Author: Sabrina Tirvengadum

  • Finding the most accessible font is easier than you might think!

    Finding the most accessible font is easier than you might think!

    Which fonts are easiest to read?

    Are you struggling to find an accessible font to ensure your content is inclusive? There’s a lot of discussion and disagreement about the best fonts for accessibility. Some fonts are easier to read than others, and there are a few good options. Here’s an example of a great font that we know is readable and accessible.

    It’s called Atkinson Hyperlegible. Applied Design Works designed the font in partnership with the Braille Institute.

    Atkinson Hyperlegible font is unique because it was designed to increase legibility. This is one of the reasons why it’s one of the best fonts for readability. And it’s free too!

    Atkinson Hyperlegible font

    Atkinson Hyperlegible

    Atkinson Hyperlegible is a sans-serif typeface. Read on to see how Atkinson Hyperlegible works and why it is so helpful. The font won Fast Company’s 2019 Innovation By Design Award.

    An accessible font for visually impaired readers 

    Low-vision readers can struggle with certain letters. Some numbers can also be hard to distinguish from each other. This typeface differentiates common misinterpreted letters & numbers using various design techniques.

    The letter and number B8 are shown in the Atkinson Hyperlegible font, and are then shown again blurred as they might be seen by someone with low vision.

    Recognisable footprint

    Character boundaries are clearly defined to ensure understanding across the visual spectrum.

    The characters 1Iil are shown in the Atkinson Hyperlegible font, and are then shown blurred as they might be seen by someone with low vision.

    Differentiated letterforms

    Similar letter pairs are differentiated from each other to increase legibility dramatically.

    The characters QGEFpqirO0 are shown in the Atkinson Hyperlegible font.

    Unambiguous characters

    Unambiguous characters increase legibility for people with low vision. Being dyslexic can also make it more difficult to read letters which are similar in shape. So this also makes Atkinson Hyperlegible one of the best fonts for dyslexic people.

    The characters ER79jr are shown in the Atkinson Hyperlegible font with another font behind it in a low opacity.

    Exaggerated forms

    These clarify potential misreadings.

    The characters Csa36 are shown in the Atkinson Hyperlegible font.

    Opened counterspace

    These define open spaces better.

    The characters aGbgrpqu are shown in the Atkinson Hyperlegible font.

    Angled spurs

    These increase recognition and define distinctive styles.

    The characters Ao8ij%?;,: are shown in the Atkinson Hyperlegible font.

    Circular details

    These link to the history of the Braille Institute and braille dots.

    So should you use this font for accessible design?

    Yes, we think so! The features outlined above help make the font one of the best fonts for visually impaired people. We recommend it for any of your publicity materials. This can include emails, website pages or social posts.

    You can see Atkinson Hyperlegible in use on our website. We find it particularly great for use in headings.

    Download the free font from Google fonts or from the Braille Institute.

    Find out more about what matters when it comes to accessible typography here and about the all-important question of font size here.

  • Inclusive design: “With great inclusion comes great design”

    Inclusive design: “With great inclusion comes great design”

    Accessibility and inclusion aren’t only about physical access to buildings and facilities. Inclusive design in digital spaces is crucial too. Many websites create barriers so disabled people cannot use them.

    We created a series of quotable posters for a community art competition by Wiilma. We want the posters to start conversations about accessibility in the digital world.

    There are lots of ways that we can design digital spaces to remove barriers that cause exclusion. And by creating with inclusion in mind, design becomes more valuable. Our contribution can be much greater, and celebrating differences can bring us together.

    A grey/green poster design with text reading "Digital spaces can exclude".

    A red poster design with text reading "With great inclusion comes great design".
    A blue poster design with the words "Being different shouldn't divide us".
    A golden brown poster design with text reading "The internet is for everyone".
    A purple poster design with the words: "we're all human".

    Just as great power needs responsibility, great inclusion comes with great design. Design can be that much greater when it’s inclusive.

    The power of inclusive design

    A vegetable peeler that’s designed for someone with arthritis will be beneficial to all. The same goes for digital design. If we design for disabled people, our designs will be easier for everyone to use. And our design work will be that much greater for it.

    We think Peter Parker would agree. Do you?

    The internet should be accessible to all. At we’re all human we help creators, businesses and organisations use inclusive design. Join us to get tips and resources to make your digital presence accessible. Find out more on our Patreon page.

  • You are so RUDE!

    You are so RUDE!

    In this post, we’re all human’s Sabrina Tirvengadum reflects on her experience. Growing up hard of hearing/deaf leads many people to make unfair assumptions.

    A snapshot of the character Fry from Futurama. He is looking annoyed and squinting .

    I wouldn’t consider myself a mean person, but I have been told on a number of occasions that I was/am rude, getting told off for ignoring someone or even for not blinking when I’m looking at their face (basically for staring). I can be rude to others, no doubt about that.

    But what can you do when you have the skill to be rude by accident? There’s an awkwardness and a strange sense of guilt. I would always find myself asking the same questions:

    How can I fix this? 

    Should I tell them?

    Would they understand I am hard of hearing?

    When I was in my teens, I would turn rouge if I didn’t quite hear what the guy I fancied said. The uncontrollable blushing would come through with my brown skin and it didn’t matter how much Sleek foundation I bought, there was no hiding it!

    Even in the classrooms, the fear wasn’t about whether I knew the answer, but more of the embarrassment that I didn’t quite know what they were asking me. 

    I recently came back from a visit to Singapore. I couldn’t wear my hearing aid out there; sounds were magnified so much that I wouldn’t be able to hear anyone, so I didn’t wear it. But I still couldn’t hear, and I felt like people would think I was patronising them, mocking their accent on their land. 

    Pardon?” 

    “What?” 

    “Can you say that again?” 

    Should I say something or pretend I understand when they know I don’t?

    The assumptions are there and you can’t shake them off because the response would always be, “why don’t you just wear your hearing aid then…? It’s rude!” 

    How do you explain to someone that you just can’t hear? Not long ago I met Lisa Kelly, poet and author of A Map Towards Fluency. It was the first time I met someone deaf like me who shared similar stories.

    It was the first time I didn’t feel alone, didn’t question myself and felt understood. Her advice was to just tell them from the beginning. So here I am, trying to be proud, trying to be brave. 

    “Hey everyone, I’m not rude, I’m just deaf.”

  • Introduction to Web Accessibility by W3C

    This course teaches web accessibility foundations, covering international standards, assistive technologies, business benefits, and W3C resources. It’s designed for developers, designers, content authors, project managers, and people with disabilities, with optional materials available for deeper learning.

    Sign up for the Introduction to Web Accessibility course by W3C

  • Accessibility fundamentals by Microsoft

    The Microsoft accessibility course has three modules that cover different aspects of accessibility. The first introduces core accessibility concepts, the second highlights accessibility features in Microsoft products, and the third shows how to create accessible content with Microsoft 365.

    Sign up for the Accessibility fundamentals course by Microsoft

  • Web Accessibility by Google

    This course teaches how to create accessible web applications, covering topics like screen reader compatibility, input focus, semantics, ARIA markup, and styling for partial vision.

    Sign up for the Web Accessibility course by Google

  • Microsoft Ability Summit 2020

    The 10th Microsoft Ability Summit brought disabled people & allies together to empower inclusion & accessibility. This was the first Microsoft Ability Summit to be virtual.

  • Inclusive design: Designing for deaf people helps everyone

    Marie van Driessche discusses the need to understand disabilities as mismatched human interactions, rather than as an individual’s health conditions.

  • When we design for disability, we all benefit

    Elise Roy explains that the energy put into designing for & by people with disabilities can benefit all of us. We shouldn’t just tolerate difference, we should embrace it.

  • Accessibility with Marcy Sutton

    Marcy Sutton discusses the importance of including people with disabilities as stakeholders in building an accessible internet. She talks about what is at stake when we do not use accessibility.