Online Accessibility and Inclusion Report
Author: Recite Me
Published: 2022/02/07
Topic: Website Accessibility - Publications List
Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main
Synopsis: Download a free copy of the complete 2021 Accessibility Report to learn more about website accessibility and how assistive technology solutions can benefit your customer base. It is estimated that 1 in 5 people have some kind of physical, visual, auditory, cognitive, and neurological disability that can make accessing online information difficult. If a website is not accessible disabled users may be at a disadvantage.
Introduction
Over 375,000 people used assistive technology to access vital charity support in 2021. Recite Me, the leading provider of cloud-based accessibility and digital inclusion software, has published their annual online accessibility report and found that toolbar users increased by 90% in 2021.
Main Item
Amid the COVID-19 pandemic internet use continued to skyrocket. In 2021 Recite Me saw toolbar users increase to over 3.4 million people being supported online. Limited physical access to many shops and services, and everyday tasks like shopping and banking became almost exclusively online experiences.
Why Does Online Accessibility Matter - What is Assistive Technology?
It is estimated that 1 in 5 people have some kind of physical, visual, auditory, cognitive, and neurological disability that can make accessing online information difficult. If a website is not accessible disabled users may be at a disadvantage.
The Recite Me cloud-based assistive toolbar provides every online user with the tools they need to create a unique online experience. Website visitors are able to customise pages so that they can consume online content in a way that works best for them. Adjustments can be made to all elements of the page including text, graphics, language and navigation.
2021 Online Accessibility Report
In line with the significant shift towards online living came an increased demand for websites to be accessible and more inclusive. To better understand this shift the Recite Me Online Accessibility Report deep dives into their usage data from 2021.
To bridge the gap between accessibility and inclusion many organisations now offer assistive technology to enable visitors to customise their online experience.
In 2021 Recite Me toolbar users increased by 90%. The first half of the year saw usage climb from 200,000 per month to 320,000 users. Over the year 3.4 million people viewed over 19 million websites in a way that works best for their individual needs. On average people viewed 5.65 web pages during their inclusive journey online. This is nearly double the internet average pages viewed per session of 2.8.
Insight into the Charity / Not for Profit Sector
Charities can reach more supporters, ambassadors and benefactors by having an accessible website.
Since 2020, the number of charity and non-profit web pages being viewed by a diverse audience has more than quadrupled. In 2021 on average, each month over 31,000 people customized their experience online to view more than 1.3 million web pages in a way that works best for them. Over the year, 379,000 people used Recite Me to help them find information about charities and non-profits.
Health in Mind, a mental health charity, implemented Recite Me as part of their commitment to supporting as many people as possible. Wendy Bates, Chief Executive at Health in Mind commented "We know that it can take a lot of courage to look for support with your mental health and so it's vital that when people find us, they are able to access our resources and information in a way that best meets their needs. It was quick and easy to add to our websites and the Recite Me team have been great to work with."
Download the Free Accessibility Report
Accessibility and inclusion trends are no passing fad, and the demand for inclusive websites is projected to grow exponentially throughout 2022. The collective mentality towards inclusion is changing, and accessibility updates are now considered something that must be done, rather than a check-the-box exercise on something that should be done.
Download your free copy of the complete 2021 Accessibility Report to learn more about website accessibility and how assistive technology solutions can benefit your customer base.
Attribution/Source(s): This quality-reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by Recite Me and published on 2022/02/07, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity. For further details or clarifications, Recite Me can be contacted at reciteme.com NOTE: Disabled World does not provide any warranties or endorsements related to this article.