A Site Accessibility Briefing

Tips On Computer Accessibility For Users with Disabilities

The Internet for shoppers with any kind of disability can be a little bit chaotic, with some websites doing an excellent job at being clean and easy to navigate and others having tiny fonts, strange rules, badly optimized images, or poor usability. But many of these problems can be alleviated on the shopper's end - your end! It's just a matter of making sure your computer's settings are working optimally.

Setting Up Your Operating System For Accessibility

There are plenty of tools for users with disabilities built into operating systems themselves. Here are some tips on ways to access and use them.

MacOS Accessibility (For Apple Computers): If you don't have a computer yet, consider a Mac. Apple often gets plenty of praise for its inclusive, free accessibility tools that are built into its operating systems, like the VoiceOver, Dark Mode, Siri, Switch Control, and Text-to-Speech applications.
- Ways to Turn These Features On: In the Apple Menu (which is typically at the top left), select "System Preferences" and then hit the blue accessibility icon to turn on the system's best features.
  - A great example is the "Type to Siri" feature, when you don't want to talk to her.
  - The Accessibility Keyboard is an on-screen keyboard; there are also sticky keys and many other features for enhancing the interface.
- Some Useful Keyboard Commands: Here are a few tips for low-vision users.
  - Choice + Command + F5: Pull up the accessibility choices window.
  - Choice + Command + 8: Turn on Zoom.
  - Control + Choice + L: Read the current line.
  - Control + Choice + B: Read the current window or document from the beginning.
  - Control + Choice + M: Access the Menu bar.
  - Control + Choice + F2: Describe the window you're in currently.
  - Hold down Command: Talk to Siri.
- Getting in Touch With Shopper Service: Email [email protected] or call 877-204-3930. Try checking their site for answers to your questions first. 👂 👁️
Microsoft Windows The Microsoft team works hard at making the industry's best accessibility tools.
- Ways to Turn These Features On: Select the Start button, go to Settings, then click "Ease of Access." That's where you'll find most Microsoft accessibility features.
  - From here, you can turn on displaying audio alerts visually, turning on closed captions, and turn on mono audio.
  - A great tool that not plenty of people know about in Windows is the simplification and personalization of notifications, eliminating distractions and clutter.
- Some Useful Keyboard Commands: There are different useful shortcuts for Windows 10, Windows 8.1, and Windows 7.
  - Windows Key + Plus sign (+): Turn Magnifier on.
  - Windows Key + Esc: Turn Magnifier off.
  - Ctrl + Mouse wheel: Zoom in and out with the mouse.
  - Ctrl + Alt + I: Invert colors.
  - Windows Key + Ctrl + Enter: Start or stop the Narrator.
  - Windows Key + U: Open the East of Access center.
  - Shift (five times): Turn Sticky Keys on.
- Getting in Touch With Shopper Service: Chat or find answers via the Disability Answer Desk, call 1-800-936-5900, or video call 1-503-427-1234 📖 👂 👁️
Linux (GNOME/Ubuntu) Note that you also could be running KDE on Linux. Linux works very differently than the other two main operating systems, though it does have major tools like sticky keys, magnifiers, and screen readers already installed if you use GNOME. Linux is by its nature customizable, so you may need to find specialized open-source programs for it.
- Ways to Turn These Features On: If you're applying GNOME, press F1 to access the help page.
  - To get really good tools, you may want to use some different distributions (or "distros").
    - Vinux has speech and magnification drawn from Ubuntu.
    - Sonar is another system drawn from Arch Linux.
    - Knoppix ANDRIANE is a distribution drawn from Debian.
  - GNOME also has a screen reader named Orca already arrange; here's ways to turn it on.
  - BRLTTY is a background process for Linux applying a Braille display. 👁️

Most Web browsers allows users to make customizations to the browsing experience. For instance, many allow you to change automatic settings for colors and fonts or use a speech feature, and they may have their own shortcuts for zooming in and out.

Mozilla Firefox Hit the three-bar icon at the top right of the window or choose "Tools" in the menu bar, choose "Choices," and then chose "General" in the tabs. There are a handful of accessibility features there.
- Zoom in and out of pages with Ctrl + Plus sign (+) and Ctrl + Minus sign (-).
- You can also zoom in on text by clicking "View" in the menu bar, picking "Zoom," and then choosing "Zoom text only."
- You can do a lot more to override page fonts and page colors, including setting minimums and standards. There are detailed instructions on ways to change fonts and colors to the exact ones you'd prefer. 👁️
Google Chrome While some of the best features of this browser are actually extensions, Google has created several tools for better Web accessibility for people with disabilities.
- TalkBack: You can get spoken feedback applying the Chrome browser. Turn it on easily by pressing both volume keys for three seconds.
- Low-Vision Support: Zoom, set fonts, and use high-contrast themes.
- Check out the list of Google's official accessibility extensions.
- Watch this video series to learn ways to take advantage of all the tools. 👁️
Internet Explorer and Edge Microsoft's browsers allow you to customize a preferred zoom level and assign fonts and colors. 👁️
Apple Safari Safari has quite a few tools in conjunction with Apple's MacOS features.
- Turn on Safari Reader mode to get rid of visual clutter.
- Make Safari read a page out loud to you.
- Magnify text and change fonts and colors as with other browsers. 📖 👁️

Browser Extensions That Help Online Shoppers with Disabilities

Among the cooler aspects of browsers is that they're pretty easy to tweak with extensions or add-ons. Check out our list of some of the more noteworthy ones, but also be sure to check out the full list ofextensions for people with disabilities in Chrome and add-ons for Firefox.

High Contrast for Chrome Change and/or invert color schemes of websites. 👁️
Ginger for Chrome Automatically check spelling and grammar as you enter text. 📖
SpeakIt! for Chrome Have site content read to you. 👁️
Color Enhancer for Chrome Change the colors of text and fonts. 👁️
Caret Browsing for Chrome Browse without the use of a mouse. ♿
ChromeVox for Chrome This is a screen reader built for Chrome. 👁️
uBlock for Chrome, Firefox, and Opera Eliminate distractions by controlling what you see. 📖
Big Buttons for Firefox Make your toolbar buttons bigger. 👁️
Noise for Firefox Add sounds to events like opening a new tab. 👁️
ImageTweak for Firefox Customize the way you view images. 👁️
OpenDyslexic Font for Chrome This open-source font enhances readability for readers with dyslexia. 📖
Substital for Chrome Get subtitles and closed captions for online videos for multiple platforms at once. 👂

Physical Computer Devices For Shoppers with Disabilities

Sometimes, the key issues facing persons with disabilities while shopping online have more to do with the way users are expected to interact with the computer rather than software issues. If you have trouble playing with a mouse and keyboard, for instance, software isn't going to help as much as a keyboard with big keys or a mouse with a trackball. Here's a quick overview of some of the things offered to help online shoppers with these kinds of disabilities:

Physical LCD Screen Magnifiers There are also physical magnifiers offered 👁️
Big-Key Keyboards Get a keyboard with bigger keys that's easier to see and use. Other choices are offered via Nanopac. 👁️
Keyguards This helps typists who are blind judge the distance between keys with a plastic or gel guard. 👁️
Shortcut Digital Prosthesis For amputees with a prosthesis, this digital wristband reads muscle movements to create cursor movements. 👁️
Digit Grip For amputees with a prosthesis, this digital wristband reads muscle movements to create cursor movements. 👁️
Ergorest Arm Support Support your arms while reaching for the mouse or keyboard. 👁️
Kensington Orbit Trackball and Logitech mice can help users as well. 👁️
Apple Switch Control Devices Apple has developed tactile interfaces for their computers and mobile devices. 👁️

Other Programs and Resources

Here are some other useful tools to check out. Also, for more cool software for users with disabilities, check out our list of educational tools and resources for college students.

Software

The JAWS Screen Reader is a popular screen reader program that works with Windows. 👁️
The NV Access Screen Reader is another popular free screen reader for Windows. 👁️
Visolve is a software tool for people with colorblindness. 👁️
DwellClick (for Mac) and Dwell Clicker 2 (for Windows) let you use a mouse without having to click. ♿
Dragon Speech-to-Text Software can be very useful to those with dysgraphia and other forms of learning disabilities. 📖
Widgit takes text and turns it into symbols that are easier to communicate for people with certain types of learning disabilities. 📖

Useful Tips

Keyboard Shortcuts
My Web My Way (BBC Online Disability Briefings)
Web Accessibility Initiative's Better Web Browsing Briefing
AbilityNet

Tips For Browsing and Shopping Online With Disabilities

Armed with better operating system and browser features, site disability access is a lot easier to get, but it also depends in part on the usability of the site, the site features, and the checkout process. Online shopping for users with disabilities doesn't have to be complicated, but sometimes, bad design can make it just as difficult to shop online as in person. It's been estimated that roughly half of online stores have poor accessibility because of odd ADA loopholes and a lack of understanding of how screen readers work. We have some details on the site accessibility of users with disabilities that's common now along with ways to improve one's overall experience.

Common Online Shopping Problems to Look Out For

Here are some Web-surfing tips and things to be aware of while you're shopping around or designing a site of your own.

A lack of alt text for images can be awful for shoppers with visual impairments like low-vision disabilities or people with colorblindness. Alternative text describes images on Web pages in the page code so that screen readers can describe them and search engines can find them. Good alt text can help the site and users, so why is it so rare?
Detailed, homogeneous descriptions can be difficult to find on some sites. Per surveys, only 49% of people with disabilities feel they have even some of the details needed or wanted while making buying decisions
Rarely can you see what clothing looks like on people sitting down. There's the site, but what about the items themselves? For people who use wheelchairs, it can be hard to tell if clothing they see online would be comfortable or flattering in a wheelchair
Flash animations can be bad for both users who are visually impaired and learning-disabled, creating overstimulation. Sometimes, there's not much to be done for ads, but sites themselves can be overstimulating, too
Subtitles and closed captions are a small thing to add to videos but sometimes ignored. Be sure to turn on closed captions on YouTube, as most websites use YouTube to host their videos.
Plain links called "links" or "click here" are not useful to those who use screen readers. Luckily, labeling a link with the text "click here" is falling out of fashion

Popular E-Commerce Websites and Their Accessibility Features

While a lot get it wrong, many websites have built their own disability tools for online shopping. Also, there's the fact that many third-party websites use accessible payment systems for people with visual impairments, like PayPal. Here's a list of some of the more popular online retailers and their features.

Amazon's Accessibility Features: Luckily, America's biggest online retailer also happens to be rather excellent and frequently praised for its accessible services, from its online shopping to Echo functions to the captions on its video service. It's great at "cleaning up the clutter" for screen reader users. Be sure to look at reviews, too!
- See the American Foundation for the Blind's writeup: Amazon Shopping for People With Visual Impairments
JCPenney's Assistive View: JCPenney has created a version of their site that's much easier to read with a screen reader. You can also call 1-800-322-1189 if you need help placing an order.
EBay for Users With Special Needs Access: Along with creating a pretty easy-to-navigate site overall, the eBay team has built in keyboard shortcuts to navigate the site better:
- Tab: Move to the next link or interactive item.
- Shift + Tab: Move to the prior interactive item
- Enter: Interact with items on the page.
- Arrow Keys: Navigate within the page components
Best Buy Accessibility: Best Buy's site has fairly accessible menus, including skip links.
Target.com's Horrible Accessibility: Target's site has been historically and notoriously inaccessible, though executives have promised to make a more inclusive experience. At one point, the business paid $6 million in damages and $3.7 million in legal fees because of their site's poor accessibility.
Etsy's Features: Etsy has so many different shops and images out there, and their search function is a lifeline. But good alt text and descriptions really depend on individual shops.
Macy's ESSENTIAL Accessibility App: Despite the fact that Macy's was among the first businesses to go to trial over ADA and accessibility issues, Macy's now has a pretty good app for online shoppers with disabilities.

Staying Within Your Budget

Users' Rights: What The ADA Says About Web Accessibility

While websites weren't exactly a factor when the ADA was passed, courts have made fairly consistent decisions that require compliance in the online world. Most websites use, or should aim to use, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 to help reach ADA compliance. This set of rules is cited frequently by the U.S. Department of Justice. These guidelines require the following:

The site needs to be usable with screen readers. 👁️
The site's text needs to have a minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1. 👁️
The site must be navigable applying only the keyboard. ℹ️
The site must be easy to navigate; for instance, the navigation bar should always stay in the same location. 📖 New guidelines are being worked on and added, and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 adds more zoom requirements, key shortcuts, accidental activation requirements, and target size rules, among other things.

Can you really sue for a bad site experience? So far, judges have been fairly consistent that ADA compliance includes Web accessibility, and they've slapped the wrists of several major businesses, including Target along with H&R Block. Making inaccessible online employment listings is taken particularly seriously.

Naturally, often, it's in the business's best interest to make a site easier to navigate and more search-engine-friendly to begin with. Start by communicating with the site itself and keeping everything in writing.

Some Notes On Web Accessibility Standards and Contacting Webmasters

There may be times where you come in contact with a site that has accessibility issues and you'll need to communicate with the web designer or webmaster. Explaining your experience to them sometimes may turn out to be more difficult a task than anticipated.

First, you can browsethese notes from the Web Accessibility Imitative about contacting organizations and websites.

We've also gathered some other resources together for you to send below:

The Bureau of Internet Accessibility's Official Site Accessibility Checklist: A Web developer can download this checklist for free.
Free Review of Compliance for E-Commerce Websites: This is also offered by the BOIA.
Screen Reader Simulation: Have the Web developer experience what you're experiencing directly.
NoCoffee Extension for Chrome: A Web developer can simulate what it's like to be visually impaired with this.
Accessibility Developer Tools From Google: Download the official tools from Google for creating an accessible site on the Chrome browser.
Accessibility Developer Tools From Mozilla: Mozilla offers tutorials and tools for creating accessible sites on the Firefox browser.
WAVE Tools: Get your site evaluated for its accessibility.
Stories of Web Users: The Web Accessibility Initiative has written up examples of poor online experiences and solutions.
The Benefits of an Accessible E-Commerce Site: Answer the "why should I care?" question before it's asked with these facts.

All in all, it pays to not only offer problems but quick and easy solutions, most of which are fairly low-cost to do on the business's side. Hopefully, you'll have a positive enough experience to not need to get to the point of contacting webmasters.

Take your time, try some new online tools built for users with disabilities, and enjoy shopping online!