Improving Accessibility in JavaScript Apps

As web developers, we strive to create applications that are visually appealing and highly functional. However, one critical aspect that often gets overlooked during the development process is accessibility. Accessibility is the practice of making your web applications usable for people with disabilities, encompassing a vast range of conditions from visual impairments to cognitive challenges. In this blog, we will explore techniques to improve accessibility in JavaScript applications and why it matters not only from a moral standpoint but also for your application’s reach and usability.

Understanding Web Accessibility

Web accessibility means that people with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with the web. Accessibility is guided by the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), which define how to make web content more accessible to people with disabilities. The guidelines focus on four principle areas, known as POUR:

• Perceivable: Information and user interface components must be presentable to users in ways they can perceive.
• Operable: User interface controls and navigation must be operable.
• Understandable: Information and operation of the user interface must be understandable.
• Robust: Content must be robust enough to be interpreted reliably by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies.

Why Accessibility Matters

Improving accessibility in your JavaScript applications has several benefits:

• Wider Audience Reach: Accessible applications can be used by more people, including those with disabilities.
• Improved SEO: Many accessibility practices align with SEO best practices, leading to better search engine rankings.
• Legal Compliance: Many countries have laws enforcing accessibility standards that you need to comply with.
• Enhanced User Experience: Making your applications accessible usually improves the overall user experience for all users.

Creating Accessible JavaScript Applications

Semantic HTML

Semantic HTML provides meaning to the content of web pages and is the foundation of accessibility. Using the correct HTML elements helps assistive technologies understand your layout and navigate effectively. Use elements that best represent your content, like:

• <header> for headers
• <footer> for footers
• <nav> for navigation links
• <article> for article content
• <section> for thematic grouping of content

ARIA Roles and Properties

When native HTML doesn’t suffice, use ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) to enhance accessibility. ARIA attributes can provide additional information for dynamic content. However, use these attributes wisely, as overusing them can lead to confusion.

Here’s a basic example of an ARIA attribute implementation:

<button aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="menu">Toggle Menu</button>
<ul id="menu" role="menu">
    <li role="menuitem">Item 1</li>
    <li role="menuitem">Item 2</li>
</ul>

Keyboard Navigation

Many users rely on keyboards rather than mouse navigation due to various dexterity issues. To ensure your JavaScript application is keyboard-friendly:

• Make sure all interactive elements are reachable using the Tab key.
• Add appropriate tabindex attributes to elements that are not natively focusable.
• Implement keyboard shortcuts for major actions in your application.

Focus Management

Managing focus after dynamic changes, such as loading content with AJAX or upon modal opening, is crucial. The following JavaScript snippet can help set focus to a newly opened modal:

function openModal() {
    const modal = document.getElementById('myModal');
    modal.style.display = 'block';
    modal.querySelector('button').focus(); // Set focus to the first button in modal
}

Image Accessibility

Always provide alternative text for images using the alt attribute. This text helps users with screen readers understand the content of the image. For decorative images, use an empty alt="" so screen readers can skip them:

<img src="logo.png" alt="Company Logo">
<img src="decorative.png" alt="">

Color Contrast and Text Size

Ensure the text has sufficient contrast against its background. This improves readability for users with visual impairments. Use tools to check color contrast ratios. Additionally, do not rely solely on color to convey information. Provide text labels, icons, or patterns alongside color cues.

Make fonts resizable and ensure that users can adjust the text size without breaking the layout:

body {
    font-size: 16px; /* Base font size */
}

Responsive Design

Responsive applications that adapt to various screen sizes can improve accessibility for users with limited vision. Ensure that your application is usable on both large and small screens. This involves using fluid layouts and flexible images.

Testing for Accessibility

Testing is a crucial part of ensuring your application is accessible. Automated testing tools like axe, Lighthouse, and WAVE can quickly help identify some accessibility issues. However, much of accessibility testing requires human evaluation; therefore, consider involving users with disabilities in your testing process.

Conclusion

Improving accessibility in your JavaScript applications is not merely a checkbox to tick off; it’s an ongoing commitment to inclusivity and better user experiences. By following the principles discussed in this blog, not only will you enhance your app’s usability across a wider audience, but you’ll also create a more robust application overall. Make accessibility part of your development workflow, and you’ll see the positive impact it can have.

As developers, let’s take the initiative to ensure that the digital world is accessible to everyone, regardless of their abilities. Together, we can build a more inclusive web.