Development & Testing for Diverse Abilities: Auditory

This blog series, Development & Testing for Diverse Abilities , will explore the needs of users with auditory, cognitive, visual, and mobility impairments and equip you with the knowledge and tools to create digital experiences that are more accessible and enjoyable for all. Each post will focus on a specific disability, highlighting website development best practices and suggestions for testing for compliance.

This is the first post in the series. You'll find the second post here Development & Testing for Diverse Abilities: Cognitive.

Auditory

More than 1.5 billion people worldwide are currently affected by hearing loss in at least one ear. (World Report on Hearing - WHO)

Around 430 million people worldwide require rehabilitation for disabling hearing loss. (Deafness and Hearing Loss - WHO)

I began this post with those statistics for this reason: As someone who's spent the last seven years in disability remediation and advocacy, I've noticed a gap in conversation and awareness of auditory disabilities. Due, possibly, to a misconception that hearing loss is solely an age-related issue. Hearing loss can be due to illness, injury, or exposure to loud noises and can occur at any age. It's a topic I don't often see discussed, except for closed captioning and transcripts, and since I am one of those "1.5 million people worldwide," it holds a special significance.

Auditory disabilities come in several different categories and range from mild to profound. For example, I have moderate hearing loss that is more dramatic in the left ear, and I have auditory processing difficulties. Specifically, my brain has difficulty processing hard consonant sounds like the hard "c" in canoe or contrary. I can hear the word, but my brain can't always process the sound. Even with my hearing aids, sometimes some words sound like gibberish.

What Can Web Developers Do?

There are several strategies web developers can use that will help create a more inclusive experience for users with auditory difficulties.

Allow users to customize the audio experience by adjusting volume levels, providing alternative text for audio elements, or choosing different audio options, such as stop and pause.
When using audio cues, incorporate visual feedback such as progress bars, animated icons, or text notifications (like tooltips), all of which should be designed with accessibility in mind.
When captioning your videos, make sure to caption sounds, like a phone ringing or glass breaking, as well as any incidental music.
When providing text notifications for audio cues, use clear, simple language that is easy to understand.
When providing contact information, always include an email address or an accessible web form. Using the phone is not always the easiest option for people with hearing challenges.

What Can Web Managers Do?

As a website manager, you play a significant role in maintaining an accessible website. One primary strategy you can employ is to establish processes for regular accessibility testing using automated tools and manual audits throughout the product life cycle.

When testing these and any development strategies for auditory disabilities, a manual audit should be conducted first.

Customize the audio experience.
- Ensure all text alternatives and video controls (pause, stop, volume control) have proper contrast with the background.
- Be sure to test embedded widgets with audio and video controls for proper contrast and keyboard accessibility.
- Ensure text alternatives are written in clear, simple language. To learn more about simple language and readability, check out the DubBot blog post "What does readability have to do with accessibility?"
Audio cues with visual feedback.
- Make sure the audio cue is high quality, clear and audible.
- Test each visual feedback element for accessibility.
- Check any visual text feedback to ensure it is written in plain language.
Caption sounds.
- Watch the video with the sound on to ensure the caption appears at the correct moment and is short and succinct.
Providing text notifications.
- Ensure text is written in plain language.
- Ensure proper contrast between text and background, as well as any adjacent link text.
- Use an accessible font. Take a look at this article from Penn State titled "Font Face" for a list of accessible fonts.

A website accessible to those with hearing disabilities is often better for everyone. More straightforward communication, a wider variety of ways to engage with content, and alternative contact methods benefit all users.

WCAG Succes Criteria for Auditory Disabilities

Resources

The second post in this series can be found here: Development & Testing for Diverse Abilities: Cognitive.