Top 10 Drupal Accessibility Modules for your Next Project
Drupal has always prioritised accessibility and security across all the websites designed using this technology. Several modules allow developers to create a website accessible to its audience. This article will discuss some of the critical Drupal accessibility modules.
Several top brands are increasingly using Drupal to build complex websites. Drupal has always ensured that the websites are highly accessible. It helps the website visitors to navigate through the website without too many hassles. It is essential to point out that inaccessible websites have a high bounce rate that defeats why top brands modify their websites.
Popular Drupal Accessibility Modules Which Must be Consider
Accessibility Module
Websites must be accessible to users irrespective of technology preferences. The Accessibility module helps website and content developers. The module has a suite of tools that allows developers to confirm the accessibility of the website. However, the Security Advisory Policy does not apply to this module.
Developers can address the need for assessing accessibility issues through the various tests that the module offers. In addition, it helps to validate the content for any errors. The accessibility tests adhere to multiple guidelines like Section 508 and WCAG 2.0. It can also integrate with the CKEditor and WYSIWYG modules that help content creators by helping them in assessing the content for accessibility.
Style Switcher
This Drupal module allows the developers to add alternate stylesheets in the admin window. You can design themes with alternate stylesheets provided to the visitors in a list within a block. The visitor can choose the one that provides the optimal contrast levels. You can use the feature to address the problems faced by colour blind visitors readily. It uses cookies to visit the same style when they revisit the website.
Cheeseburger Menu Module
The module provides a variety of outstanding features for mobile and desktop screens. It works well on varied screen sizes too. Developers have the freedom to edit the menu titles and choose the menu items according to their needs. The module does not require advanced programming skills to operate.
There is a menu aggregator that covers several taxonomies and standard menus. The developers can create custom menus and provide custom colours too. Using Drupal Commerce, you can display the store phone number or the shopping cart in the menu.
Automatic Alternative Text
The module uses the Microsoft Azure Cognitive Services API to generate the alt text for any image automatically. It can provide several descriptions for a picture. The default language is English, but it can translate into several other languages. There is an API with algorithms to process the images and find information about them.
The module helps developers by generating an image description in an understandable language. It is based on various tags and can create more descriptions for each image. It is an ideal option for the visually impaired who use screen readers.
Menu Block
This Drupal accessibility module follows the traditional tree navigation style. But, if you are looking for additional features than the ones in the core Menu module, then it is the ideal module for you. For example, the module allows developers to configure blocks consisting of menu links quickly.
It can also specify the level you want to start or end. You can have any number of levels to be displayed. Developers can expand the child menu links too, and it can provide more configuration options by allowing you to root the menu tree to a specified menu.
CKEditor Accessibility Auditor
It runs through the click of a button on the CKEditor module. On clicking the button, the HTML_CodeSniffer Accessibility Auditor runs on the source code of the current content. The module provides the details of any specific error; the module shows the results in a modal. It also shows the success criteria, suggested techniques, and what had led to the error.
Monsido
It is among the critical Drupal web accessibility modules and helps in ensuring a combination of quality assurance, web governance and accessibility compliance. It would help if you remembered that the accessibility laws could vary across countries, and the module can validate the international standard WCAG 2.1. It can also find any prevailing SEO errors on the website. The module also suggests optimisation opportunities on the web pages scanned by it.
The website must be accessible by sections to ensure global accessibility compliance. This module helps scan the website for any accessibility issues. As a result, you can have a comprehensive overview of the website and receive recommendations addressing any accessibility issues.
Siteimprove
Developers and content creators can use the module to create high-quality content and enhance website traffic. It can also help measure digital performance. In addition, the insights provided can help in improving accessibility for website visitors.
Relevant personnel can use the analytics to fix, test, and optimise the website on an ongoing basis. When any issues are detected, the relevant page can be re-checked. You can also assess if further action is needed. As a result, the website will provide an online experience that is more efficient than before.
Footermap
Who wouldn’t wish to have a sitemap on their website that can make the accessibility of the website better? The module can provide a sitemap for your website. In addition, you can place the sitemap on the footer of the web pages and receive a few additional SEO brownie points.
The module will provide a menu display that is like several other websites. The module allows several configurations, caching and supports translation too. You can generate the sitemap dynamically. The developer can choose the menus, enable the menu headings, set the menu level limits, and edit the CSS to match the website layout.
Field Display Kit (FDK)
Among the essential Drupal web accessibility modules, it fine-tunes the rendering of any system field. If you enable the module, it can provide configurations for all fields on all the website entities. It can also work with the usually displayed fields or the Layout Builder.
The module supports changing the wrapper element of each field item and adding class and various other attributes to the wrapper. Developers can also benefit from changing the title of the field in each display. It also allows linking any of the field items. Developers can also change the wrapper element of the field. It helps to add classes and various other attributes to the wrapper.
Conclusion
Drupal has undergone several upgrades and has several modules that help developers design creative websites. With the websites becoming the prime mode of communication with the audience, developers must consider the accessibility aspect too. Drupal has several modules that specifically cater to this aspect.
Several Drupal modules can address the aspect of accessibility of websites. We have discussed some of the essential Drupal modules that can help to enhance accessibility and navigation for visitors. Content creators and developers can use the modules to address this critical aspect of website design.
