When I study, I need to process the topic in many ways. Most, if not all, of these ways include a digital and visual overview. Luckily, the internet’s superpower is that kind of access. Very simply put, the internet enables editors to ensure:
- Information and user interface components are presentable to users in ways they can perceive.
- User interface components and navigation are operable.
- Information and the operation of the user interface are understandable.
- The content is robust enough to be interpreted by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies.
otherwise, they can help themselves by following the guidelines provided by W3C and followed by many.
Perceivable
Information and user interface components must be presentable to users in ways they can perceive.
Text alternatives
Provide text alternatives for any non-text content to change it into other forms people need, such as large print, braille, speech, symbols or more straightforward language.
I prefer reading with my eyes simultaneously to high-speed reading aloud to reading text exclusively if I have to be able to focus for more than a few seconds.
Time-based media
Provide alternatives for time-based media.
Live lectures, online or offline, are the same to me:
Ten years ago, I recorded the lecturers when possible. Now, I prefer another method: Most of the time, when attending a lecture, I take photos of all (!) the slides. It helps me structure what I remember hearing. I annotate the images live to highlight key insights. No, having the slides mailed to me afterwards does not help me nearly as much.
I transcribe prerecorded videos and audio if I am to work deeper with the content. If the video has captions, I prefer a human to have read the AI-generated text and edited all the errors.
Adaptable content
Content should be adaptable without losing information or structure.
Paper books do not work for me when learning with letters, numbers, and illustrations—I need something digital for ChatGPT, annotation, and for high-speed reading aloud. Some ebooks and articles are very hard to access in the way I prefer because it is designed that way for protective reasons!
Distinguishable
Make it easier for users to see and hear content including separating foreground from background.
Operable
User interface components and navigation must be operable.
Keyboard Accessible
Make all functionality available from a keyboard.
Enough time
Provide users enough time to read and use content.
Seizures and Physical Reactions
Do not design content in a way that is known to cause seizures or physical reactions.
My eyes benefit from dark mode.
Navigable
Provide ways to help users navigate, find content, and determine where they are.
Input Modalities
Make it easier for users to operate functionality through various inputs beyond the keyboard.
I have access to voice input. But my English accent is not always understandable to the services. My first language is spoken by a few million people around the globe, and I guess there is not much business in providing us with a high-quality service. And when I have finished grumbling, I will admit to preferring to write anyhow. But that is just me.
Understandable
Information and the operation of the user interface must be understandable.
Readable
Make text content readable and understandable.
Predictable
Make Web pages appear and operate in predictable ways.
Yes, please, when I am learning I prefer my working memory to be occupied by the topic and not cognitively overloaded with having to learn to navigate on yet another website with its own “genius” ser interface
Input Assistance
Help users avoid and correct mistakes.
Robust
Content must be robust enough to be interpreted by various technologies.
Exactly! As I wrote on top of this page, I process in many ways. If I cannot avoid paper books, my fall back method is to take photos of every page and have a picture-to-text service convert the photos into digital text for me to work with.
Compatible
Maximize compatibility with current and future user agents, including assistive technologies.