A guide to all accessibility-related needs on the indie web!
I've been sharing this site around in all sorts of places, but I wanted to post it here, too - the Accessible Net Directory!
The indie web has a problem with accessibility. Namely, it seems like very few creators care to implement it. Which I get! It seems daunting to tackle at first. But also, it makes the indie web really, really difficult to traverse for disabled folks.
The Accessible Net Directory is two-fold in its uses.
1) It provides disabled people a list of safe indie sites
In order for a site to be featured on the directory, it needs to meet basic accessibility guidelines. This includes (but isn't limited to) no autoplay, unlabeled flashing images, low contrast, small / hard-to-read fonts, keyboard inaccessibility or non-described images.
Additional, non-required accessibility options for the directory are encouraged, and listed in a site's description on the directory. (Such as zoom-friendliness and different font options.)
2) It provides webmasters a ton of resources for implementing accessibility
It not only provides a list of steps one can take to make their site more accessible, but also provides the "why" of each step.
For example - one listed guideline for the directory is to use rem/em instead of px units for font sizes. Why? Well, the directory explains, "Users with low vision may need to increase the size of the text in order to be able to read and see better. Therefore it is important to always use scalable units for text."
Then, it goes on to list RESOURCES for changing px to rem/em!!
This site is an absolute treasure trove of resources for making your site accessible, and doing so with ease! I've used the resources listed to make my own site more accessible, and it's made the process seem so much more manageable!
So! If you run a personal site, then give the site a look, learn about accessibility practices, and apply them to your site! An inaccessible web is not a free web!