As we enter a new year, we will be taking a look at some of the current and projected website design trends in a series of blog posts. Featured today is one of the top website trends in website development—adding web accessibility tools to websites in order to help viewers with disabilities access and use websites.

As explained on dribbble.com:

“On March 18, 2022, the U.S. Department of Justice published a set of guidelines on website accessibility and the Americans with Disabilities Act, an antidiscrimination law passed in 1990. According to the updated guidelines, commercial websites fall under Title III of the ADA. Title III applies to businesses that are ‘open to the public,’ such as banks, retail shops, hospitals, restaurants, and performing arts venues. It also applies to e-commerce businesses and other ‘online-only’ ventures.

“Although the DOJ guidelines don’t include hard-and-fast rules businesses must follow, they do offer some guidance on eliminating barriers to accessibility. As a result, one of the biggest web design trends of 2023 is the demand for accessible designs. For example, websites with embedded videos should offer captions to help users with visual impairments understand the content. Accessible websites also make it easy for users to perceive information and navigate their user interfaces.”

There are several services that offer site viewers good web accessibility options via a simple plugin installation. We took such an approach for our long-time client, FCSLA. It was very important to provide accessibility options to their members, so we integrated the Userway accessibility plugin into their website. From text size, spacing, and contrast to special fonts that are tailored to the needs of those with dyslexia, there are a host of viewing options that can now be put in the viewers’ control for easier site accessibility.

To experiment with the various settings, click on the stick figure icon at the top right of their website at https://www.fcsla.com.

Please contact us if you would like to discuss adding these options to your site!