Design and development posts
Foundations: accessible names and descriptions
An element's name, or accessible name, is how it's identified. An accessible description provides additional information, about the element, that complements the accessible name.
In this post we explore assigning accessible names and descriptions using HTML and WAI-ARIA.
Inclusive XR: accessible augmented reality experiences
In our second post about creating accessible experiences within Extended Reality (XR), we highlight some key considerations for designing accessible augmented reality (AR) experiences with our AR TetraLogical principles cube.
You can also explore Inclusive XR: accessible 3D experiences.
Foundations: pointer gestures
A pointer gesture is an action a person performs using their finger, mouse, or an assistive technology like a head pointer or eye gaze system to operate a functional control. Some pointer gestures can be difficult or even impossible for certain people to perform, so an accessible alternative may be required.
This post introduces the different forms of pointer gestures and covers how and when to provide alternatives for people who can't perform them.
Adding sign language to videos
As part of our ongoing effort to meet the Web Content accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 and 2.2 Level AAA, we've created British Sign Language (BSL) versions of our video and created BSL playlists in our TetraLogical YouTube channel.
In this post we explore our process for adding BSL to videos and share some tips.
Foundations: introduction to WAI-ARIA
The Web Accessibility Initiative Accessible Rich Internet Applications specification 1.2, or WAI-ARIA or ARIA for short, is a technical specification written by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C).
In this post we explore what WAI-ARIA is, and how it can enhance the user experience for people using screen readers.
Inclusive XR: accessible 3D experiences
In this series, Inclusive Extended Reality (XR), we will be delving into ways to design accessible experiences when interacting with 3D objects, augmented reality, and virtual reality.
In our first post about creating accessible experiences within Extended Reality (XR), we highlight some key considerations for designing 3D model viewers by introducing our 3D TetraLogical principles cube.
You can also explore Inclusive XR: accessible augmented reality experiences.
Foundations: visible focus styles
Visible focus styles help us to understand which part of a web page we're interacting with. You may have seen visible focus styles appear as an outline around a link or a button for example.
For people who only use a keyboard to navigate the web, visible focus styles may be one of the few ways to understand where they are in a page and what it is that they are interacting with.
Foundations: target sizes
A target size is the area that can be activated in order to interact with an element. For people who have dexterity issues, the smaller a target size is, the more difficult it may be to use the website.
This post explores how to create usable, consistent, and well-spaced target sizes.
Foundations: native versus custom components
Deciding whether to use native or custom components for a website or web application can have implications in terms of development effort, user experience, and accessibility. This post considers the pros and cons of each approach with a focus on accessibility, and provides guidance on how to choose one.
Foundations: HTML semantics
HTML semantics provide accessibility information about page structure and an element's role, name, and state, helping to convey the nature and purpose of content on web pages.
In this post we explore what HTML semantics are, and how they're experienced by people using assistive technologies like screen readers and speech recognition software.
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