Web Accessibility: A Step-By-Step Guide

OVERVIEW

Web accessibility is the practice integrated into the software development process that involves designing websites or web apps to ensure they are accessible to all users. This process allows everyone, including users with visual and cognitive impairments, to access the website or web application without any challenges.

According to WebAIM, some common accessibility issues found by impaired users are hard-to-read text (84% of pages), missing descriptions for images (58%), links that don't work (50%), and missing buttons on forms (46%). Therefore, to ensure a seamless user experience, developers must keep accessibility in mind while developing websites and web applications.

What Is Web Accessibility?

Web accessibility is the practice that ensures websites and web apps can be accessed by all groups of people regardless of their impairment. In simple terms, web accessibility is the way or process of developing websites or web applications that can be usable by all users.

Websites designed to make their content accessible might include alt-text to the image, proper keyboard navigation, good color contrast, etc. A common example of website accessibility is using high-contrast colors for the text and background so that people with visual limitations can either read the text or use a screen reader. Having lighter text - such as a light gray - on a lighter background can make reading hard.

Here are some examples of accessible websites that you can refer to while developing your websites:

• W3C: The website of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is a prime example of web accessibility. It features well-organized HTML that helps with screen reader navigation, ample color contrast for visual clarity, and language that is straightforward to understand. A focus indicator enhances usability by showing which element is active, making the site a benchmark for accessibility standards.
• The Cram Foundation: As an organization serving people with disabilities, the Cram Foundation’s website is naturally WCAG-compliant. The site combines accessibility features like high color contrast and clear navigation paths with a visually attractive design, making it functional and engaging for all users.
• Unilever: With a global reach, Unilever emphasizes making its website accessible to everyone, detailing this commitment on a dedicated accessibility page. The site supports various assistive technologies and exceeds WCAG standards in aspects like color contrast, navigation, and content accessibility, catering to its diverse customer base.

Why Is Web Accessibility Important?

The primary aim of web accessibility is to create a website where individuals (with or without impairments) can access the website without any hindrance. Let’s look at why web accessibility is important:

• Inclusivity: Accessibility ensures that everyone, regardless of their physical or cognitive abilities, can access and use the Internet. This includes people with visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive impairments.
• Legal compliance: Many countries have laws and regulations that require digital content to be accessible. For instance, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in the U.S. and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) in Canada mandate that web content be accessible to people with disabilities.
• Expanded audience reach: By making web content accessible, organizations can reach a wider audience. This broader inclusivity can lead to increased engagement and customer base.
• Improved usability: Web accessibility principles often enhance overall user experience and usability for everyone. Features designed for accessibility, such as clear navigation and readable fonts, make a site easier to use, improving the satisfaction of all users.
• Corporate social responsibility: Emphasizing accessibility demonstrates a commitment to corporate social responsibility. It shows that a business cares about community values and is committed to ethical practices by supporting the rights of all individuals to access information and services.

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Web Accessibility Standards and Principles

Currently, there are two versions of WCAG in use: WCAG 2.0 and WCAG 2.1. WCAG 2.0 was released in 2008 and became an ISO standard in 2012, while WCAG 2.1, which includes all the criteria from 2.0 along with some additional ones, was introduced in 2018.

Despite the new additions, the guidelines are designed to be backward-compatible, meaning content that meets WCAG 2.1 standards also adheres to WCAG 2.0.

WCAG outlines three levels of accessibility conformance:

• Level A: The essential requirements for basic accessibility features. Websites that do not meet this level are considered inaccessible.
• Level AA: This level targets more prevalent accessibility obstacles and is the standard most websites aim to meet. It ensures significant barriers are removed.
• Level AAA: This represents the highest accessibility standard under WCAG and is challenging for most sites to achieve. While reaching this level is ideal, it is optional.

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) also provide a structure for improving web content accessibility for individuals with disabilities. These principles, known as POUR, are crucial for developing a universally accessible website and are based on four key guidelines.

• Perceivable: Information and elements of the user interface should be displayed in a manner that is accessible to all users.

For example, giving alternative text for pictures. Alt text enables visually impaired individuals using screen readers to comprehend the content and meaning of images, ensuring accessibility of visual content.

• Operable: The user interface components and navigation must be usable by all individuals. For example, keyboard navigation. Every interactive feature, such as links, buttons, and form fields, must be operable via a keyboard to accommodate users unable to use a mouse.
• Understandable: Clear information and user interface operation must be comprehensible. This involves ensuring that text is easy to read and understand and that websites display and function consistently.

For example, making use of uniform navigation menus. Maintaining consistent navigation menus throughout a website assists users with cognitive impairments in learning and retaining navigation methods.

• Robust: Content needs to be strong enough to be consistently understood by a broad range of tools, such as assistive technologies. This involves ensuring that the user tools currently being used and those used in the future can work together.

By integrating these principles into web design, you can create more accessible and inclusive digital environments. Each principle is essential in making the web a space for everyone, regardless of their abilities.

Web Accessibility Components

Web accessibility includes all facets of a website. Each element of the website should be interconnected and supportive of one another to establish a functional and inclusive site for individuals with disabilities.

These elements include:

• Content: It comprises the textual content, images, audio elements, and any underlying code, scripts, or markup that define the structure and presentation of the website.
• User Agents: They include web browsers, mobile browsers, media players, plugins, and assistive technologies, among other software, facilitating user interaction.
• Authoring tools: They include software for creating websites, such as code editors, content management systems, and blogging platforms.
• Accessibility tools: They help evaluate the effectiveness of accessibility features and monitor efforts to address accessibility issues.

How to Make Websites Accessible?

Understanding how various disabilities can hinder a person’s ability to access, navigate, or comprehend Internet content, here are different strategies for building or enhancing an accessible website:

• Incorporate captions and text transcripts: To make the website accessible, you need to ensure all audio content, such as video soundtracks, is available in alternative formats like closed captions, transcripts, or sign-language interpretation. This assists users with auditory impairments and those who prefer reading.
• Maintain proper color contrast ratios: Adhere to WCAG 2.2 recommended contrast ratio of 4.5:1 for text against background colors or images. You can ensure this by using contrast checkers. You can also follow this guide on accessibility colors to learn more about choosing them wisely.
• Eliminate flickering content: Remove any flickering content, as it may trigger seizures for people with disabilities and cause distractions. This enhances focus and ensures the content's purpose is clear.
• Structure content using headings: Establish web page structure and ensure readability for assistive reading technologies by following the correct hierarchy, starting with a title, then H1, H2, and so forth, for subheadings.
• Provide image alt text: Always include descriptive alt text for images to assist screen readers and improve search engine optimization. Alt text conveys image content to users who cannot view images.
• Label and title forms appropriately: Clearly label form fields, enabling easy navigation and completion for users. Ensure tabbing functionality for seamless form interaction.
• Offer diverse CAPTCHA options: Consider alternative spam prevention methods to ensure accessibility instead of traditional CAPTCHA. Implement PHP code for spam detection and field validation to maintain accessibility standards.
• Optimize the keyboard navigation: Make your website navigable via keyboard alone to accommodate users who cannot use a mouse. Ensure all page elements and navigation are accessible via keyboard commands.
• Extend time for data inputs: Allow additional time for form completion to accommodate users with disabilities. Implement notifications and extensions to prevent timeouts and ensure user satisfaction.
• Avoid complex table layouts: Minimize the use of tables for content layout, as screen readers may misinterpret content order. Clearly label all table columns and rows when necessary.
• Use descriptive link text: Provide clear context within link text to convey its purpose to screen reader users. Avoid vague link labels like "click here" and use descriptive phrases.
• Include skip links: Incorporate skip links to facilitate navigation for keyboard-only users and screen reader users. These links allow users to skip to specific sections of the web page easily. It mainly appears at the beginning of the page and acts like a table of contents.
• Offer multiple contact options: Provide various contact methods to accommodate diverse user preferences. Include options like phone, email, text, or live chat for enhanced accessibility.
• Continuously test and improve accessibility: You should regularly evaluate your website for accessibility compliance using automated and manual testing methods. You need to stay informed about advancing accessibility guidelines and regulations to ensure ongoing compliance.

How to Test Website Accessibility?

When you have implemented all the key attributes to ensure web accessibility, it is time to review those and test whether they comply with regular standards and guidelines.

To test your website for accessibility, follow these steps:

• Validate your HTML: Ensure your HTML code is clean and standards-compliant to avoid rendering issues.
• Validate for accessibility: Use accessibility testing tools to check against accessibility standards, such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines.
• Check for keyboard accessibility: Make sure all navigation and interactive elements work with keyboard-only inputs.
• Test with a screen reader: Use screen reading tools to check how your site is presented to visually impaired users.
• Check for WCAG compliance: Verify that your site meets all relevant WCAG criteria.
• Conduct user testing: Have real users with disabilities test your website to identify practical issues.
• Repeat the process: Continually test and update the accessibility of your site to improve.

Web Accessibility Testing Tools

There are different tools available to test web accessibility. Let’s look into this in detail:

• LambdaTest: LambdaTest is an AI-powered testing platform that lets developers and testers perform accessibility testing.

To test web accessibility, it offers Accessibility DevTools for Chrome to build and test accessible web applications effortlessly. You can incorporate it into your process with all the essential tools and functionalities to identify, resolve, and ensure that your web project upholds accessible standards.

Also, you can automate accessibility testing using the LambdaTest Accessibility Automation platform.


• Evinced: Evinced is a web accessibility testing tool that integrates web accessibility seamlessly into your software development process, ensuring constant awareness of accessibility compliance and its impact on your website.
• Tota11y: Tota11y is an accessibility visualization toolkit that allows users to identify and address accessibility violations while learning best practices, even without prior knowledge. Implemented as a single JavaScript file, Tota11y adds a small button to the bottom corner of a document or web page.
• Tenon: Tenon is an API-first, automated accessibility testing tool with a rapid remediation service. Its primary goal is to ensure equal access to your website for all users by identifying and addressing accessibility issues during testing.
• TPGi: TPGi offers a complimentary WCAG scan to provide a general overview of your website's accessibility status. Additionally, it provides a comprehensive audit service that evaluates multiple templates across your website for accessibility compliance.

Best Practices to Ensure Web Accessibility

Here are the best practices that should be followed for maintaining web accessibility to avoid any accessibility issues:

• Integrate accessibility throughout the organization: Management is responsible for an organization’s website or app accessibility, but many other employees and stakeholders contribute to ensuring web accessibility. Accessibility should be a priority across the organization, influencing every decision.
• Automate testing when possible: Ensure you have a centralized testing tool that aligns with your release strategy. Develop test cases for the most critical user flows and save all the code for team review and solution-finding.
• Perform screen reader testing after every release: The best way to confirm that a site is usable by users with disabilities is to test releases with assistive technology like screen readers, similar to how you test website designs on desktop and mobile devices. Screen reader accessibility testing can cover many use cases.
• Train your team on accessibility: Accessibility requires a team effort. From the CEO to interns, everyone must understand and support the project for it to succeed. Employees should be as vigilant about accessibility as they are about digital security.
• Perform annual audits and user testing: After your newly accessible website or app goes live, consider an annual cycle of third-party verification that includes at least one audit by accessibility experts and one round of user testing with professional testers with disabilities.

Conclusion

Web accessibility is a crucial concept in development that ensures the accessibility of the content of the website to all users regardless of their disabilities. Here, the users with disabilities engage and interact with the web like other general users.

Having an accessible website or application shows the organization’s commitment to inclusivity, improves user experience, and targets to reach a larger audience. For this, the organization must prioritize accessibility early in the website development process.