TL;DR
Web Accessibility is designing websites accessible to all users, including people with disabilities. WCAG 2.1 is accessibility standard. Accessible sites have better SEO, higher conversion and are legally compliant. Here's how to implement accessibility in 2026.
Who this is for
- Companies building websites
- Developers and designers
- Business owners wanting to reach larger user group
Keyword (SEO)
web accessibility, wcag, website accessibility, accessible design, inclusive design
What is accessibility?
Web Accessibility is designing websites accessible to:
- People with visual disabilities (screen readers)
- People with hearing disabilities (captions, transcripts)
- People with motor disabilities (keyboard, voice control)
- People with cognitive disabilities (simple language, structure)
WCAG 2.1 is accessibility standard with 3 levels:
- A (minimum) – basic requirements
- AA (recommended) – standard for most sites
- AAA (maximum) – highest level
Legal requirements
European Union
European Accessibility Act:
- Mandatory from 2025
- All e-commerce sites
- WCAG 2.1 level AA
USA
ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act):
- Mandatory for companies
- WCAG 2.1 level AA
- Lawsuit risk
Other countries
- UK: Equality Act 2010
- Canada: AODA
- Australia: DDA
Business benefits
1. Larger audience
Statistics:
- 15% of population has disability
- 1 billion users globally
- Larger market = more conversion
2. Better SEO
Google prefers accessible sites:
- Semantic HTML
- Alt text for images
- Heading structure
- Fast loading
3. Better UX for everyone
Benefits:
- Simpler navigation
- More readable text
- Better contrasts
- Faster loading
WCAG 2.1 – main principles
1. Perceivable
Images:
- Alt text for all images
- Descriptions for complex charts
- Decorative images: alt=""
Contrast:
- Text: 4.5:1 (AA), 7:1 (AAA)
- Large text: 3:1 (AA)
- Interactive elements: 3:1
Multimedia:
- Captions for video
- Transcripts for audio
- Audio descriptions for video
2. Operable
Keyboard navigation:
- All functions accessible with keyboard
- Visible focus indicator
- Logical tab order
Time:
- No time limits (or ability to extend)
- Ability to pause/stop animations
Seizures:
- No flashing elements (3 times/second)
3. Understandable
Language:
- Language declaration (lang attribute)
- Simple language
- Abbreviation explanations
Navigation:
- Consistent navigation
- Predictable links
- Error messages
Forms:
- Labels for fields
- Error messages
- Filling instructions
4. Robust
Code:
- Valid HTML
- Semantic tags
- ARIA attributes (when needed)
Compatibility:
- Works with screen readers
- Works with different browsers
- Works with assistive technologies
Implementation
1. Semantic HTML
Good:
<header>
<nav>
<ul>
<li><a href="/">Home</a></li>
</ul>
</nav>
</header>
<main>
<article>
<h1>Title</h1>
<p>Content...</p>
</article>
</main>
<footer>Footer</footer>
Bad:
<div class="header">
<div class="nav">
<div class="link">Home</div>
</div>
</div>
2. Alt text for images
Good:
<img src="logo.png" alt="DevStudio.it - Company logo">
<img src="decorative.png" alt="">
Bad:
<img src="logo.png">
<img src="chart.png" alt="Chart">
3. ARIA attributes
When needed:
<button aria-label="Close menu">
<span aria-hidden="true">×</span>
</button>
<div role="alert" aria-live="polite">
Message sent
</div>
4. Contrasts
Tools:
- WebAIM Contrast Checker
- Chrome DevTools (Lighthouse)
- axe DevTools
Example:
- Black text (#000) on white (#FFF): 21:1 ✓
- Gray text (#666) on white (#FFF): 5.7:1 ✓
- Gray text (#999) on white (#FFF): 2.3:1 ✗
5. Keyboard navigation
Test:
- Tab – navigate through elements
- Enter/Space – activate
- Escape – close modals
- Arrows – navigate in menu
Accessibility testing
1. Automated tests
Tools:
- axe DevTools
- WAVE (Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool)
- Lighthouse (Chrome DevTools)
- Pa11y
2. Manual tests
Screen readers:
- NVDA (Windows, free)
- JAWS (Windows, paid)
- VoiceOver (macOS/iOS, built-in)
Keyboard navigation:
- Test without mouse
- Check focus indicator
- Check tab order
3. User testing
Best approach:
- Tests with people with disabilities
- User feedback
- Iterative improvements
Accessibility checklist
Basic:
- Semantic HTML
- Alt text for images
- Contrasts 4.5:1 (text)
- Keyboard navigation
- Language declaration
- Form labels
- Headings H1-H6
- Descriptive link text
Advanced:
- ARIA attributes (when needed)
- Skip links
- Focus management
- Video captions
- Audio transcripts
FAQ
Is accessibility mandatory?
For public institutions yes. For private companies not, but lawsuit risk (USA) and customer loss. Recommended for everyone.
How much does accessibility implementation cost?
For new site: minimal overhead (10-20% time). For existing: 2-4 weeks work (depending on size).
Does accessibility affect design?
May require compromises, but accessible design can be beautiful. Example: Apple, Microsoft – accessible and aesthetic.