Accessibility encompasses a wide range of needs that we may each need help with within our lifetime. These can be physical disabilities such as movement, vision, and hearing. They can be with cognition, such as mental and learning disabilities, mental health disabilities, environmental sensitivities, neurodivergence, and other conditions.
New Housing Alternatives wants as many people as possible to use its website. Guided by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 AAA and Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, we have designed and will continue to update this website to meet new and evolving guidelines that help with our intention to make our content available to all.
Web Accessibility Principles
WCAG puts forth four main principles for creating an accessible website, and we strive to meet these at a minimum:
- Perceivable: so users can perceive the information displayed
- Operable: the user must be able to operate the interface.
- Understandable: users must be able to understand the information.
- Robust: even as technology advances, the website content must remain accessible.
The AODA also outlines that websites offer:
- Text Alternatives: For non-text sections, provide alternatives such as a larger font, simpler language, symbols, or audio descriptions.
- Time-based Media: if you have video content, provide audio-only versions. For audio commentary, give a text backup.
- Adaptable: ensure the website adapts to the user’s capabilities. This can be achieved by presenting the information in a more straightforward layout while retaining the same content and structure.
- Distinguishable: don’t use a font size lower than 14 points, and provide good contrast between the text and background for easier reading. Avoid fancy fonts that might make reading difficult, and create links and controls that are highly visible.
- Keyboard Accessible: your website must be operable using a keyboard alone. This is very important for users with reduced motor skills who struggle to manoeuvre a mouse accurately.
- Enough Time: While rotating banners and images may look nice, they can be problematic for those with reading disabilities. Allow users to delay the time this feature is active or turn it off completely by simply clicking a button.
- Seizures: any flashy element that can cause seizures is not allowed. If you want flashing areas, make them small and ensure the flash frequency is less than three per second. Your visitors need to be safe on your site.
- Navigable: website navigation should be logical and simple. Make links stand out and reduce the number on any one page to ensure the user doesn’t feel lost in a maze. They need to find their way to the information they are seeking intuitively.
- Readable: use common and easily understood language. Avoid foreign phrases or complicated paragraphs. Break up chunks of text with bullet points and bold headers. Avoid placing text over patterned backgrounds, which makes it much harder to read.
- Predictable: your website should behave predictably. Always keep your navigation bar in the same place, and if a link opens a new window, users should be notified in advance.
- Input Assistance: when a user needs to complete a form, make it simple. Guide how to complete each section. If a field is completed incorrectly, give feedback and inform the user how to correct the error.
- Compatibility: the website must be compatible with assistive technology equipment, such as screen readers and assistive software which people with disabilities might use.
If you feel this website does not meet these accessibility standards, please contact us with your concerns. If you have suggestions for ways to make this site even more accessible, please reach out. Suggestions are welcome.
Posted November 15, 2024. These are part of our Guidelines.