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Accessibility

RD Station is made up of a very diverse community and we are very proud of that.

Your products must be developed considering the needs of all these groups, and for this we seek to understand the way people see, hear, move and learn, as well as communicate, understand and process information.

In order for the content of the products to be accessible, we follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 standards. References

Here are some techniques for making content understandable, functional, and understandable.

Hierarchy and Consistency​

  • Create consistent product navigation with linear, logical interfaces
  • Break content down into levels of importance with headings, subheads and groupings
  • Make semantic code
  • This way, people can understand the structure and sections of the products, this facilitates the location and does not make them have to look far for what they need

Colors and Contrasts​

Colors and their contrasts are fundamental for accessibility in interfaces.

Use the primary color palettes defined in Tangram, ​​and always check the contrast requirements between elements so that people with low vision can see and use our products.

Contrast Ratio​

WCAG 2 (WCAG Success Criterion 1.4.3) recommends that the contrast ratio between adjacent or overlapping colors be at least 4.5:1 to ensure that the visual representation of text and images is legible, with the exception of large text ( 18pt or 14pt with bold), incidental (inactive state, decorative, invisible, part of image with significant visual content) and logos, where the minimum contrast is 3:1. This value is also valid for icons and other graphical representations. References

Text and Readability​

Plain text is still the ideal format for any part of the content, as it meets the most different formats of deficiencies. Therefore, it is important to provide an alternative text format, without formatting, for all informational content, ie not just decorative.

Some ways to ensure that your text is as inclusive as possible is to use simple, clear sentences. Make content available at a more basic reading level. This means that people between the ages of 11 and 14 must be able to understand the content.

For screen elements such as buttons, they need to be very descriptive and may have usage tips. Also, in videos, always use subtitles or transcripts.

Alt-text​

  • An alternative text, or alt-text, is a description of an image that is shown to people who cannot see the image, or people who for some reason cannot render the image
  • Describe the image accurately. Include in the text only what is necessary for quick comprehension
  • Screen readers can identify that element is an image, so don't write "image of" or "photo of"
  • Use a period in the alt-text to let screen readers take a break creating a more pleasant conversation
  • Avoid using the slash, for example: figure 1 / figure 2. Choose to use a dash or comma: figure 1 - figure 2, or even figure 1, figure 2

Keyboard control​

Make sure that all functions and tasks that can be performed using a mouse are also accessible using other input devices, such as the keyboard, as well as eye tracking software and screen readers.

To do this, correctly configure the focus states of the elements, making it possible to navigate with just the Tab key.

Time​

People with disabilities may need more time to complete tasks: they may take longer to respond physically, they may take longer to read things, they may have low vision and take longer to find or read them, or they may be accessing content through an assistive technology that requires more time.

So, take the time to complete a task. If possible, do not work with a matter of time to complete tasks, for example: 5 minutes to configure the email sending schedule.

Elements that have movement also need to be given adequate time to be noticed by screen readers.

Also, try to keep notifications and alerts to the minimum that is really necessary for the best experience for people with cognitive limitations or attention deficit disorders, and people who are blind or have low vision.

Good habits​

For people with anxiety​

  • Allow enough time to complete a task
  • Explain what will happen after a certain action
  • Make important information clear
  • Give people the support they need to complete a task
  • Allow people to check the information before submitting it

For people with autism​

  • Use simple, consistent colors and layouts
  • Use simple language and sentences
  • Highlight the main points with bullet points, for example
  • Make descriptive buttons. Ex.: "Attach file"

For people with hearing difficulties​

  • Write in plain language
  • Use subtitles or transcripts for videos
  • Use linear and logical layouts
  • Break up content with subtitles, images and videos
  • Let people choose the form of communication they want to use

For people with dyslexia​

  • Use images and diagrams to support text
  • Align texts to the left and maintain consistency in layout
  • Consider producing content in other formats, such as audio or video
  • Use short, clear and simple content
  • Allow people to change the contrast between background and texts

For people with low vision​

  • Use images and diagrams to support text
  • Align texts to the left and maintain consistency in layout
  • Consider producing content in other formats (eg audio or video)
  • Use short, clear and simple content
  • Allow people to change the contrast between background and texts
  • Allow people to change the font size if possible

For blind people​

  • Describe all images, but without being verbose
  • Don't be nitpicky in images that don't have the need, for example: images that are just decorative
  • Enable keyboard navigability in all functionalities
  • Use hidden hints to give people more context, eg a "back" button with hidden hint "back to step - previous", even if the action is visibly clear
  • Use hidden hints to describe your application, example: feedback of actions performed by the person like: "Configuration - Save"
  • Be true to the look using semantic features
  • If possible, put audio description in videos
  • If it is not possible to put audio description in videos, be descriptive, avoiding, for example, pointing out or mentioning contents without talking about them

For people with physical disabilities​

  • Try to make components considering the following difficulties: Motor coordination, Tremors, agility

References​

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