What web accessibility measures must site managers implement?

2023/12/27

Due to the 'Amended Disability Discrimination Elimination Law', from April 2024,The provision of reasonable accommodations for web accessibility has become mandatory.
However, among company site managers,"What is web accessibility?" "How specifically should one respond?"Many people must be struggling with this.

Web AccessibilityThis means that, for example, users with hearing impairments can understand the content in videos.
Or ensuring that users with color vision deficiencies can obtain information without deficiency on the website,
Regardless of the presence of disabilities, all people should be able to access the same information equally..

As the internet has become widespread and various users are browsing websites under different circumstances,
Ensuring web accessibility is an extremely important issue.It has been established.

In this context, compliance with web accessibility will now be mandatory for all businesses.
As a result, if not addressed, a review or renovation of the company's website will be necessary, incurring development costs.

However,Web accessibility can also provide significant benefits to the companies offering it.

Because by complying with web accessibility,Enhances the reliability and brand strength of companies,
Optimizing websites leads to favorable effects on search engines, resulting in increased traffic and service usage rates.That's because.

This article will provide a detailed explanation of web accessibility for businesses and site managers, as well as introduce specific response measures for websites.

From April 2024, reasonable accommodations for web accessibility will become mandatory.

Web accessibility was previously considered to be 'an effort to make reasonable accommodations',
It was positioned as an 'effort obligation' to accommodate individuals with disabilities as much as possible,
With the enforcement of the revised law, it will change from 'effort obligation' to 'legal obligation' from April 1, 2024.

◆ The 'reasonable accommodation' shifts from an effort obligation to a legal obligation.

Below is part of the comparison materials for the amended law published by the Cabinet Office.

—

Businesses must express their intention to remove social barriers as needed by disabled individuals when conducting their operations.
When the burden from the implementation is not excessive, we must ensure that it does not infringe upon the rights and interests of individuals with disabilities, taking into account their gender, age, and disability status.
Necessary and reasonable accommodations must be made to remove social barriers.

—

Citation: Material 1-2: Why it is necessary to amend some provisions of the law concerning the promotion of the elimination of discrimination based on disability (Cabinet Office)

As mentioned above.It is mandated in the form of 'must provide reasonable accommodations'.You will understand that.
From this,All businesses are required to comply with web accessibility.It is.

I believe there are many business operators who learned about this mandatory web accessibility for the first time.
Furthermore, there may be those who are hearing the term web accessibility for the first time.

However, in advanced countries abroad, web accessibility has already been mandated.
In the United States,Cases where lack of web accessibility leads to lawsuits.is also increasing.
In other words, web accessibility is nowInternational common senseIt is now.

On the other hand, large companies in Japan are also not fully compliant.
In such situations, it is urgent to address web accessibility domestically to avoid being left behind the global standards.

Failure to comply may result in administrative guidance or fines of up to 200,000 yen.

With the obligation of reasonable accommodations for web accessibility,
By April 2024, it is necessary to renovate the company’s website to comply with web accessibility standards.

So, what happens if we don't comply with this?

To sum it up, if we neglect compliance regarding this mandatory action, penalties will not be imposed immediately.

However, continuing to neglect such websitesThere may also be guidance from the government.
If no voluntary improvements are observed, or if false reports regarding guidance are made, penalties (fines up to 200,000 yen) will apply.This is the strategy of corporate communication.

For more details, please refer to the following Cabinet Office FAQ.

Reference: Frequently Asked Questions and Answers Regarding the Law Promoting the Elimination of Discrimination Based on Disability for Citizens (Cabinet Office)

From here, I predict that current websites not equipped with security measures like SSL will face,
As a risky site, alerts will be given by Google when accessing it.

In the future, sites that do not comply with web accessibility will likely,
Alerts such as 'This site does not sufficiently ensure web accessibility' will be issued upon visiting.Such considerations can also be quite significant.
In such cases, user impressions may deteriorate, leading to damage to the corporate image.

Moreover, such issues are socially concerning and cannot exclude the potential impact on investor evaluations and litigation risks.
More than legal penalties,Causing such situations would result in significant losses.It can be said.

Next, let's explain in detail the specific content of web accessibility.

Web accessibility compliance means creating a site based on JIS standards.

First of all, even if one says to comply with web accessibility, many might wonder what exactly to do for the website.
Web accessibility compliance, in short, means creating a website that meets 'JIS standards'..

In web accessibility, there are two standards below.

① The World Standard 'WCAG 2.0'

Originally, guidelines called 'WCAG' were set for web accessibility.
In 2012,‘WCAG 2.0’ has been approved as an international standard and is now adopted as the global standard by websites in various countries.It has been established.

② National standard 'JIS X 8341-3:2016'

In Japan, the standard for web accessibility originally included 'JIS X 8341-3', but
Following the establishment of WCAG 2.0,The compliance standard 'JIS X 8341-3:2016' was established in 2016.Have been done.

The 'Revised Law for the Elimination of Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities' to be enacted in April 2024 includes this.Accessibility compliance based on JIS X 8341-3:2016 is required.It will be.

Reference: 'Web Accessibility Implementation Guidebook' (Digital Agency)

Next, I will explain what specific considerations should be made when creating a website.

Five Considerations for Web Accessibility You Should Know About

"Compliance with Web Accessibility" refers to,Primarily individuals with physical disabilities, the elderly, and those with color vision deficiencies, etc.
To enable information acquisition and service utilization through the website, the design, functionality, and structure of the site should comply with web accessibility standards.It is.

Then, specifically, the following five are representative examples of how to accommodate various users.

◆ Considerations for Web Accessibility for Common Disabilities

I will explain each in detail.

① Considerations for users with visual impairments

For individuals who are blind or visually impaired,Add alternative texts to logos, photos, illustrations, etc.Support for screen readers (text-to-speech software)I will make sure to do so.
Alternative text should describe the meaning of those images and indicate the destination if the images contain links.

◆ Providing alternative text.

In addition,Features that enhance visibility and readability, such as text and screen enlargement and color inversion.Will be provided.

② Considerations for users with hearing impairments

For individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, in video content,Insert subtitles and sign language.This is important.
Additionally, regarding audio content, audio should beUtilize software that transcribes text.This is important.

In addition, the contact information should include not only a phone number but also email, fax, chat, and LINE.
Provide options that can be used even for those with hearing impairments.This is important.

③ Considerations for users with color vision deficiencies.

Color vision deficiencies have the characteristic of difficulty in distinguishing colors or being completely unable to see them.
Therefore,Ensure that information is not conveyed solely through color differences.This is crucial.

For example, please see the figure below. In personal information input forms, it may state 'Red text indicates required fields', but
For users with color vision deficiencies, distinguishing red text can be difficult, making it unclear which fields are required.

Therefore, the judgment criteria for required fields should not be based solely on color, and will always include 'required' in the description.
In this way,Can distinguish differences in information with clues other than color.I will do my best.

◆ Example of Required Field Input Display

In addition,Contrast between text and background colors.We will also pay attention to this.
Low contrast can make text very difficult to read, so choices of colors with good contrast must be used.

◆ Differences in readability due to contrast.

④ Considerations for users with physical and motor disabilities.

For users who find intricate mouse operations difficult due to motor disabilities or temporary conditions like injuries,
All pages and functions of the website can be accessed using only keyboard operations.I will do my best.

In this case, as shown below,Highlight which part is selected by using outlines or similar methods.This is a key point.

◆ Focus that navigates using the Tab key

Additionally, for those who have difficulty operating either a mouse or keyboard,Features that allow operation and input via gaze or voice.Will be added.

⑤ Considerations for users with cognitive and learning disabilities

Users with cognitive or learning disabilities may have difficulty understanding complex or ambiguous instructions.
Moreover, even for those without disabilities, it can be hard to concentrate and easy to get distracted depending on the environment.

For such individuals,Eliminate elements like banners and decorations, aiming for a simple and clear screen design.This is necessary.
In major browsers,There is a feature built in to simplify the display of pages.So it's advisable to make your website compliant with this function.

The following is an example of applying the Reader View feature of Safari, the standard browser for iPhone and Mac, which simplifies the information on the site.

◆ Safari Reader View

Also, in writing,Simple and clear expressions and wording.Will be conscious of.
Each page should have a title that clearly conveys its content.It is necessary to avoid the use of foreign languages and uncommon terms.

Such measures will be necessary.

What has been explained here is merely a part of representative measures.
For more detailed information about web accessibility,The guidebook issued by the Digital Agency in December 2022.It is mentioned in,
Please make sure to review this when addressing web accessibility.

Reference/Quote:'Web Accessibility Implementation Guidebook' (Digital Agency)

※ The diagrams and icons mentioned in this section are quoted from the guidebook and are also created by the author.

The importance of knowing the actual circumstances of users.

When addressing web accessibility, it should be ensured that individuals with disabilities, the elderly, or those facing difficulties using websites due to special circumstances,
It is very difficult for able-bodied individuals to fully understand how difficulties are experienced..

Therefore, it will be necessary to respond in accordance with the guidelines publicly announced by various ministries,
By listening to the voices of actual users, it is possible to discover points that were overlooked or where accommodations were lacking.be.

The following is an excerpt from an interview with Masahide Ishiki, an accessibility consultant and individual with visual impairments.

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Moreover, to enhance security, steps may be added to prove that the inputter is not a robot.
In the case of Google, you just need to check the box that says 'I am not a robot',
Requiring users to select specific images among multiple photos (such as bridges) or to read and input squiggly text is unmanageable.

(excerpt)

It is supposed to prove 'being human', yet it feels like more abilities are being demanded (laughs).
It would be nice if this part became a bit more accessible.

—

Reading this shocked the author as well.
The function of excluding robots for security purposes may, at the same time, exclude individuals with disabilities.It is.

Many individuals with disabilities and the elderly are likely to face such situations on a daily basis.
To improve web accessibility, suchIt is important to know as much as possible about the user's 'current situation'.I believe that.

The full text of the interview article can be found at the link below, and I highly recommend reading it.

Reference: Advisory Panel Interview: Masahide Ishiki (True Colors Festival)

So far, we have explained the contents of web accessibility, but in reality,
Building and renovating websites to accommodate users with various physical and environmental constraints requires,Enormous time and monetary costs.It will incur costs.

In the next section, we will discuss how to respond to web accessibility.
Solutions for achieving low-cost and rapid implementation.I will explain about.

Tools to Utilize for Web Accessibility

We have already explained the specific measures for web accessibility, but
If we are to develop renovations that meet all accessibility standards, including those, it will incur enormous costs.

◆ Development Costs

Initial cost: 500,000 - 1,000,000 yen.

Monthly fee: Several tens of thousands of yen upwards.

◆ Development Period

3 to 6 months (as features need to be added to all pages)

Considering that this must be addressed by April 2024, in-house development is not very realistic.
Therefore,Utilize dedicated support tools for development.Would be better.

Here, we introduce several tools that assist in implementing web accessibility.

Five Free Check Tools

When aiming to efficiently renovate a site while keeping the budget for large-scale website renovations under control,
It is recommended to utilize free web accessibility check tools.

The five representative free check tools are as follows.

① miChecker

This is a web accessibility evaluation tool developed and provided by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications,
Verify whether the site complies with 'JIS X 8341-3:2016'.You can.

It automatically evaluates areas that can be verified mechanically, but
It also supports work at locations requiring manual verification, allowing for efficient progress in verification tasks.

However, the supported OS is Windows only and does not support Mac.

For more details on 'miChecker', click here.

② Lighthouse

A check tool provided by Google that can be used as an extension for Google Chrome.

MainlySite display speed, readability of text and background colors, HTML structure, security, SEO, compliance with PWA (Progressive Web App) specifications.
Verification of such parts.Can be utilized.

For more details on 'Lighthouse', click here.

③ Alt & Meta Viewer

This is also a Google Chrome extension.Check the Alt attribute of images (the text assigned to images).This is important.
The alt attribute is an essential element for text-to-speech for visually impaired individuals, making it an important checkpoint.

By the way, having text assigned to images allows,
Since Google can understand the content of images, it will also be a site that is favorable for search engines.。

For details on 'Alt & Meta Viewer', click here.

④ ColorTester

On the website,Contrast ratio between text color and background color.Can be checked.
The standards for web accessibility state that,Clear standards for contrast ratios are established.Thus, it is a very useful tool.

Simply drag and drop the image you want to measure, and it will measure the contrast ratio between text and background, making it very easy to operate.

For details on 'ColorTester', click here.

⑤ NVDA Japanese Version

NVDA isSpeech recognition software that supports more than 20 languages..
Even if text is attached to images and links for visually impaired individuals, when converted to speech, it can be unclear in meaning or have inconsistencies in reading order.

Therefore, you can use this tool to check the actual usability.

For details on 'NVDA Japanese version', click here.

By utilizing the tools mentioned above, you can automatically identify points for improvement, enabling efficient renovation tasks.

However, these tools areIt is solely a support tool that can identify areas for improvement, but renovations must be done by the company itself.This is necessary.

If you wish to automate even the site renovations,
Using paid tools, it is possible to easily and quickly comply with web accessibility.Therefore,Next, I will introduce.

Immediate implementation of accessibility features can be achieved with 'Uniweb'

If there is a renovation budget, utilizing paid tools enables the implementation of web accessibility features in a short time without the hassle of development.

Especially our 'UniWeb',Plugin-type tools that can easily support web accessibility functions across all websites while keeping costs down..

The main features of UniWeb are as follows.

◆ Five features of UniWeb.

When introducing UniWeb, control buttons will appear on the website.
From the accessibility menuUsers can utilize various features on their own.
The selected features are instantly reflected on the website being viewed.

◆ Accessibility Menu

Each feature allows individuals with disabilities to set accessibility functions according to their specific characteristics.

◆ Appropriate features are automatically set according to the characteristics of disabilities

Thus, various web accessibility features can be implemented immediately.
Official website of the services below.where you can actually test the functions.So please check this yourself.

Official service site:UniWeb

 

The benefits of web accessibility are significant.

As of April 2024, compliance with web accessibility has become mandatory,
AlreadyIt has become a standard specification for websites in advanced countries, while Japan's efforts have lagged significantly.I must say.

In relation to the goals outlined in the SDGs as well,By 2030, regardless of age, gender, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion, or economic status,
Encouraging everyone to enhance their abilities so that they are not left behind socially, economically, or politically.and is considered as such.
In the future, websites designed for everyone will undoubtedly become the standard.

Efforts towards web accessibility not only benefit users, but also,
It enhances corporate reliability and increases access and service usage through website optimization.Such as, there are significant benefits for companies.

Response through in-house development is not easy, butBy effectively utilizing tools introduced in this article, rapid renovations can be achieved at low cost.Therefore, I recommend this for companies and site managers who are being asked to comply with web accessibility.

First, simply request information

This section introduces the functions of UniWeb and the introduction process.

Request Info