The importance of making accessible communication

Accessible communication products

Accessible communication products are those documents, videos, images, websites, applications, social media posts and other digital formats designed to be understandable and functional by all people, regardless of their abilities or contexts.

It is wrong to assume that policies and practices that promote inclusion benefit only a few. They should favor users with visual, hearing, motor or cognitive disabilities, but also those who face temporary barriers, such as injury, recent surgery, and those who have difficulty using technology. These benefits extend to the networks surrounding people with disabilities by providing them with greater management skills and independence.

In addition, accessible products benefit people with unfavorable external situations, such as a limited Internet connection.

Accessibility can be implemented in almost all digital products. Some examples are:

• Websites, educational platforms and blogs: They should have a clear structure, alternative texts in images, compatibility with screen readers and customization options, such as text size and contrast adjustments.
• Digital documents: Whether PDF, Word or EPUB, aspects such as segmentation and order of content, font size and the correct description of graphics or images can make a big difference in access to information for people with disabilities.
• Presentations and educational materials: Simple layouts, clear language and alternative descriptions of images or videos are essential to ensure that content is accessible to all people.
• Social media: Videos with SRT captions, audio descriptions and use of contrasting colors ensure that content is understandable and easier to comprehend for a diverse audience.
• Newsletters and forms: A responsive design, a clear structure in the organization of information and accessible navigation options are key to facilitate the interaction of all users.

Any digital content can be accessible if it is designed based on good practices from the beginning. To achieve this, it is essential to consider elements such as typography, font size, color contrasts, wording and text organization, among others.

Benefits of Accessibility in Digital Communication

Accessibility is not only a legal obligation, but an opportunity.

Thanks to the features included in accessible communication products, they bring significant benefits to the brands and organizations that implement them. Among them, the following stand out:

• Greater reach: Allows more people to access content, including an increasingly aging population and people with disabilities.
  Improved user experience: On websites, it reduces frustration and improves navigability, which increases user satisfaction.
• Regulatory compliance and risk reduction: Complying with accessibility standards, such as the WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines), not only avoids legal sanctions, but also reduces the risk of discrimination lawsuits.
• Search engine optimization (SEO): Search engines favor accessible sites, which increases their visibility and reach.
• Long-term cost savings: Integrating accessibility from the planning and design stage makes it possible to identify additional costs and even reduce investment in subsequent adaptations and resource optimization.
• Social commitment: Reinforces the company’s image and its commitment to inclusive, transparent, responsible communication aligned with human rights.

Integrating accessibility from the beginning of the design has minimal costs and avoids resorting to higher expenses in the long term. Many tools are now available to facilitate this process.

Who should make their communication products accessible?

The answer is simple: everyone. From private companies to public institutions, media outlets, content creators and non-profit organizations, any person or entity that shares information must ensure that their content is accessible.

True digital inclusion requires that we consider not only disability conditions, but the age, abilities, educational levels, socioeconomic and cultural conditions of individuals and communities.

Accessibility in communication is also an opportunity to improve communication, connect with more people and build a more inclusive society that respects the right to information of all people.

Incorporating accessibility in communication products is a necessary step to build a world that guarantees the right to information for all.