Digital accessibility: 7 mistakes that exclude your audiences (and how to avoid them)

Digital accessibility is not a technical detail: it is an essential condition to ensure access to information, rights, and services for all.

🔍♿ Accessibility of research: practical sheets to make your documents, meetings, websites, and social media truly usable by everyone. #DigitalAccessibility #InclusiveResearch

💡🧩 Budget, tools, methods: this guide details how to anticipate, finance, and organise accessibility at every stage of a research project, from protocol to dissemination. #DisabilityInclusion #HealthPractices

 📌 📌 This guide is directly useful for project managers, research coordinators, communication officers, quality managers, and disability referents who need to make their documents, events, websites, and social media accessible.

It provides checklists, memos, and budgetary guidelines that can be immediately used to plan for accessibility from the design stage, including in calls for projects.

Associations, local authorities, health establishments, social and medical institutions, and universities can use it to write their internal procedures or specifications with clear requirements.

Pratiques en Santé has implemented, since February 2023, the elements to make its blog more accessible on its site:https://pratiquesensante.odoo.com/blog/annonces-28/accessibilite-du-site-aux-personnes-en-situation-de-handicap-1811

Source: 📒 📒 Digital accessibility: 7 mistakes that exclude your audiences (and how to avoid them)

📜🔗LINK

Number of pages: 69 

1. ANALYTICAL SUMMARY

1.1. Context: accessibility, disability and research

The document starts from the observation thataccessibility is a fundamental right, enshrined in thelaw of 11 February 2005, thelaw for a Digital Republic (2016)and theUN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, which impose ageneralised accessibility, including for higher education and research. It reminds us thatdisability primarily results from the inadequacy of environments(physical, digital, organisational, communicational) and not from individual limitations, within a framework ofsocial justiceand full and active participation. The guide targets all thestakeholders in research(researchers, doctoral students, students, support staff, partners, interviewees), but it is transferable to thehealth, social and medico-social structuresthat produce or share knowledge.1.2. Operational contributions: practical sheets to apply directly

The core of the document consists of a

series of practical sheets: writing anaccessible text documentdocument texte accessible, organise aface-to-face or online event, produce avideo/audio, communicate on thesocial media, create agraphic production, make awebsite accessibleandknow/budget for accessibility tools and services. Each sheet details concretereflexes, memos, thetechnical points of vigilance(fonts, contrasts, structure, text alternatives, screen reader compatibility, BSL, subtitling, audio description, easy-to-read, braille, AAC, etc.) as well asbudgetary estimatesand links to updated resources. The whole provides acomprehensive methodological frameworkto integrate accessibility at all stages of a project, from design to dissemination.2. KEY POINTS OF THE DOCUMENT

Accessibility as a legal obligation and a social justice approach (pp. 5–7, 57–61) 

1. The guide reminds us that

   equal accessis a right guaranteed by the2005 Act, theDigital Republic Act, theUN Convention, theEuropean standards (EN 301 549)and the European directive of2019, coming into force on 28 June 20252019, entrée en vigueur le 28 juin 2025, which impose a high level of accessibility, particularly digital, to public services and research stakeholders.

2. Practical sheets for text documents and written materials (p. 12–15)

   The sheet“Writing a text document”describes how to set thedocument properties, structure withheading styles, table of contents, pagination, lists, accessible tables, choosesans serif fonts, anappropriate font size, aline spacing of 1.15 to 1.5, avoid justified text and ensure good readability for all audiences, including those using screen readers or with dyslexia.

3. Making in-person and online events accessible (p. 19–25, 30–33)

   The sheets onin-person and online eventsdetail the adjustments to be made:choice of venue(physical accessibility), management oftransport, informal times, schedules, consideration of thespeech rate, thesound quality, use ofBSL/FR interpretation, speech-to-text, subtitling, accessibility of projected materials and provision oftranscriptions.

4. Accessibility of social media, graphic productions and websites (p. 34–48)

   The guide provides specific rules for thehashtags, emojis, explicit links, alternative text for images, transcription or audio description for videos, as well as principles ofaccessible design(fonts, contrasts, colours, visual hierarchy) andHTML structure compliant with the RGAAfor websites and applications.

5. Tools, services and indicative costs for budgeting accessibility (p. 49–56)

   A directory sheet outlines the maintools and services: interpretationLSF/FR, translation, captioning, audio description, braille transcription, FALC, alternative and augmentative communication, withcost estimates for 2025(e.g. LSF/FR interpretation for a 2-hour webinar: ~€600 including VAT). It also details thefunding mechanisms(project budget,FIPHFP, Agefiph) and the need to move away from a solely compensatory logic towards aninclusive organisation.

3. ACTION TRACKS FOR LOCAL ACTORS 

1. Integrate accessibility into all specifications and calls for projects (p. 6–7, 45–46, 56)

   Include explicit accessibility requirements(documents, events, digital media, websites) in thespecificationsof projects, service contracts, partnership agreements, relying on the des projets, contrats de prestations, conventions de partenariat, en s’appuyant sur le RGAAand the sheet "understanding and budgeting for accessibility tools and services". Plan for a dedicated budget line from the design stage.

2. Standardise accessible document templates within the organisations (pp. 12–15, 65)

   Create at the organisational leveltemplates for reports, invitations, minutes, flyers, presentationsthat comply with the recommendations (heading styles, fonts, contrasts, accessible tables) and make them available to teams, accompanied bymemo checklistsfrom the sheet "Writing a text document".

3. Formalise an accessibility protocol for events (pp. 19–25, 30–33, 52–53)

   Build aninternal procedurefor all events (conference, training day, working group) including: gathering needs, bookingBSL/FR interpreters or captioners, choosingaccessible venues, testing theprojected materials, providingtranscriptions, informing participants about the available provisions.

4. Equip communication and web teams on digital accessibility (pp. 34–48, 65–67)

   Organise targetedtraining sessionsfor communication officers, webmasters and community managers on: writingalternative texts, reasonable use ofhashtags/emojis, subtitling videos, complianceRGAAsites, and provision ofexternal guides(DINUM, W3C WAI, Opquast).

5. Establish a system for reporting accessibility issues (p. 7, 45, 48)

   Provide on thesites, events and materialsadedicated contactto report accessibility issues, and integrate this feedback into acontinuous improvement monitoring(indicators: compliance rate, number of reports, corrections made).

4. ADDITIONAL REFERENCES

5. CROSS-ANALYSIS — VALUES OF ‘PRACTICES IN HEALTH’

• Literacy: The document proposes recommendations forclear and simple language, as well as the use ofEasy-to-Read Languageto adapt content to varying levels of understanding.

• Empowerment: It emphasises theinvolvement of the people concerned(user testing, co-design of accessibility conditions) to adjust the systems.

• Participation: Mechanisms ofco-constructionare described, particularly the involvement of the public in defining needs, evaluating events, and reviewing Easy-to-Read transcripts.

• Community health: The guide highlights theinclusive research collectivesand the consideration ofinformal timesand life contexts, which fits within a community perspective.

• Ethics: It highlights theorganisational biasesthat create disability (rhythms, formats, communication) and calls for systemic corrections, without shifting responsibility to individuals.

• Human rights: The grounding in theUN Conventionand national laws makes it a resource explicitly focused onrights, equality, and inclusion.

• Intersectorality: The document cites and articulates resources from theculture, audiovisual, social sector, digital, education, and research, encouraging intersectoral cooperation.

• Partnership: It describesmodels of collaborationwith specialised providers (BSL, Easy Read, audio description, braille) and withactivist collectivesor associations of disabled people.

• Combating discrimination: The guide reminds us that failing to anticipate accessibility amounts toexcluding 17% of the population, mostly with invisible disabilities, and promotes practices ofnon-judgement, diversity, and inclusion.

6. EVALUATION OF THE RESOURCE'S RELIABILITY

• Scientific relevance

  The document is based on asolid legal foundation(French laws, European directive, UN Convention), quantitative datarecent(DREES 2022 for the prevalence of disability) and arich bibliography, including institutional guides (DINUM, W3C WAI, ARCOM, Public Health France, ISO 24495) and research works (Capdroits, scientific articles).

  The concepts (universal accessibility, disability as a relationship, social justice) are consistent with thecontemporary approaches in public health and human rights.

• Operational relevance

  The guide provides very operationalfact sheets, accompanied bymemos, concrete examples, indicative costs, external resourcesand recommendations adaptable to different contexts (research, teaching, events, communication, websites).

  It is immediately deployable toformalise procedures, train teamsandevaluate/improve existing practicesin the health, social and medico-social sectors.

7. MCQ – 5 QUESTIONS

PART 1 — MCQ (statements without explained answers)

Question 1 (pp. 5–7, 57–61)

In the guide, what does the notion ofuniversal accessibility ?

mainly refer to?

a) To the sole architectural accessibility of buildings

c) To the systematic translation of all documents into English

d) On the free provision of public services

Question 2 (p. 12–15)

According to the sheet "Writing a text document", what practice is recommended to improve readability?

a) Justify the text across the full width

b) Use handwritten fonts to personalise the document

c) Align the text to the left with a line spacing between 1.15 and 1.5

d) Replace titles with bullet points

Question 3 (p. 34–36)

To make animageaccessible on social media, what rule is highlighted?

a) Use as many emojis as possible to describe the image

b) Indicate "image of" at the beginning of each alternative text

c) Describe the essential elements not already present in the publication text

d) Simply use a descriptive hashtag under the image

Question 4 (p. 49–53)

What scheme is mentioned as being able to fund certain accessibility services under theadaptation of the workplacein the public service?

a) The National Health Insurance Fund

b) The FIPHFP

c) The UNAPEI

d) UNESCO

Question 5 (p. 44–48)

According to the sheet "Making a website accessible", which statement is correct?

a) Accessibility is limited to installing a "dark mode" button

b) An accessible site does not need to comply with semantic HTML tags

c) All functionalities must be keyboard accessible and compatible with assistive technologies

d) Audio and video content do not need subtitles if the text on the site is clear

PART 2 — Commented correction

Question 1

In the guide, what does the notion ofuniversal accessibility ?

✅ Correct answer:b) A set of measures allowing everyone to access activities with equivalent autonomy

📝 Explanation: The guide defines universal accessibility as thenature of a product, service, information, or environmentthat enables any person to carry out activities and achieve equivalent results, in a logic of equality and inclusion, well beyond just the architectural dimension. Source:p. 3, 5–7, 57–61.

Question 2

According to the sheet "Writing a text document", what practice is recommended to improve readability?

✅ Correct answer:c) Align the text to the left with a line spacing between 1.15 and 1.5

📝 Explanation: The guide recommendsleft alignment, a line spacingof 1.15 to 1.5and sans-serif fonts, while discouraging justified text, decorative fonts, and the excessive use of capital letters or underlining. Source:p. 15.

Question 3

To make animageaccessible on social media, what rule is highlighted?

✅ Correct answer:c) Describe the essential elements not already present in the publication text

📝 Explanation: The sheet specifies that thealternative textmust beconcise and precise, focused on theessential elements for understanding, avoid redundancies with the caption and not start with "image of", as this information is already provided by the screen reader. Source:p. 36.

Question 4

What scheme is mentioned as being able to fund certain accessibility services under theadaptation of the workplacein the public service?

✅ Correct answer:b) The FIPHFP

📝 Explanation: The sheet on accessibility tools and services mentions theFund for the Integration of Disabled Persons in the Public Service (FIPHFP)and theAgefiphas possible funders of services (interpreting, transcription, etc.) when they fall under theindividual compensationfor an agent. Source:p. 56.

Question 5

According to the sheet "Making a website accessible", which statement is correct?

✅ Correct answer:c) All functionalities must be usable via keyboard and compatible with assistive technologies

📝 Explanation: The guide emphasises the need to makeall functionalities accessible via keyboard, to comply with thesemantic HTML tags, to ensure sufficientcontrastand to ensure thecompatibility with screen readersand other assistive technologies, in line with theRGAA. Source:p. 45–47.

8. FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 

1. Who is this guide primarily aimed at? (p. 2, 5–6)

   It is primarily aimed at theresearch community(researchers, PhD students, support staff, communicators) but its sheets are directly transferable to thehealth, social and medico-social institutionsthat produce or disseminate information (reports, events, websites, social media).

2. Does the guide replace legal obligations regarding accessibility? (p. 5, 57–61)

   No. Itoperationalisesexisting obligations (2005 law, law for a digital Republic, UN Convention, European directive 2019/882) but does not replace them. It helps to translate them intoconcrete practicesin research and knowledge dissemination.

3. How to start if one has never worked on accessibility? (p. 6–7, 12–15, 34–40)

   The guide suggests starting with simple actions: usingstructured document templates, checkingfonts and contrasts, addingalternative text to images, subtitling the, sous-titrer les videos, and gradually integratespecialised servicesaccording to needs.

4. What types of disabilities are taken into account? (p. 6–7, 57–61)

   The document adopts aninclusive and cross-cutting approach, without categorising recommendations by type of disability, but covering thephysical, sensory, cognitive, mental and organisational dimensions. It reminds us that80% of disabilities are invisible.

5. How to budget for accessibility in a project? (p. 49–56)

   The sheet "understanding and budgeting for accessibility tools and services" providescost estimates(LSF/FR interpretation, real-time captioning, audio description, easy-to-read and understand, braille), examples offunding sources(project budget, FIPHFP, Agefiph) and emphasises the need for anticipation from theresponse to the call for projects.

6. When to use easy-to-read and understand rather than plain language? (p. 53–54)

   Theeasy-to-read and understandis aimed at people with significantcomprehension difficultiesand requires the intervention oftrained professionalsandconcerned individualsfor proofreading. Theplain languagetargets a wider audience by simplifying syntax, vocabulary and layout, without reaching the level of transformation of easy-to-read and understand.

7. How to check that our digital resources are truly accessible? (pp. 45–47, 55, 65–67)

   The guide recommends usingverification tools(contrast checker, RGAA validators, web accessibility testing tools), conductingregular auditsand, above all, totest with usersusing screen readers, magnifiers, braille devices or other assistive technologies.

9. REWRITING IN EASY TO READ LANGUAGE 

9.1. Easy to Read Summary

Title: Making research accessible

• This guide explains how tomake research accessibleto everyone.

• It discussesdocuments, meetings, websites, andsocial networks. It followsréseaux sociaux.

• lawsthat state everyone must have thesame rights..

Title: What the guide offers

• The guide providessimple adviceto change your practices.

• It helps towrite more readable textsand tochoose a good font..

• It explains how toorganise a meetingso that everyone can participate.

• It shows how tomake images and videos understandable.for everyone.

9.2. Key points FALC

Point 1: Accessibility is a right

• The laws state thateveryone must have accessto information and places.

• People with disabilities must be able toparticipate like everyone else..

Point 2: Writing an accessible document

• Use asimple fontand large enough.

• Align the textto the leftand make shortparagraphs..

• Use clearheadingsfor each part of the text.

Point 3: Making an event accessible

• Choose a venuethat is easy to accessfor people with reduced mobility.

• Speakslowlyand use amicrophoneif necessary.

• Providesubtitlesor sign languagewhen possible. quand c’est possible.

Point 4: Accessibility on the internet and social media

• Add atext to describe images..

• Give aclear titleto each web page.

• Check that one cannavigate using the keyboardon the site.

Point 5: Consider the budget

• Some actions cost money, for example thetranslation into sign language.

• It is necessaryto budget foraccessibility from the start of the project.