3 weeks ago
7
As millions of visually impaired Nigerians couldn’t navigate the integer abstraction successful the country, tech experts are advocating making online platforms easy accessible for the visually impaired Nigerians.
With the promises of a integer economy, astir websites and mobile applications successful Nigeria are not designed with accessibility successful mind. Despite the transition of the Discrimination Against Persons with Disabilities (Prohibition) Act, 2018, which mandates adjacent entree to accusation and services, enforcement remains weak.
Meanwhile, galore Nigerian websites, including authorities portals, inactive deficiency basal accessibility features. The Nigeria Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (2020–2030) besides emphasises inclusion, but implementation lags.
A Lagos-based bundle developer, Tunde Adebayo, who works intimately with a visually impaired colleague, said, “Too galore platforms presume everyone sees the surface the aforesaid way. That’s not reality. We’ve had situations wherever important forms couldn’t beryllium filled retired due to the fact that the surface scholar didn’t prime up immoderate labels. That’s not conscionable frustrating, it’s exclusion.”
To make a much inclusive integer ecosystem, helium said, Nigeria’s integer work providers indispensable prioritise accessibility for each users, including those who are unsighted oregon visually impaired.
However, analysts person opined that 1 applicable attack is to follow globally recognised accessibility guidelines specified arsenic the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2.1 oregon 2.2). Even arsenic these standards assistance guarantee that integer contented is Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust (POUR).
Adebayo added that, “Screen Reader Compatibility is key. Most visually impaired users trust connected surface readers similar NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver (on iOS), oregon TalkBack (on Android).
“To enactment these tools, developers indispensable usage due semantic HTML, statement each interactive elements, and see alternate substance (alt text) for each meaningful images.
Without this, surface readers cannot construe the information, rendering full sections of a website invisible to users.”
He stressed that successful summation to surface scholar support, keyboard navigation indispensable beryllium afloat functional. “Many visually impaired users navigate with the keyboard alternatively than a mouse, truthful each website features should beryllium accessible via the Tab key, with wide absorption indicators highlighting wherever the idiosyncratic is connected the page,” helium averred.
The adept highlighted that different indispensable diagnostic is precocious opposition mode and scalable text, which are important for users with debased vision. Many websites neglect this basal trial by utilizing airy grey substance connected achromatic backgrounds oregon not allowing substance to resize without breaking the layout.
Meanwhile, portion immoderate said, accessible forms are besides captious arsenic each signifier of fields indispensable beryllium intelligibly labelled and accompanied by textual instructions, not conscionable ocular cues similar colour, they suggested that mistake messages should beryllium casual to recognize and not trust connected ocular effects unsocial to beryllium noticed.
However, developers are urged to travel platform-specific accessibility guidelines by utilizing accessibility APIs and investigating with TalkBack and VoiceOver connected mobile apps. The buttons and icons indispensable beryllium intelligibly labelled, and navigation should beryllium accordant and logical.
On his part, Joseph Ndukwe retorted that it is non-negotiable to impact visually impaired users successful testing, and collaborating with organisations specified arsenic the Nigerian Association of the Blind (NAB) tin supply existent feedback that automated tools cannot detect.
He opined that Nigeria’s integer scenery tin lone go genuinely inclusive erstwhile accessibility is prioritised from the opening of each project. He said, “This requires committedness from authorities agencies, backstage developers, and policymakers to guarantee platforms are compatible with assistive technologies similar surface readers and enactment keyboard navigation.
“I volition authorities that it is indispensable to recognize the visually impaired’s needs and challenges firsthand. And by embedding accessibility into the halfway of integer development, Nigeria tin interruption down barriers and supply adjacent entree to accusation and services for each its citizens.”
Tioluwani Ayinde, a visually impaired student, expressed his dissatisfaction implicit immoderate of the services connected Nigeria’s Platforms, adding that, “I usage my telephone each day, but fractional the clip I’m locked retired of cardinal accusation due to the fact that the app isn’t built for me, I conscionable privation to beryllium capable to bash what everyone other tin entree my schoolhouse portal, capable retired a form, and work the news”
English (US) ·