In recent years there has been a demand for a website to be more assessable and user-friendly. Due to the rise in Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title III lawsuits, it is becoming more important than ever for web developers and designers to understand and know what it is and how to implement these practices. To help users accomplish tasks in technology, designers must start adopting a usability perspective. The goal of website accessibility is to be sure that those who need to use assistive technology can complete said tasks, whereas usability seeks to deliver quality, effective experiences for all users.
Let us break these down a bit further.
Accessibility ensures that assistive technology, such as a text reader, can access the code that drives a website. The goal is that a website is usable by all people of all abilities. The website must be perceivable, understandable, easy to navigate, and interact with.
On the other hand, usability relates more to the technical side of a website. This has more to do with the quality of a user's experience. This takes into serious consideration how users with impairments can accomplish the task at hand. Many accessibility guidelines are written for those with disabilities and impairments but can improve anyone's user experience.
Be sure to visit the other pages to learn more about how Accessibility and Usability will help web developers and designers alike reach more of an audience.