DjangoCon Europe 2023 | Django Accessibility for Everyone

Learn how to make Django websites accessible for everyone, including tips on alternative text, ARIA labels, and HTML structure, as well as how Wagtail and Torbox have improved their accessibility score.

Key takeaways
  • Alternative text for images is crucial, and it should always be provided, even if it’s empty.
  • The context of the image should be considered when writing alt text, and the description should not describe every single detail in the image.
  • It’s not necessary to describe decorative images, but providing empty alt text is okay.
  • Links should be labeled with ARIA labels to make them accessible for screen reader users.
  • The visible text of the link’s role and the ARIA label should be consistent.
  • Button names and link names are important for accessibility, but overusing ARIA labels can make the website less accessible.
  • Labels should start with the visible text, and empty ARIA labels are better than nothing.
  • The context of the image can affect the alt text, and different alt text may be needed for the same image in different contexts.
  • Django developers tend to overuse ARIA labels.
  • Providing a consistent and semantic HTML structure is important for accessibility.
  • The accessibility score of Django-specific websites is lower than the average website.
  • Wagtail is an open source Django-based content management system that has an accessibility checker built-in.
  • The Torbox company has worked with the RNIB to improve the accessibility of their website.
  • The Wagtail admin interface can also be made accessible with the help of feedback from users.
  • The author’s company, Torbox, will be available for questions and answers.
  • Firefox’s accessibility auditing tool, Lighthouse, can be used to identify accessibility issues.
  • Google’s Lighthouse can test for color contrast, image descriptions, and more.
  • The top six accessibility issues on the web are color contrast, button names, link names, labels, and alternative text on images.
  • The social model of disability describes disability as a social construct, not a personal characteristic.
  • The RNIB is a disability equality charity that has helped Torbox to improve the accessibility of their website.
  • The Wagtail CMS can be used to create accessible websites, and it has a built-in accessibility checker.