Web Accessibility

Web Accessibility is designed to improve equal access to the information on the website for Deaf individuals. It is essential to be designed to perceive, understand, navigate, and interact in many aspects of life including education, employment, government, health care, commerce, online courses and others. Average Deaf individuals have their first language - sign language or very late language. Furthermore, their second language is English, so it is arduous to understand and read because these words do not occur in sign language. W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) claims that it would be useful to help them by using simple English language and with design applied to navigation, visuals, layout, and text. It is necessary to avoid jargon, slang, long complicated words and sentences, foreign words, and abbreviations which can increase the user’s cognitive load. Synonym words, word play, word jokes, and metaphors are not easily understood. Using clear headings and subheadings structure gives the logical structure of the content, making it possible to recognize the main point immediately. Using one point per paragraph with short sentences using seven to ten words per line is recommended. Utilizing bulleted lists and images to illustrate the points are ideal. Writing in an active form and journalistic style so it uses easily accessible language is needed. It should give a solution to include a glossary for specialized vocabulary and provide definitions in simpler language. There is a great benefit in employing visual translation using images, diagrams or multimedia for the content. There is another option for the multimedia solution which is to translate all of their content into sign language, so they have full and synchronized information. If the website is for Deaf users, it would show a sign language icon or symbol of sign language translation. For the video and audio files, it should be provided with the captions and transcripts. In addition, having a sign language interpreter sign should be included. Sign language is a good tool to convey the content of live streams where the captions may be difficult. A website supplies the multiple contact options for communication using telephone, video calling, video relay service, captioning services, online forms, email or text phones.


Not every website is accessible, because the contact information provided is not very friendly for calling or making an appointment. Seeing as Deaf individuals can not communicate on the phone, they often have to wait for a response for a few days/ weeks after sending an email.