Assistive Technology & Equity Reflection

Photo of Seashore During Golden Hour on the North Shore of Oahu,Hawaii Using Accessible Close Captions and Hyperlink

How to Buy on Amazon.ca, video explaining the steps

Digital accessibility practices are often overlooked, such as using proper heading structures, adding clear alt-text to images, and ensuring video captions and audio transcripts are accurate and complete. Many miss the importance of adequate color contrast, descriptive hyperlinks, and making sure content is fully navigable by keyboard. Tools like automated captions can help, but they often require editing for accuracy. Keyboard navigation and focus indicators are also frequently neglected, despite being crucial for users who rely on assistive technologies. Personally, I sometimes forget to ensure descriptive link text and check for color contrast across all content.

I was surprised to learn about accessibility checkers, as I had never heard of them before. It’s a helpful step for anyone aiming to make their digital materials accessible, especially for those who might miss certain details manually. I learned from our Professor Rich, we can use WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Tools a set of evaluation tools designed to help authors make their web content more accessible for individuals with disabilities.

I believe many digital accessibility practices are not more widely known because 73 percent of Canadians do not have disabilities and, as a result, may not be actively thinking about the 27 percent who do. This lack of awareness leads to a limited understanding of the barriers faced by individuals with disabilities. Furthermore, there is insufficient education and outreach to raise awareness about the importance of accessibility in digital spaces. Without more comprehensive training and resources, many people remain unaware of how their content might impact users with disabilities, which prevents the widespread adoption of inclusive practices.