Global Accessibility Awareness Day – small actions, big impact
Today, May 15th, marks the 14th annual Global Accessibility Awareness Day (Global Accessibility Awareness Day, GAAD). This day is always observed on the third Thursday of May, and its purpose is to raise awareness about digital accessibility: websites, applications, and technology should be usable by everyone – regardless of their functional limitations.
Accessibility is not solely the responsibility of website administrators or authorities – it’s a collaborative effort in which each of us can participate. Often, accessibility improves through small everyday actions, as long as we are aware of them.
Here are a few easy, concrete ways that any regular internet user can promote accessibility – small things have a surprisingly large impact.
1. Give feedback – good and bad
A common reason why website administrators don’t address accessibility issues on their sites is, among other things, that no one has provided feedback. However, the truth is that users encountering problems often simply navigate away, unless it’s a critical service for them. That’s why your feedback matters.
- Did you notice a problem? Report it respectfully. Every piece of feedback is important and can lead to significant improvements.
- Is something working particularly well? Tell them that too! Good feedback motivates and guides them to do more of the right things.
2. Talk about accessibility
Accessibility affects us and our loved ones at some point in life. Bring the topic up in everyday life: at work, on social media, or among friends.
- Are your workplace’s own websites or services accessible?
- Has your workplace created an equality plan? Familiarize yourself with it.
- What accessibility needs do people you know have? Talk to them about the obstacles they have encountered.
3. Make the content you share accessible
Even if you don’t maintain your own websites, every social media post and writing has an impact. So, at least consider these:
- Write hashtags clearly: Use capital letters at the beginning of words, e.g., #AccessibilityBelongsToEveryone. This makes it visually easier to read and helps screen readers interpret the words correctly.
- Add alt text or captions to images: If there is important information in the image, also describe it verbally in the text.
- Add subtitles to audio and video material: Subtitles in social media videos, for example, make videos more accessible to everyone, not just those who are hearing impaired.
- Use emojis wisely: Screen readers read all emojis, so repeating emojis frequently and adding them between words in the middle of text makes understanding what is read very difficult.
- Use easy-to-read fonts: Avoid all kinds of special fonts, texts written with foreign alphabets or special characters.
4. Favor accessible services
Your choices matter, and accessibility is not just a technical detail but part of responsible and ethical business practices. Companies that consider diverse users operate equitably and customer-oriented. By supporting such actors, you influence how the digital world is built.
In conclusion
Accessibility is everyone’s responsibility, and everyone has a role in shaping the digital world around us. By demanding better, noticing obstacles, and addressing them, we can collectively build a web that serves everyone – not just a few.
