Enhancing Accessibility with AppsAnywhere

Enhancing accessibility with AppsAnywhere

At AppsAnywhere, we take pride in our commitment to improving the user experience and accessibility of our platform. Less than a year ago, we introduced version 3.0 with a modern sensibility and a strong focus on accessibility. With millions of students relying on our platform to access their applications, we aimed to ensure that our product would be as accessible as possible to cater to a diverse user base. We made significant efforts to enhance accessibility, both internally and through collaboration with external experts in the field.

To put things into perspective, research by the UK government revealed that the number of people with a disability is as high as 1 in 5, which is equivalent to the number of individuals with brown eyes. When considering hidden disabilities, neurodivergent individuals and temporary disabilities—such as injury—this number becomes even more significant. This highlights the critical need to make our product accessible to as many people as possible.

Our commitment to accessibility didn't stop at version 3.0. Following extensive testing and feedback, we incorporated another 70 changes in version 3.1 to further improve the accessibility of our product. While there's always more work to be done, especially in the Admin section, we strive to make our product accessible and user-friendly, setting us apart from other products that often neglect accessibility requirements.

Accessibility is a priority that we will continue to focus on and improve, as we believe that enhanced accessibility benefits not only specific user groups but everyone who interacts with our platform.

Key considerations

To help you gain more insight into this crucial aspect of technology, here are some basic factors to consider:

1. Color Contrast: The default color scheme for documents and websites is black on white because it provides the highest contrast. Using low-contrast color combinations can render content invisible to some users, or a strain to read at best.

2. Reading Width: Text that's too wide or too small can make reading difficult. Maintaining a readable width where possible (around 65 characters) and using an appropriate font size is essential.

3. Link Text: It is important to avoid generic link text like 'click here.' Using descriptive link text to provide context for all users —including those using assistive technologies —is essential.

4. Jargon: Simplifying language and reducing jargon and unnecessary abbreviations can make content more accessible to a wider audience.

5. Keyboard Usage: Ensure that all actions can be performed using a keyboard, as not everyone can use a mouse.

6. Visual Impacts: Consider the needs of individuals with blindness, partial sight, color blindness, dyslexia and other needs. Accompany images with text, and never rely on color alone to convey meaning.

7. Subtitles and Captions: In videos, include subtitles or captions to make content accessible to individuals with hearing impairments. This can also help anyone in a loud environment, or when in a public space without headphones.

8. Mobile-Friendly Design: Not everyone uses a laptop or desktop so sites and apps should be designed to be accessible on small screens, as some users may rely solely on mobile devices. Even users that do use desktops can have wildly different screen sizes – because of a need to zoom in, for instance.

As we continue to develop AppsAnywhere, we remain committed to improving the accessibility of our platform. We are thrilled to announce that our forthcoming 3.2 release will include seventeen more enhancements, some of which were based on feedback from our valued customers. This demonstrates the value of partnering with us and being part of our extensive user community, where we work together to make AppsAnywhere more inclusive and accessible for all.

We are pleased to say that we've been accredited by the Digital Accessibility Centre. They completed a technical compliance audit of the AppsAnywhere portal with robust end to end testing for a wide range of disabilities to ensure it is compliant with WCAG 2.1 AA standards.