Accessible Design
Taking the mystery out of accessible design.
PDF Remediation | Indesign File Setup
Accessible design refers to the practice of creating products, environments, and services that are usable and inclusive for all people with special consideration for people with diverse abilities and disabilities.
The primary goal of accessible design is to ensure that everyone, regardless of their age, physical or cognitive abilities, can access, understand, and use the designed objects or systems with ease and independence.
Where do we fit in?
Where do we fit in?
Where do we fit in?
David is an accessible designer and advocate, with over 30 years experience in the print and design industry.
Whether it's print or digital, there's nothing more frustrating than a functional failure.
Great designs are only great if they function as advertised and are fit for purpose. It also helps if they look nice and are easy to use and create.
I started creating accessible forms and documents over 3 years ago and have added skills and qualifications to be as efficient as possible, pricing should be accessible too!
Key Considerations
Where do we fit in?
Where do we fit in?
There are certain tasks that need to be implemented, checked and applied for a document to be fully accessible. This is not nearly as complicated as it sounds.
- Document Structure
- Alt-Text for Images
- Text Content
- Hyperlinks and Buttons
- Tables and Data
- Colour and Contrast
- Reading Order
- Forms and Form Fields
- Language Specification
- Tagging and Export Settings
- Accessibility Checker
- Testing with Assistive Technologies
Why use accessible design?
Why wouldn't you?
It's better in every single way!
It's better in every single way!
Graphic Design's main goal is to communicate information, ideas,
or messages using a combination of images, typography, colours, and other visual elements.
Accessible design adds better design practice and functionality so that more people can access it and use it more easily.
Or click below for a free artwork audit...
Free Artwork Audit
It's better in every single way!
It's better in every single way!
It's better in every single way!
Once set up, then the actual design & layout process is:
- Better design practice
- More consistent
- Easier to implement
- Easier to edit
- Far better functionality
- More cost effective
- Easy to teach
- Legally compliant
- Your own feel good factor!
- It's better for everyone!
Are you breaking the law?
It's better in every single way!
Are you breaking the law?
No, not in Australia, but hopefully it will only be a matter of time before they catch up with other more inclusive countries.
However, you may at risk of litigation if you're providing unsecured data forms to clients.
Please click the button below for a brief description of the legal & risk factors surrounding accessibility.
Or click below for more information...
servic
Artwork
We can create new or retro-fit existing InDesign documents to create interactive accessible PDFs, with little to no remediation, ensuring that the information and content in the PDF are usable and inclusive for all users.
And they'll also be fit for printing with too. These things are not mutually exclusive!.
Free File Audits
We offer a free file auditing service to determine your current level of accessibility.
Interactive forms
We can create fully interactive PDFs from existing files, or retro-fit your current working files with the interactive functionality built in at the source.
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Legal stuff
Government Regulations
Last updated in September 2021:
The legal framework for web accessibility in Australia is primarily governed by the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA) and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0. Here are the key points to understand:
Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA)
The DDA is the primary legislation in Australia that addresses disability discrimination. It makes it unlawful to discriminate against individuals based on their disability in various areas, including goods and services, employment, education, and access to public places. Websites and digital content fall under the category of "goods and services," and as such, they are subject to the provisions of the DDA.
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2
UPDATE: WCAG 2.2 Update - Now Released
The WCAG 2.2 is a set of international guidelines developed by the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). These guidelines provide a framework for making web content more accessible to people with disabilities. Although not explicitly mandated by law in Australia, the WCAG 2.0 is considered a standard for web accessibility best practices.
Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
The AHRC is responsible for handling complaints related to disability discrimination under the DDA. If someone believes a website or digital content is not accessible and is causing discrimination, they can file a complaint with the AHRC.
Complaints and Legal Consequences
Failure to comply with the DDA's accessibility requirements can result in complaints, investigations, and legal consequences. If a complaint is upheld by the AHRC, the organisation or entity responsible for the inaccessible website may be required to rectify the accessibility issues and provide compensation to the affected individuals.
Accessibility in Government
Australian government websites are required to comply with the Web Accessibility National Transition Strategy (NTS), which sets deadlines for achieving WCAG 2.0 conformance. Government departments and agencies are expected to ensure their websites meet accessibility standards to provide equal access to public information and services.
Changes and Updates
It's essential to note that accessibility laws and guidelines can evolve over time. While the information provided here is accurate as of September 2021, there may have been updates or changes to legislation and requirements since then. It is always best to refer to the latest sources and consult legal experts for the most up-to-date information.
Do the laws in Australia apply to documents?
Yes, the legalities and requirements for accessibility in Australia extend beyond websites and also apply to various types of documents, including electronic documents, PDFs, and other digital content. The key legislation governing accessibility in Australia is the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA).
Under the DDA, it is unlawful to discriminate against individuals based on their disability in various areas, including the provision of goods and services. Electronic documents, such as PDFs, are considered "goods and services" in this context.
As a result, organisations and entities are required to ensure that their digital documents are accessible to people with disabilities, including individuals who use assistive technologies such as screen readers or magnification software.
To ensure compliance with accessibility laws and regulations, organisations in Australia should prioritise accessibility and strive to meet WCAG 2.0 (or the latest version) guidelines. By doing so, they not only avoid legal risks but also contribute to a more inclusive digital environment for all users.