Accessibility Basics

6 August – Ronald

Why Accessibility Matters

Accessibility ensures that digital products are usable by everyone, including individuals with visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive impairments. Implementing accessibility best practices not only broadens your audience but also enhances user experience and demonstrates a commitment to inclusivity.

Key Principles

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) offer a foundation for building accessible experiences. They’re based on four core principles, often remembered by the acronym POUR:

Perceivable: Users must be able to perceive the information being presented.
Operable: Users must be able to interact with the interface.
Understandable: Users must be able to understand the content and interface.
Robust: Content must work across different devices and assistive technologies.

Where to Start

You don’t have to solve everything at once. Start small. Focus on the most impactful and achievable changes first:

Use semantic HTML like <button>, <label>, and proper heading levels
Ensure good color contrast between text and backgrounds
Make everything usable with a keyboard
Don’t rely on color alone to communicate meaning
Add alt text for images and use ARIA attributes when needed

The W3C offers practical tips for getting started: w3.org/WAI/tips/designing.

Learn More

For a deeper dive, consider the free course Introduction to Web Accessibility from the W3C and edX. It’s beginner-friendly and covers both technical and human aspects of accessibility.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

As you work toward more accessible interfaces, it is helpful to be aware of common pitfalls:

Using custom elements that don’t work with screen readers or keyboard navigation
Missing or incorrect alt text on meaningful images
Links and buttons without clear labels (like “Click here” with no context)
Skipping heading levels, which disrupts the content structure
Modals or popups that trap focus or aren’t announced to screen readers

Many of these can be caught with basic testing: try navigating your interface using only the keyboard or with a screen reader turned on. If something doesn’t make sense or isn’t reachable, it needs attention.

Accessible products are better for everyone. They’re easier to use, work in more situations, and show that you care about all your users, not only the average ones.