The third Thursday of every May is Global Accessibility Awareness Day.
Global Accessibility Awareness Day is all about getting people talking, thinking, and learning about digital access and inclusion. Because accessibility goes far beyond ramps and doors.
1 billion people have disabilities. As our world depends more and more on the internet, it’s so, so important to make sure that everybody has equal opportunities to participate, learn, and thrive.
Right now, 70% of websites in the U.S. have critical accessibility issues (source).
This graph shows the causes of the most common accessibility failures.
People with visual disabilities often rely on high contrast for legibility, alternative text descriptions (alt text) for meaningful images, and their keyboards (not a mouse) to interact.
People with auditory disabilities often rely on closed captioning for videos and visual indicators in place of audio cues.
People with motor impairments may need alternative keyboards, eye control, or other adaptive hardware to help type and navigate on their devices.
People with cognitive disabilities often benefit from an uncluttered screen, consistent navigation, fewer animations, and the use of clear language.
How can you help?
Share, share, share. The more you talk about the need for digital accessibility, the more others will, too.
Add alt text and captions to your social posts. This helps people with visual and auditory disabilities access your content.
Reach out to your employer and your favorite brands, and ask them to make their websites more accessible.