Making content accessible means that it can be accessed by anyone, including people who use assistive technologies (e.g., keyboard-only navigation, screen readers, speech recognition software).
Accessibility encompasses all disabilities that affect access to the web, including auditory, cognitive, neurological, physical, speech, and visual disabilities. As W3C notes, accessibility also benefits people without disabilities, for example:
- people on devices with small screens or different input modes
- older people with changing abilities
- people with temporary limitations (e.g., broken arm, lost glasses, dilated eyes)
- people with situational limitations (e.g., bright sunlight, environment where they can’t listen to audio)
- people with a slow internet connection or limited bandwidth
Our commitment to accessibility
In 2019, we made a commitment to accessibility. We are working to ensure Chorus sites and stories are accessible to all audiences and substantially compliant with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 Level A and AA. Making our sites and stories accessible has several benefits:
- Reach larger audiences
- Deepen our commitment to inclusion as a company and product team
- Give everyone a better experience with Chorus
We are committing to accessibility because it’s the right thing to do, because it will grow our audiences, and—just as importantly—because it’s the law.
What we’re doing
We’re doing what we can to ensure Chorus sites are accessible, including:
- Updating markup for individual components (e.g., contact forms, newsletter modules, rating cards)
- Ensuring headings and navigation elements are in a clear hierarchy
- Ensuring Twitter and Facebook receive alt text from Chorus images
- Adding skip links for people who use keyboard navigation
- Developing resources, checklists, and training materials for editorial networks
We’ll continue sharing updates like these in release notes and on our Accessibility page.
How you can help
We expect Vox Media networks to follow accessibility guidelines and best practices, and encourage our customers to do the same. As you read over these accessibility topics, we’ll let you know whether a guideline is required or recommended. We don’t expect you to update stories from the past, but please keep these things in mind when you’re publishing new stories or updating evergreen content.