In this blog, I am going to discuss how to make your Tweets accessible. I have created accessible and inaccessible Tweets using my account to show as examples and used Windows Narrator to record the audio of the screen reader experience.
Inaccessible Tweet
Inaccessible Tweet with many accessibility issues |
Transcript: Inaccessible Tweet
I hope you agree with me that was not a great experience. Now, let’s try to make this tweet more accessible by adding alternative text for images, using Camel case for hash tags, adding only necessary emojis and including hash tags and Twitter handles at the end of the message.
Accessible Tweet
Accessible Tweet showing good practice |
Listen to the more accessible Tweet on the screen reader
Transcript: Accessible Tweet
Posting this tweet to demonstrate the importance of accessibility. This is more accessible. Use emojis only when necessary. Add alternative text for images hashtags in camel case at the end. Link hash no access. Link Hash poor accessibility. Thumbs up sign image. Link image demonstrating bad practice of green and red use to differentiate answers. Link image answers differentiated by red and green cannot be distinguished by a person with monochromacy achromatopsia.
The second version of the tweet is more accessible because:
- it makes it easier for the user to follow the content as there are no hashtags (or Twitter handles) in the middle of the tweet
- Camel case is used for hashtags making them read correctly
- Emojis are used sparsely making it easier for the user to understand the Tweet
- Images are described.
- Use hashtags and handles at the end of the post
- Use Camel case for hashtags
- Use emojis sparsely and only when necessary
- If you are using images, describe them by including an alternative text description
There is good
practice around the use of colour and more information on creating accessible content on the Digital Accessibility
at the University of Reading web space. View Resources about making content more accessible.