Breaking Barriers: Tips for Creating Accessible Communications
According to the latest 2022 Statistics Canada survey on disability, 27% of Canadians over 15 years has a disability and 7.4% have a vision disability, a significant jump of 5% and 2% respectively since 2017. Hence, it's important to describe visuals so that everyone can access the full meaning of your content.
In Canada, almost 50% of adults have or have experienced a permanent or temporary disability or live with someone who has. Many more Canadians have challenges but don’t identify as having a disability. It’s critical that our communications are accessible and inclusive to reach our intended audiences. How can we make our communications work for everyone? Here are some tips on how to make your communications accessible.
Plain language
Writing in plain language simplifies communication and ensures clarity and accessibility for all readers. By using simple words, short sentences, organized structure, active verbs and phrases, and avoiding jargon or acronyms, complex ideas become easier to grasp. Following plain language best practices enhances comprehension across diverse audiences, including those with varying disabilities. The Canada.ca Content Style Guide emphasizes that writing in plain language doesn't means oversimplifying or omitting critical information. Instead, it makes essential information accessible and readable for everyone.
Navigation
When designing your communications, ensure that all readers, regardless of their abilities, can easily navigate and access the content. Emails and documents should be logically structured with clear accessible headings, lists, links, etc. This not only benefits screen readers users, but also enhances the overall user experience for everyone. For example, people who use screen readers frequently start reading a document by first listening to the headings, to find out what's in the document. This helps them to understand what the document is about and how it is organized.
Formatting your content
Format your communications with accessibility in mind. Avoid relying solely on color to convey information, as it may be inaccessible to readers who are color blind. choose sans-serif fonts like Arial, Helvetica, or Verdana to enhance readability. The font size should be at least 12 for regular documents, 16 for website content and 18 for PowerPoint slides. Ensure adequate contrast between text and background colors to improve legibility for readers who are partially sighted. By implementing these listed best practices, among others, you will make your content accessible to a broader audience.
Describe your visuals
1 in 4 Canadians has disabilities. Hence, it's important to describe visuals so that everyone can access the full meaning of your content.
When describing images, provide clear and concise descriptions of the content, context, and any other relevant details. Decorative images, on the other hand, should not be descried as they do not convey any meaningful information. If possible, avoid using charts in your communications, as they can be difficult to describe. It is important to mention that there is a difference between image captions and alt-text. While captions offer additional information about an image, they do not explain its visual content. Alt-text, instead, provides essential information to users who cannot see the image.
Captions for videos and/or virtual meetings
Adding captions to your videos ensures accessibility for people who are Deaf or hard of hearing. There are two types of captions:
• Open captions: open captions are permanently displayed on the screen, cannot be turned off, and are not accessible to screen readers.
• Closed captions: This type is added separately and can be turned on or off by the end user. Closed captions provide flexibility for users to edit the caption file and control their display according to their preferences.
Sign Language for audiovisuals and meetings/events
Providing sign language interpretation for meetings/events and your audiovisuals insure that people who are deaf have access to the spoken message.
American Sign Language (ASL) is the most commonly used sign language, but there are also variations that reflect regional and cultural diversity. Canada has three major variations: Canadian ASL (CASL), Quebec Sign Language (LSQ), and Indigenous Sign Languages.
Video descriptions and transcripts
Described video offers visual descriptions to people who are blind or partially sighted. There are two main types:
• Post-production described video: This is the most common type, where a secondary voice provides descriptions alongside the main audio. For example, in the clip "Show Me Your Art," a secondary voice describes the visual elements.
• Integrated described video: Accessibility is integrated into the entire production process, including pre-production, production, and post-production. Descriptions are woven naturally into the dialogue, eliminating the need for a separate audio track. In this version of the clip "Show Me Your Art," you can hear descriptions seamlessly integrated into the conversation.
Also, provide users with a transcript of the video so, if needed, everyone can see what was said in a text format.
Thoughtful navigation and formatting enhance usability for all, while descriptions for visuals and captions for videos cater to varying needs. By following these tips and prioritizing accessibility, you can ensure that your messages reach a diverse audience, regardless of their abilities.
