Try to submit your own enquiry form using only the Tab and Enter keys. If you cannot reach a field, see which item is selected or understand an error, some customers will be stuck too.
Start with the tasks people need most: reading service information, finding a phone number, completing a form and opening an important document.
Learn how people use the site
Start by testing the main tasks a customer needs to complete. Can they find your phone number, submit an enquiry, read service information and download an important document?
Try each task with a keyboard instead of a mouse. Zoom the page and check that the layout still works. If possible, ask people who use assistive technology to test the site and explain where they get stuck. Automated checking tools can find some problems, but they cannot judge the whole experience.
Make text easy to see
Text needs enough contrast against its background. For standard body text, the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines use a contrast ratio of at least 4.5 to 1 at the AA level. Tools such as WebAIM's Contrast Checker can test colour combinations.
Use a readable font at a comfortable size and allow visitors to enlarge it. Avoid long passages in all capitals. Do not place important words inside an image, because a screen reader may not be able to access them.
Images that add meaning need a short text description. Decorative images can be marked so a screen reader skips them.
Build clear pages and forms
Use headings in a logical order so people can scan the page or move through it with a screen reader. Link text should describe the destination rather than say "click here".
Every form field needs a clear label. Error messages should explain what needs to be fixed, not rely on colour alone. Buttons and links should be large enough to select without precise movement.
Check that a keyboard user can see which item is selected as they press the Tab key. They should be able to reach every link, button and field without getting trapped.
Create accessible documents
PDFs, Word documents and presentations need structure as well as readable text. Use built-in heading styles, proper lists and simple tables. Add text descriptions to meaningful images.
A PDF should be tagged so reading software can identify headings, paragraphs and tables. Check the reading order before publishing it. If the source document changes often, consider providing the information as a web page as well as a download.
Use the accessibility checker built into your document software, then test the final file with a keyboard and a PDF reader. A clean source document is much easier to repair than a flattened scan.
Add captions and transcripts
Videos need accurate captions for spoken words and important sounds. Audio content should have a transcript. Check automatic captions before publishing them, especially for names, addresses and industry terms.
Do not make sound the only way to understand an instruction or warning.
Use plain language
Short sentences, familiar words and descriptive headings make information easier to understand. Explain unfamiliar terms when they cannot be avoided.
Keep navigation and button labels consistent. A visitor should not have to learn a new name for the same action on each page.
Keep checking after launch
Accessibility is part of normal website maintenance. Test key pages after design changes, new forms or major content updates. Give visitors a clear way to report a problem and tell them how they can request the information in another format.
Start with the tasks that matter most to customers. Fixing an enquiry form that cannot be used with a keyboard is more urgent than polishing a decorative image description.
If the keyboard test exposes a problem, contact JCPIT Support to discuss the website or document issue.
