Why Accessibility Isn't Optional Anymore: Making the Web Work for Everyone

Subtitle: Discover how to get your website into compliance with accessibility legislation and regulation — and why it's a win-win for inclusivity and your bottom line.

"If your website isn't available to everyone, is it complete?"

I remember well when a client called me frantic. They'd received a demand letter for failure to comply with accessibility standards on their eCommerce website. They didn't know that small oversights like missing alt text, poor contrast, and inaccessible forms were putting them in legal peril — and leaving out an entire user demographic.

The truth is, digital accessibility is no longer an option. It's a requirement.

Let's take a look at what accessibility means for today's web developers, why it's more crucial than ever, and how you can get up to speed while improving user experience for everyone.

What Is Web Accessibility?
Web accessibility is designing and developing websites so that people with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with the web. This encompasses users with visual, auditory, cognitive, neurological, or physical impairments.

It's guided by standards like:

WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) – a global standard.

ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) – U.S. law mandating accessible public spaces, including websites.

Section 508 – for federal agencies and contractors in the U.S.

EN 301 549 – The European standard for ICT accessibility.

Why Care?

1. It's the Law
   Accessibility is law in most countries now, and lawsuits for non-compliant sites are on the rise. Alone in the United States, thousands of ADA cases are filed yearly. One misstep out of compliance can cost you tens of thousands in settlements or worse—your reputation.

2. It Expands Your Audience
   Over 1 billion individuals across the globe have a disability. Making your website inclusive is an invitation to more users—and, maybe, customers.

3. It Improves SEO and UX
   Accessible websites are better optimized for search engines. Semantic HTML code, descriptive alt text, and structured content all assist screen readers and search bots.

4. It Reflects Good Ethics and Brand Values
   Today's customers value inclusive brands. Accessibility says that you care.

Common Accessibility Issues (and How to Fix Them)
This is what I usually find in legacy and modern websites, respectively:

1. Missing Alternative Text
   Solution: Provide descriptive alt text for every image. Don't write "image of…"—describe the content and context instead.

2. Poor Color Contrast
   Solution: Use software like WebAIM Contrast Checker to get a 4.5:1 contrast ratio for text.

3. Inaccessible Forms
   Solution: Label each input field clearly and programmatically with <label for= ... and id.

4. Incomplete Keyboard Navigation
   Fix: Make sure all the components (menus, buttons, forms) can be accessed with the keyboard only.

5. Lack of ARIA Landmarks
   Fix: Employ ARIA roles (e.g., role="main", role="navigation") to signal assistive technology about your page structure.

How to Make Your Website Accessible

1. Start with Semantic HTML

1. Use ARIA Where Necessary
   ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) attributes offer a means of describing purpose and state for complex elements—but use them judiciously.

2. Use Skip Navigation Links
   These allow users to bypass repetitive navigation and proceed to the main content.

3. Caption and Transcribe Media
   Make all audio and video content accessible to the hearing impaired.

4. Test With Real Tools
   Use:

Lighthouse (Chrome DevTools)

WAVE

NVDA (Windows) or VoiceOver (Mac) screen readers

Final Thoughts
Creating an usable website isn't the coder's alone—it's all of our responsibility in design, content, and code. And yeah, it may take some time to retro-fit older sites or change your game plan, but the payoff is enormous.

So sit back for a minute and ask yourself: Is my site actually accessible?

Not? Well, now's a good time to start.

Let's make the web work for all of us.
Have you made your site accessible? What tools or strategies helped you most? Share your thoughts in the comments.