’ relies on color and shape. Not all monitors display gray the same (and some won’t even display some of the shades).

Use the small ‘Search’ button to the left of the gray box…

  • While it still relies on some visual queues, it can also be found using auditory senses as well.
  • Making sure to have a text label for your items is a good way to use multiple senses.

It may be a good idea when writing instructions to ask yourself, “If I was blind, deaf, paralyzed, or on another device, could I follow these instructions?” And if the answer is unclear, reconsider how you present them.

A11y: Text Sizes, Colors, and Styles

Different text elements, such as a paragraphs, headings, lists, and more, are required to be a specific size, and have the correct amount of spacing between itself and the neighboring content. When colors are used, the colors have to meet specific contrast ratio guidelines dependent on its size and placement. Text styles such as underlines, differing fonts, and flourishes, are also regulated so that no matter who accesses the content, and no matter how they access it, the content remains accessible.

Key Takeways

  • Keep things as simple as possible.
  • All text should be black. (Use default colors.)
  • Text should not be resized. (Use default text sizes.)
  • Use bold and italics to bring attention to text.
  • Use headings for organization, not attention
  • Do not use all caps except for acronyms. (Use periods for acronyms.)
  • Keep text left-aligned.
  • Do not use underlines; underlines are reserved for links.

Text Sizes

The easiest way to make sure the text sizes on your website meet the WCAG AA standard is to leave all headings, lists, paragraphs, and other text elements at their default sizes when you add them into your page or post. The default sizes are calculated by relative percentages so that spacing and clarity meets WCAG AA standards.

Headings in particular are required to be a specific size (based on their differences) in relation to one another, and in relation to the content that surrounds them. When left at their default sizes, they will resize automatically for the user no matter what device they are using to access your site. When the sites are magnified or shrunk, they will also resize the spacing based on these sizes. If you override the default sizes, it’s possible that the new size will still pass ADA compliance on your individual device; however, it also overrides the sizes and spacing on other devices that make the site compliant.

For other text, if the sizes are manually changed, it may make so some text is illegible at certain magnifications or on some devices, including the spacing between text elements and line spacing within the same paragraph, all of which are currently set by default to meet requirements, and are percentage based.

Do not use headings, all caps, or change text sizes to bring attention to text, instead use text styles. Even though the website allows you to change text sizes, please don’t.

Text Color

The default color for all text is black, with the exceptions of links, which auto-color to be compliant. All text is required to have a specific contrast ratio in relation to the the other website elements that are around it. This contrast ratio changes based on text size, but it’s safe to assume it should be at 4.5:1.

Even though the website allows you to change the text’s colors, please don’t, as this could limit people with visual disabilities from accessing the content.

Text Styles

If you need to bring attention to text, use either bold or italic lettering, or both together. There is a lot to cover in this section, so here’s a list to make it as brief as possible. The subject of each list item is bolded.

  • Underlines are reserved for links. If it’s not a link, it shouldn’t be underlined.
    • Why this matters: Since the dawn of the internet, and underline as indicated an action item. Assistive devices and their users rely on this indication to navigate websites.
  • All caps are for acronyms only.
    • Why this matters: Words in all-caps are literally translated as yelling (and some devices will yell), unless it’s a known acronym.
  • Text alignment should remain left-aligned. It’s okay to have text centered on the screen, as long as that text is left-aligned in the center of the screen.
    • Why this matters: Text that breaks out of left-alignment can be both distracting and confusing for focus-impaired individuals. It breaks visual flow, and in some cases it makes the text impossible to read.
  • Fonts should be simple and easy to read. The default fonts match both of these criteria. Styled and designer fonts, while fun, can be difficult to read, especially when resized.
    • Why this matters: The simplest sans-serif and serif fonts reduce distraction, most devices also come with these fonts pre-installed, so it minimizes the chance of design errors.

Acronyms and Simple Phrases

  • Keep acronyms to a minimum. Acronyms are confusing for most people unless they’re well-known, like NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) or LOL (laughing out loud), but even then, they still can be confusing. Acronyms should always be expanded on first use. If it’s an acronym specific to your school or business, or is not well known, then letters should be separated with periods, for example, P.B.L. (Proficiency-Based Learning).
    • Why this matters: Assistive devices try to phonetically read all words. Words in all-caps can be mistaken for yelling. Using periods between letters indicates to all devices that it’s an acronym, and forces them to pronounce each letter individually.
  • Use simple words and phrases. If you use words that require users to look up their meaning, then you also have to provide a glossary, or a definition of the word right after its use.
    • Why this matters: More complex words and phrases are harder to translate, look up, and digest for non-native English speakers, as well as for those who use accessible devices.

Text Organization

  • Headings are reserved for topic organization.
    • Why this matters: Assistive devices use headings to quickly navigate website content based on topics.
  • Break up text into smaller pieces. This can be done using headings, smaller paragraphs, and lists.
    • Why this matters: It can be difficult for anyone, particularly if you have a visual or mental disability, to focus and chew through a large wall of text. Short, clear sentences and paragraphs are the way to go.

Lists and Tables

  • Use lists when appropriate. Preface lists and follow them up with relevant, text-based information.
    • Why this matters: Lists make information easy to consume, and allow people to find things quickly, but they can be confusing if not explained, or left dangling at the bottom of the page.
  • Tables should be avoided if possible. For some things, like number data, they’re perfect. Most text, however, can be re-designed to work from top to bottom. It’s important that a table can be navigated in a way that makes sense (top-to-bottom or left-to-right) dependent on the data. If using a table, be sure to use clear headers. TablePress is provided as a functionality, and meets ADA standards.
    • Why this matters: If table data is being read out loud, it’s vital that the data reads in a clear and logical manner, and doesn’t skip around to various cells without reason.

Numbers

  • Phone numbers should be separated with hyphens. A phone number separated by hyphens has no spaces or other formatting: 385-555-5555. When hyphens aren’t going to work, use the old-school parentheses instead: (385) 555-5555. Using a period to separate phone numbers, while stylish, causes assistive devices to mis-translate the purpose, as periods are also used to indicate IP addresses, locations, and more.
    • Why this matters: Hyphens tie the entire number together, indicating to assistive devices that it’s a singular group, and indicates to the blind that a number can be called.
  • Currency and Other Numbers should be designated with the appropriate symbols such as the dollar sign, commas, and periods.
    • Why this matters: This lets assistive devices use the correct designations and terms instead of simply saying a string of numbers back to back from which the user then has to determine meaning.

That’s a lot to remember, and when thought of as a whole may seem a little overwhelming. However, as long as you leave things at their default and avoid as many complexities as you can you’ll be just fine, and so will your patrons. Accessible text will take a little extra effort on your part at first, but in no time, you’ll find it second-nature.