What is accessibility?
Web accessibility is a fundamenta prerequisite for individuals with disabilities to participate and be part of society. The increased digitalization of society has significant implications for a variety of people. Individuals with disabilities must be able to receive the same information and communication as individuals without disabilities. Accessibility covers a range of areas and measures related to people with disabilities.
The prime purpose of the Web Accessibility Act is to make it easier for people with disabilities to use websites and applications of authorities and public entities. It is essential that all individuals can access content or information on an equal basis.
What does the web accessibility law say?
On June 9, 2018, the Danish "Act on the Accessibility of Public and Public Law Entities' Websites and Mobile Applications was published". The law came into effect on September 23, 2018 and primarily includes public bodies, such as state, regional and municipal authorities. However, the law will also include the private sector by 2025.
It is the Danish Agency for Digital Government Public institutions are responsible for making their communications accessible to all, catering to the needs of people with disabilities.
Why is it important?
For example, it is essential for a municipality to ensure that its digital platforms comply with accessibility rules and regulations. The law aims to ensure that as many users as possible can use the digital offerings presented by the municipality. When working with accessibility, one simultaneously creates a much more user-friendly website, application, or document, benefiting all users - whether they have a disability or not. When making content accessible, it is important to consider several factors that create a good overview and a sensible structure:
- Ensure the correct sequense in headings: H1, H2, H3...
- Ensure consistency in the structure of pages or documents
- Color contrast is crucial and should comply with the standard (text, icons, background, etc.)
- ALT text or alternative text are important for symbols, graphs, tables, etc.
- Descriptions for form fields or buttons to avoid confusion
- Bullet points and shorter paragraphs provide a better overview
Want to know more?
If you have further questions about accessibility or would like to learn more about how we can help you with document accessibility, feel free to contact us.