Webagentur lilac-media | Webdesign und Programmierung
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Author: with the help of ChatGPT | Reading time approximately: 6 min | last modified: 18.08.2025
The LILAC-media Accessibility Panel: For an Inclusive and Barrier-Free Website
Designing an accessible homepage means creating a website that can be used fully by everyone – including those with disabilities. Accessibility, web accessibility, and inclusion are central aspects to removing digital barriers.
For all pages we create with the LILAC-CMS, we emphasize the four core principles: Perceivability, Operability, Understandability, and Robustness. Additionally, we have developed the Accessibility Control Panel to improve user friendliness of accessible websites through various assistive technologies and to promote accessible design.
Features of an Accessible Homepage: Accessibility and Usability
Perceivability
Our designs consistently offer good color contrast, ensuring content is clearly visible on every screen. Furthermore, we provide meaningful alternative texts for all image-based and visual elements to ensure accessibility for screen readers, braille displays, and other assistive technologies.
Operability
All our pages can be operated entirely via keyboard—no mouse is required. Interactive elements are clearly labeled and receive a visible focus when selected. We also deliberately avoid flashing content and unnecessary animations that could trigger epileptic seizures. If animations are necessary, we ensure all information remains accessible through alternative methods.
Understandability
We structure content clearly and logically by organizing it with meaningful headings and paragraphs. We develop texts in close collaboration with our clients to guarantee maximum comprehensibility.
For each page, a version in Easy Language can also be created to improve accessibility for people with learning and reading difficulties.
Robustness
We create clean, standards-compliant HTML code that can be processed easily by all browsers and assistive technologies. By using targeted ARIA attributes, we enhance the accessibility of individual elements. Through responsive design, we ensure our websites display optimally on all devices.
Easy Language
Easy Language is a special type of language designed to make content understandable and accessible for people with learning difficulties, intellectual disabilities, or limited German skills. It features short sentences, simple words, clear structures, and easy-to-understand expressions. Complex terms are avoided or explained to prevent misunderstandings and to make content accessible.
The goal of Easy Language is to enable as many people as possible to access important information—whether at government agencies, in care, health information, or public communication. It promotes inclusion and fosters equal rights by making social participation easier for people with diverse abilities.
Why is Easy Language so important? Because it allows people to make informed decisions, access information, and participate in society independently. It helps to reduce prejudices and promote an inclusive society. Using Easy Language increases transparency and makes communication understandable for everyone.
The Lilac-CMS includes a feature that creates a barrier-free version of each content in "Easy Language." The feature allows marking when an Easy Language version is available and provides an easy way to make this version visible to users. This increases digital accessibility and improves user experience for people with learning difficulties.
The Lilac Accessibility Panel: For Barrier-Free Operation and Navigation
Operation
The Accessibility Control Panel is accessible via keyboard and mouse. To open the panel, press the TAB key. A simple click on the icon in the lower left corner is enough to activate it with the mouse. The panel offers a selection of entries that enable quick access to different areas of the page. Additional assistive functions can also be activated.
Keyboard Navigation
The Accessibility Settings Panel can be activated by pressing the TAB key. Inside, you will find functions that enable navigation to various sections of the current page and links to other parts of the website.
Accessible Menu: Displays the full website menu, which you can navigate using the TAB key.
Jump to Content: Moves directly to the beginning of the main content area, skipping the header where general info is often located.
Show Content Elements: Displays when the page content is divided into multiple blocks via headings. It allows jumping directly to desired sections on long pages.
Jump to Footer: Scrolls to the bottom of the page where address, key information, and links to other important homepage sections are often located.
Search: Enter a search term here to browse the site.
Assistive Functions
Our websites offer the possibility to activate various features that may be helpful for visually impaired users:
Low Vision Mode: Increases contrast between text and background. Text is displayed in yellow on a black background.
Night Mode: Sets background color to black and hides background images. Text is displayed in white.
Hide Images: Removes all images to reduce distractions.
Enlarge Mouse Cursor: Shows the mouse pointer at twice its normal size.
Activate Readable Font: Removes decorative fonts and uses a simple sans-serif font instead.
Highlight Headings: First and second level headings (H1 and H2) are displayed with black text on a yellow background.
Highlight Hyperlinks: All links and clickable elements are shown with black text on a yellow background.
For more information on website accessibility, see our blog post on this topic.