05 Dec 2019 | Accessibility
This week we take a look the progress retailers are making towards their websites being accessible. We also have a tip for making accessible videos and we take a look at online education websites.
As usual 5 of the best articles we have seen are listed below with summaries and links to the full articles:
GLOBAL | YouTube Accessibility: How to Make Accessible Videos with Closed Captions
You want to know how to make videos on your website accessible and accessible videos you shall have. Let’s begin. First, for the love of Apple Jacks, host your videos on YouTube. They have built-in subtitles that are REALLY, REALLY good. Like really good. So good that 85% of your transcription work is already done for you.
UK | Top retailers’ websites are still inaccessible
At HeX, we’re incredibly passionate about what we do, and we think accessibility is an incredibly important part of a website. Across the board, accessibility should be implemented on digital services, but this is even more necessary for online retail stores.
It’s not often that we out individual companies for not implementing accessibility; we understand that awareness raising needs to be done, and not everyone has infinitely available resources. But today, we made an exception. It’s 2019. Large online stores have no excuse anymore
https://www.horlix.com/top-retailers-websites-are-still-inaccessible/
GLOBAL | Accessibility, across the global 250 retailers
As it was Cyber Monday this week, the Sitemorse INDEX for Global Top 250 Retailers makes interesting reading. If your visually impaired it must be daunting to go to a store even when its quiet. How are the global retailers doing in making it easy for the visually impaired to do their Xmas shopping on line?
https://sitemorse.com/index/global-top-250-retailers/2019-q4
US | The Digital Courseware Accessibility Problem
Educational publishers such as Cengage, McGraw-Hill and Pearson are investing heavily in digital courseware -- interactive, personalized course content that aims to improve the learning experience.
Videos, simulations, quizzes and built-in homework assignments make these products an attractive option for faculty and students alike. But not every student’s learning experience is enhanced by them. College accessibility staff say that digital courseware is frequently inaccessible to students with disabilities, particularly blind students who use screen readers.
GLOBAL | World Disability Day, Dec. 3rd
The FUTURE IS ACCESSIBLE means that we must all, together, look towards a future where the barriers which stand in people’s way no longer exist. We envisage a future where people can access a building without using stairs; where a person can access a ramp to the beach; or can get a job without fear of discrimination; or can access a mainstream classroom. Working towards an accessible future is everyone’s responsibility.