Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Embraces Accessibility

Abstract

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1 in 4 Americans have a disability.¹ As the population ages, there is an increased need for technology and accessibility (equal access), including Web accessibility. Accessibility is often defined in terms of 2 distinct measures: compliance with standards and usability for people with disabilities. The most common accessibility guidelines are the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0/2.1 and the Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act. They are written to support the accessibility of HTML content. According to the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative, “Web accessibility means that websites, tools, and technologies are designed and developed so that people with disabilities can use them.”² Business owners, medical writers, technical editors, social media managers, Web designers, and information technology administrators play a critical role in ensuring a better Web experience for all of us. In this article, we share practical ideas for you to show your commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion with changes you can make to your website and content today. Accessibility solutions, such as using image alternative text, camel case in hashtags, white space around headings, margins, indentations, and columns, and strategically using fonts and color contrasting, are a few of many effective ways to provide accessible content to a larger audience. We also share other ways to address accessibility with creative strategies, such as podcasting. For medical communicators, strategies in communication, such as descriptive language and the use of storytelling techniques, are vital to ensuring your audience has a clear understanding of the message.