Creating accessible surveys requires a range of factors to be considered. In this context, accessibility means that everyone – with or without disabilities – can complete a survey, regardless of their impairments or the technology available to them. LamaPoll makes it easy to create accessible online surveys that follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). Survey creators should nevertheless take several important points into account. The following sections explain what to consider when creating accessible surveys and which factors are particularly important.
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What does accessibility mean in the context of surveys?
Online surveys are accessible when they are also perceivable, understandable and operable for people with physical impairments. This means that the information must be easy to understand and that participants must be able to navigate and complete the survey using tools such as voice-recognition software. To make online surveys accessible, a range of factors must therefore be considered. For example, all information and controls must be designed so that they can be understood and used with screen readers and other assistive technologies. Participants must also be able to complete the survey using either a mouse or a keyboard. It should also be possible to use the survey independently of a particular input device, including without a mouse or keyboard.
Different versions of the questionnaire should also be provided to accommodate different impairments, so that participants with visual impairments, deaf participants and participants with limited literacy can all take part. The survey should not restrict screen orientation and should adapt dynamically to different screen sizes and widths. For people with disabilities in particular, being able to use a mobile device such as a smartphone or tablet in a specific orientation may be essential. Online surveys should therefore also be responsive as part of their accessibility.
Online surveys created with LamaPoll are responsive by default and display correctly on all common devices.
Assistive technologies are technical aids designed to support people with disabilities. Examples used with computers include screen readers, screen-magnification software and systems, Braille displays and specialised computer mice operated by buttons, head movements or the mouth.
Creating accessible online surveys: what to consider
Online survey content should always be clear and understandable to participants, while the questionnaire's layout and flow should be clear and well structured. Creating accessible surveys involves additional important considerations. Survey creators should take several further factors into account. For example, assistive technologies can make completion take considerably longer, potentially resulting in an unreasonable completion time. Test the questionnaire for this before launching it. Different types of impairment should also be considered throughout the survey design process. Use our checklist as a guide when creating accessible surveys.
Tips for creating accessible surveys:
Use strong colour contrast so that text is easier to read for participants with low visual acuity or colour vision deficiency. Make sure controls such as the Back and Next buttons and the Save for later link also have sufficient contrast, particularly when using background images. The contrast ratio should be at least 4.5:1. We recommend the online contrast checker provided by the German Federation of the Blind and Partially Sighted: Leserlich.info.
Add alternative text to graphics, images, logos and videos using alt attributes, captions or subtitles so that assistive technologies can read and interpret them. Always provide text alternatives for all visual elements and non-text content. For a company logo in an accessible survey, we recommend uploading the logo as an image in the questionnaire header or in a separate text block. In both cases, an alt attribute can be added to the image. Remember to translate the alternative text in multilingual surveys.
For videos with synchronised image and audio, provide both text-based captions and an alternative version with audio description. Alternatively, offer separate versions of the questionnaire with and without video or audio files.
Avoid graphics that serve no informational purpose, such as purely decorative graphics. If you retain decorative elements, give them an empty alt attribute so that screen readers ignore them.
Avoid text rendered as bitmap images, such as JPG, PNG or GIF files. These cannot be adapted, or can only be adapted to a limited extent, to user requirements such as colour and font size.
Structure your online questionnaire clearly, for example by using page headings that reflect the page structure and numbering questions to aid understanding. Avoid unnecessary layout elements and only use elements that are genuinely required.
Avoid complex matrix questions. They can be difficult to navigate using a screen reader.
Enlarge the asterisks used to identify mandatory questions. Clearly explain that the asterisk marks a mandatory question.
Explain the response requirements for each question, for example: “Please rate from 1 (= very unhappy) to 5 (= very happy).”
Label open-ended questions, such as input fields, clearly so that participants know what information they are expected to enter.
Ensure that information conveyed by differences in colour, for example in error messages, is also communicated in text.
Ensure that system error messages are easy for participants to understand and explain how to correct the error.
Use a sufficiently large font size for all text in the questionnaire. We recommend a font size of 15 or 16 pixels.
Check that text can be enlarged to up to 200% without any loss of content or functionality.
Use meaningful link text. Avoid linking words such as “here” on their own, as this does not make the context clear.
When linking to a file, such as a PDF, include a PDF or file icon with an alt attribute specifying the file format. Screen readers announce this alt text, providing additional orientation for people with visual impairments.
Provide the questionnaire in different versions so that participants with visual impairments, deaf participants and participants with limited literacy can all take part. A version with video or audio files can, for example, help people with limited literacy.
Label navigation buttons clearly and unambiguously. Use precise wording so that participants can tell which action each button will perform.
Avoid CAPTCHA questions. Image-based CAPTCHAs are not accessible because screen readers cannot interpret them.
Give participants enough time to read the content and navigate the survey. Allow them to pause the survey and continue at a later time.
Conduct a pretest. Before launching the survey, have suitable test participants review the questionnaire.
Invite participants by email and include the survey link, and/or share the survey link on your website or social media.
Accessible survey template
You can also use our accessible questionnaire template as a guide. Copy it to your LamaPoll account with one click and adapt it to your needs.
As a survey creator, many aspects of digital accessibility are within your control. Our Help Centre includes a checklist for accessible surveys: Creating accessible surveys.
CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) lets you customise the design and layout of your online questionnaire almost without restriction. Further information and examples of CSS commands are available in our Help Centre: Design features – CSS commands
What does WCAG mean, and who must comply with the guidelines?
- Perceivable: Information and interface components must be presented to users in ways they can perceive.
- Operable: Online content, including its navigation, must be operable.
- Understandable: Both the information and the operation of online content must be understandable.
- Robust: Content must be robust enough to be processed by the majority of commonly used web browsers and assistive technologies.
For more information about WCAG and how to make web content accessible to people with disabilities, see Aktion Mensch's introduction to WCAG and the World Wide Web Consortium's WCAG overview.
What is LamaPoll?
LamaPoll is a premium survey tool for creating your own online surveys. Whatever the context or objective – whether you are surveying employees or customers – you can create attractive, user-friendly questionnaires in your own design, fully optimised for every device. You retain full control over your data: it is stored on dedicated, certified servers located exclusively in Germany and is protected under the German Federal Data Protection Act, among other legislation.
Even with the free plan, you can create your own survey and collect responses from up to 50 participants, with results presented in clear charts and ready to download. Our Flexirates offer more features, greater convenience and higher participant limits. They can be cancelled monthly with a single click, so you only pay for as long as you need them.
Our questionnaire templates and online survey examples are, of course, available free of charge.
