Accessibility is not a final compliance check added after launch. It is a way of designing content and interactions so more people can understand, navigate and use them.
In this article
Start with structure people and technology can understand
Use headings in a logical order, descriptive page titles and meaningful link text. Structure helps screen-reader users navigate and makes long pages easier for everyone to scan.
Do not use visual size alone to imitate a heading. The underlying HTML needs to express the relationship between sections.
Make every action work without a mouse
Menus, forms, dialogs and controls should be reachable and usable with a keyboard. Focus must be visible, move in a sensible order and never become trapped.
Make information easier to perceive
Provide text alternatives for informative images, captions for relevant video and labels for form controls. Use sufficient colour contrast and avoid relying on colour alone to communicate status.
Alternative text should communicate the purpose of the image in context. Decorative images can use an empty alternative so they do not add noise.
Help people recover from errors
Form errors should identify the field, explain the problem in plain language and preserve information already entered. Instructions need to appear before the user makes the mistake where possible.
Clear content, predictable navigation and generous touch targets benefit people using small screens, speech input and assistive technology as well as people in a hurry.
Build accessibility into ordinary delivery
- Set a standard such as WCAG 2.2 AA
- Assign responsibility across content, design and development
- Test early with automated and manual methods
- Include disabled users where possible
- Track issues and retest after changes
W3C guidance treats accessibility as an ongoing cycle of planning, implementation and monitoring. The best small fix is the one that becomes part of the process.
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