Inclusive by design: Crafting accessible church websites

In the digital era, where ministry has broadened beyond bricks and mortar to ones and zeroes, church websites have become virtual doorways to faith communities.

This is why it is crucial that you ensure that your online spaces are accessible to all, including individuals with differing abilities. Crafting an inclusive church website is not just a matter of compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act, but it's also a testament to the inclusive nature of faith and a commitment to welcoming everyone.

Understanding the need for accessibility

Many churches have thought through inclusiveness, but digital is a new frontier. Accessibility is about making your website usable for as many people as possible, including those with different visual, auditory, motor and cognitive abilities. This means creating a website that can be navigated and understood by anyone who uses a screen reader, has difficulty hearing or has other factors that can impact their internet use.

1. Start with visual accessibility

Visual accessibility includes designing for screen-reader compatibility and ensuring that your website's text and images are perceivable.

• Use alt text for images: Most screen readers can't interpret images, but they can read out loud the alternative text (alt text) assigned to the images on a website. Providing descriptive alt text for all images on your church’s website ensures that visually impaired users can still understand the content.
• Ensure sufficient color contrast: Text and background colors should have enough contrast so that colorblind users or those with low vision can read the content easily. Tools such as the WebAIM Color Contrast Checker can help you test your website's color contrast. To check your current site colors, submit your URL to an online contrast checker.

2. Auditory accessibility

For individuals with hearing impairments, auditory accessibility is crucial. This primarily involves providing text alternatives for audio content.

• Closed captions for videos: Ensure all video content has accurate closed captions to aid individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or in sound-sensitive environments. Instagram and TikTok have automated captions, but if you need to add them to a non-social video, CapCut will add them for free similar to Instagram and TikTok.
• Transcripts for audio content: Providing transcripts for audio materials such as sermons or podcasts ensures that everyone, regardless of their hearing ability, can access the content. Though many audio editing tools have this capability built in, you can also upload your audio to a third-party tool such as Otter.ai and have it transcribed for you. It also recognizes multiple voices and labels them as it transcribes.

3. Navigational accessibility 

Accommodating church members with motor impairments that affect their ability to use a mouse or keyboard requires you to think through the accessibility of your site’s navigation.

• Ensure that your website can be navigated using a keyboard alone. This includes clear focus indicators for interactive elements and logical tab navigation.
• Avoid time-limited content. Graphics that move or change automatically can be problematic for some. Provide controls for users to pause, stop or hide moving content.

4. Cognitive accessibility: Simplifying complexity

Make your website easy to understand and navigate for individuals with different cognitive abilities. The key is to think about navigation in simple terms.

• Use a consistent layout and navigation structure throughout your website to avoid confusion.
• Use plain language and choose fonts that are easy to read to ensure your content is understandable to all users, including those with different learning abilities or who speak English as a second language.

Testing and continuous improvement

Developing an accessible website is an ongoing process. Regularly test it with a comprehensive online accessibility tool such as the WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool. It will show your website with an overlay pointing out where to improve your online accessibility. 

Ensure your online review process includes people with various abilities or those connected to these individuals. Having people on your team who can test your site first-hand for accessibility can be a game changer.

Inclusivity in church websites is not just a technical task; it reflects the core values of the church community. By maintaining an accessible website, you send a powerful message: everyone is welcome here. This commitment to inclusivity can extend beyond the digital realm, enhancing your church’s overall sense of community and belonging.

Remember, the journey to a fully accessible website is ongoing. It involves continuous learning, adapting and improving. By prioritizing accessibility, your church can become a digital beacon of inclusivity, reflecting the embracing nature of faith in every pixel.