What is Accessibility?

Accessibility ensures that people of all abilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with the web. It goes beyond compliance—it creates inclusive experiences for users with visual, auditory, motor, and cognitive impairments.

Four Principles (POUR)

Perceivable

Content must be presented in ways users can perceive. Provide text alternatives, captions, and sufficient contrast.

Operable

All functionality must be operable via keyboard, voice, or assistive devices. Avoid time‑limited actions unless essential.

Understandable

Make text readable and predictable. Use clear language, headings, and focus indicators.

Robust

Ensure compatibility with current and future user agents, including screen readers.

WCAG Overview

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are organized into three conformance levels:

• A – Minimum level
• AA – Mid level (most legal requirements)
• AAA – Highest level

Each guideline has testable success criteria. Aim for AA compliance for most projects.

Best Practices

• Use semantic HTML elements (header, nav, main, article, footer).
• Provide alt text for all images.
• Ensure sufficient color contrast (≥4.5:1 for normal text).
• Make interactive elements keyboard‑focusable and provide visible focus styles.
• Label form controls with <label> elements.
• Use ARIA only when native HTML cannot convey the meaning.
• Test with screen readers (NVDA, VoiceOver) and automated tools (axe, Lighthouse).

Additional Resources

• W3C Web Accessibility Initiative
• WebAIM
• MDN Accessibility Docs