Assistive technology and web accessibility

Assistive technology is any device, software, or equipment that helps people work around their challenges. If they're visually impaired, they might use a screen reader. If they are mobility impaired, they may use a cane or a wheelchair. The Wikipedia definition is, "assistive technology promotes greater independence by enabling people to perform tasks they were formerly unable to accomplish or had great difficulty accomplishing."

Assistive technologies used on the web

Disability	Assistive Technologies
Blindness	Screen readers Refreshable Braille devices
Low Vision	Screen enlargers Screen readers
Color Blindness	Color enhancement overlays or glasses
Deafness	Captions Transcripts
Motor/Mobility Disabilities	Alternative keyboards/input devices Eye gaze tracking Voice Activation
Cognitive Disabilities	Screen readers Screen overlays Augmentative communication aids

Lots of screen readers are involved, right? They are one of the main things that we focus on when we're considering accessible web content.

Also, transcripts, at least, are needed for any audio or video. You can think about people who might not be using a keyboard or a mouse. They might just be tabbing through your site, and so making sure that screen order is correct, especially your headings.

These are just a few examples. Make sure that people who may not be able to see, hear, use a keyboard, or use a mouse, can access your content just like everyone else. Just as Campus Construction would never design or build anything without considering accessibility for all persons, so we will also proceed when creating web content.