Inclusivity means including people, and accessibility means the methods used to enable more people to be included. They work together: a service is inclusive when it welcomes everyone, and accessible when the barriers that would stop some people using it have been removed.
Accessibility is often linked to supporting users with disabilities, because many barriers are easiest to see in that context. It is wider than that, though. Accessibility also covers other needs, such as being new to English or using a device with a slow connection, because anything that stops someone taking part is a barrier to inclusion.
Modern technologies aid inclusivity and accessibility in two main ways. First, interface design, which covers layout, font selection and colour selection. Second, accessibility features: built-in tools such as screen reader support, alt text, adjustable typeface and font size, and text to speech.
| Area | What it includes | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|
| Interface design | Layout, font selection and colour selection | Makes a service easier for everyone to read and use from the start |
| Accessibility features | Screen reader support, alt text, adjustable typeface and font size, text to speech | Removes a specific barrier so that more people can take part |
Inclusion is not only about disability. It also means making sure people are not held back because of characteristics such as age, cultural background, sexuality or gender. Employers should make opportunities fair, for example when they recruit staff, when they decide who is promoted, and when pay is reviewed, so that decisions are based on what people can do, not on who they are.
One common misunderstanding is that making text bigger on a website is an accessibility feature. It is not, because the browser handles text size. A website can instead offer built-in zoom or a reading mode that enlarges the whole page.
Pearson BTEC Digital Information Technology · Accessibility