Using Understandable Language
Learn how to ensure text is clear and understandable.
When we’re thinking about accessible user interfaces, it’s easy to focus all our attention exclusively on the elements of the page: how we arrange them and how we code them. Even the most beautiful and accessible layouts in the world, however, can’t overcome inaccessible content. We can’t neglect the content itself, specifically the copy or text.
Why should developers care about copywriting?
The writing of the text on a web page or application is likely not one of our primary tasks as a developer. However, it’s still crucially important for us to have an understanding of the relevant accessibility requirements. Because accessibility is a shared responsibility, we need to be familiar with all parts of the process. After all, we’re already going to see the entirety of the text as we build and test the website or application. That’s a great opportunity for us to be a second set of eyes and review the text for accessibility compliance.
Developers often write far more text than they realize, anyway! Microcopy—the small pieces of text in user interfaces (such as button labels, alt text, input placeholder text, and more)—is often written by the developer as part of the coding process. Not to mention, when we’re working on a side project or at a small startup, then we probably won’t ...