Excellent article on apps for children with disabilities.

www.nchpad.org/1282/6010/Th...

For screen readers to recognize headings, heading text can't just be body text or normal text that's been made to look bigger and bolder. It must be formatted as a heading. In Microsoft Word and Google Docs, this can be done in the styles box. In HTML, use the tags h1 through h6.

Hyperlink text should make sense when read out of context. Screen reader users can navigate from link to link, and can listen to links in a list. When navigating this way, only the link is read. So "click here" or "read more" won't make sense.

The same photo could appear on three different pages and require different alt text for each instance. The alt text for an image can vary, depending on the context of the image, its role on the page, and the intended message.

Appalachian Center for Independent Living was opened in 1982 in Charleston, WV to promote the interdependence, productivity, and quality of life of individuals with disabilities through empowerment, integration, and inclusion.

What do you wish people better understood about your disability? #disability #disabilityrights #disabilityawareness

When using Microsoft Word or Google Docs, don't just make text bigger and bolder to make it a heading. That will work for sighted users, but screen reader users will miss that and just hear it as normal paragraph text. Use actual heading styles, like level 1 through 6.

This WebAIM resource is helpful in understanding the ins and outs:

webaim.org/techniques/a...

If the PDF was created by using "Print to PDF," then the answer is no. A screen reader user may still be able to access the text of PDFs created this way, but heading structure, alternative text, and any other tag structure will be lost. Using "Save As" or "Export" instead can preserve these tags.

Color can be a great way to distinguish data points in charts. But don't rely on color alone to convey information, as that can make things difficult for colorblind users. Using different shapes or patterns can help. Make sure patterns or textures are simple and not distracting.

A lot of big breaking news stories involve visuals, such as timelines of events, photos, memes, and screen shots. All of those images need alt text. All of them. Don't leave out people who use screen readers.

Alt text must provide context for people who cannot see the image. Describe the image's context and purpose. Do not write alt text for cute or clever jokes based on visual content you expect users can see. This is an abuse of alt text, as it violates the whole point of alt text.

Get in the habit of bringing up accessibility at meetings, in stand-ups, and in demos. Bring up things you've done to address accessibility. Likewise, don't be afraid to ask, "Have we tested this on a keyboard?" or "What's the experience like on a screen reader?"