Language options and clear instructions are accessibility features that make digital content easier to use. Language options let a user read content in a language they understand, while clear instructions use simple, everyday words so that a user can follow what to do.
Many websites and apps include a language selector, often a drop-down menu listing the languages on offer. When you choose your language, the text on the page changes to that language, so you can read it without translating it yourself. This helps users whose first language is not English, and also users who find reading English difficult for other reasons. For example, a swimming pool website could offer its timetable in English, Polish and Somali, so a family can check lesson times in a language they read confidently.
Clear instructions help users complete forms and use a service by keeping sentences short and words simple. They avoid jargon (specialist or technical terms) and complicated phrasing. A form might say 'Type your email address' instead of 'Provide your electronic mail credentials'. This helps users with cognitive needs, such as learning difficulties, who may lose track of long or complex text, and it reduces mistakes because users know exactly what to do.
These features widen who can use a service. Language options remove the barrier of text a user cannot read, and clear instructions remove the barrier of wording that is hard to follow, so users with different first languages and users with cognitive needs can complete the same task.
Pearson BTEC Digital Information Technology · Accessibility