Digital accessibility in GIS is important to ensure that the data presented in maps and apps is accessible to everyone. By implementing digital accessibility across GIS content, technology barriers are reduced or eliminated for people with disabilities and information can be shared more effectively.
To support better digital accessibility in GIS, Esri provides several resources and recommends a selection of tools that can help to understand how to implement accessible content across ArcGIS.
Esri Accessibility resources
The Esri Accessibility team has worked hard to provide information and resources for our users. On these pages you will find articles, blogs, videos and links to helpful information about implementing accessibility in your work.
Latest Blogs
These are some of the most recent blogs on accessibility from Esri.
Esri Academy training
On Esri Academy, a learning plan dedicated to Digital Accessibility Fundamentals is now available with 2 seminars introducing the concept of digital accessibility and how it can be applied to GIS content.
Testing Tools
Testing for accessibility throughout the design and development process of a map or app is important to ensure that the published content is available to all users. Here are a few of the resources that were provided in the Accessibility Essentials for GIS and mapping session as well as mentioned in the demo theater presentations.
Disclaimer: Though these tools are commonly used across industries for testing, they have not been fully reviewed by Esri. Please review each tool prior to use to ensure it meets your organization's standards and policies.
Color filters and contrast
Color is an important aspect of GIS and mapping and it is important to ensure that the colors that are used have good contrast for individuals with a vision impairment. Here are some ways to test the use of color for contrast and clarity.
Screen readers and magnifiers
When using a screen reader or magnifier, it is important to note that some screen readers are best used in combination with specific operating system and/or browser combinations. Here are some of the combinations that can be used.
Automated testing tools
Automated testing tools provide the user with information on issues in accessibility that are present in the code or markup. However, testing with an automated testing tool may only catch about 30-40% of accessibility issues. Here are some of the more commonly used automated testing tools.
Friends of Esri
Some customers that we have worked with have shared their progress and resources on accessibility and made them publicly available for anyone working to improve accessibility. Here are some resources from our friends on accessibility in mapping.
If you have any additional resources to share, please feel free to leave them in the comments!
