What is accessibility in digital?

What we will cover

• What does accessibility mean?
• Why is accessibility important?
• Where is accessibility implemented on the web?
• How to implement accessibility effectively?
• How to measure website accessibility?
• The requirements of WCAG accessibility
• How to do an accessibility audit?
• What tools can help me test the accessibility of my website?
• How to Bulk Populate Alt Text in WordPress Using AI?
• Best WordPress accessibility plugins
• Examples of assistive tools in accessibility?
• What are the challenges with implementing accessibility?
• The future of accessibility
• Who monitors accessibility regulations in the uk?
• What is the European accessibility act?
• It’s not just for the web!

What does digital accessibility mean?

Accessibility refers to designing and developing digital content, websites, and applications in a way that allows everyone, including people with disabilities, to access, understand, and interact with them effectively. 

It is the process of removing barriers so that individuals with visual, auditory, cognitive, or physical impairments can use digital services just as easily as anyone else.

Most applications are not accessible out of the box; they require thoughtful structuring, proper tagging, and optimisation to ensure content is navigable for all.

Why is website accessibility important?

While we naturally design physical spaces to be accessible with ramps, lifts, and clear signage, we often overlook that the same principles apply digitally. 

Just as we wouldn’t expect someone to navigate a building with obstacles, we shouldn’t create digital experiences that exclude users due to poor structure, unclear navigation, or inaccessible content.

Website accessibility: 

• Promotes inclusivity, ensuring equal access to information and services.
• Improves usability for all users, including those with temporary impairments (e.g., a broken arm, bright sunlight affecting screen visibility).
• Helps businesses comply with legal standards, such as the Equality Act 2010 (UK) and WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines).
• Provides a better user experience (UX), Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) benefits, and increased audience reach.

Accessibility is often misunderstood as expensive, complicated, or only beneficial for a small group of users, but these are common misconceptions. In reality, accessibility enhances usability for everyone, often at minimal extra cost if integrated from the beginning.

Where is accessibility implemented on the web?

Often driven by legal, ethical, and user-experience considerations. Some examples include:

Government & Public Sector Websites

Legally required to meet accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG 2.1 AA in the UK) to ensure all citizens, including those with disabilities, can access essential services.

Charities & Non-Profits

Often prioritise accessibility to reach diverse audiences, including vulnerable groups who may rely on assistive technologies.

Purpose-Driven & Ethical Organisations

Businesses and social enterprises committed to inclusivity integrate accessibility as part of their ethical approach.

Educational Institutions

Schools, universities, and online learning platforms aim to provide equitable access to students with diverse needs.

Corporate & Commercial Sites

Increasingly adopting accessibility best practices to improve usability, reach a broader audience, and comply with regulations.

While accessibility is best implemented from the start, this can sometimes be challenging to prioirtise and many organisations retrofit their websites to become compliant. 

The issue with retrofitting accessibility is that it often disrupts existing UX decisions, leading to compromises in design, navigation, or functionality. 

When accessibility is an afterthought, it can force redesigns that feel clunky or disjointed.

How to implement accessibility effectively?

To implement accessibility effectively, we believe it should be considered from the start. If you’re preparing a tender or project brief, take the time to think about your audience and their needs.

Working with your agency to understand and integrate WCAG standards into the planning and design stages will ensure a better user experience and aesthetic.

Likewise, during development, using good practice HTML tags the first time around can save time and money and catch any gotchas early on.

Automated testing tools like WAVE and Axe (some more of those later) can help catch common issues, but manual user testing with real users is the pinnacle of effective implementation. 

And shifting mindset that accessibility isn’t a tick box or one-time fix, it requires continuous iteration to adapt to changing content, evolving technologies and user needs.

How to measure website accessibility?

To measure website accessibility effectively, it’s essential to assess compliance with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), which are structured into three levels: A, AA, and AAA.

Level A – Basic Accessibility

Level A represents the most fundamental level of accessibility, addressing critical barriers that prevent users with disabilities from accessing content. 

At this stage, websites must include features such as alternative text for images, keyboard navigation, and basic semantic HTML structure.

Level AA – Standard Requirement

AA is the benchmark for most public, commercial, and government websites, ensuring a more accessible and user-friendly experience. 

It includes sufficient colour contrast, resizable text, clear focus indicators, and adaptable content that works across different screen sizes and assistive technologies.

Level AAA – Enhanced Accessibility

This includes support for a wider range of disabilities. For example, sign language interpretation for videos, advanced readability enhancements, and even stricter contrast requirements. 

While AAA compliance is ideal, it can be challenging to achieve across all content types, so it is generally pursued by organisations that prioritise maximum accessibility.

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are built around four key principles: Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust (POUR).

The requirements of WCAG accessibility

1. Perceivable (Information must be presentable to all users in different ways)

• Provide text alternatives for non-text content (e.g., images, videos, audio).
• Offer captions and transcripts for multimedia.
• Ensure content is adaptable and can be presented in different ways without losing meaning.
• Use sufficient colour contrast and allow content to be distinguishable for users with low vision.

2. Operable (Users must be able to navigate and interact with content)

• Make all functionality available from a keyboard (no mouse required).
• Give users enough time to read and interact with content.
• Avoid content that causes seizures or physical reactions (e.g., flashing animations).
• Provide clear navigation and ways to help users find content.
• Support different input methods, such as voice commands or adaptive devices.

3. Understandable (Content must be clear and predictable)

• Ensure readable text with simple language where possible.
• Offer predictable navigation (consistent menus, layouts, and interactions).
• Provide input assistance, such as form error messages and instructions.

4. Robust (Content must be compatible with different devices and assistive technologies)

• Use clean HTML and structured markup for compatibility with screen readers.
• Ensure all interactive elements work well across different browsers and assistive tools.
• Follow coding best practices to maintain accessibility as technology evolves.

How to do an accessibility audit?

In the light of all of those elements, conducting an accessibility audit can feel a little daunting. Start with understanding those key elements one by one.

Addressing Content

Technical language can be overwhelming, so begin by focusing on site structure and navigation. Engaging your audience in an exercise to refine page names and content groupings can help create a more intuitive experience.

Readability is also important, your website’s language should be simple, well-structured, and accessible. Ensuring content flows logically and can be navigated without a mouse is essential for inclusivity, allowing screen reader users and those with mobility impairments to engage with ease.

Writing elements like alt text for images can be made easier with AI image recognition tools and properly labelled form fields might be easily editable within your website.

Interactive Elements & Media

Beyond static content, an audit must evaluate interactive elements such as buttons, forms, dynamic content, and multimedia. These may be harder to implement without a developer, but there are tools below to help you identify and build a brief. 

Videos should include captions, forms must provide assistive-friendly labels and error messages, and animations should avoid flashing effects that could cause seizures.

What tools can help me test the accessibility of my website?

The W3C Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) provides an up-to-date list of useful evaluation tools. Here are some common ones:

WAVE (Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool): https://wave.webaim.org/

Identifies accessibility issues by providing visual feedback directly on web pages.​

Siteimprove Accessibility Checker: https://siteimprove.com/en-gb/accessibility/

Offers detailed reports and recommendations to improve website accessibility.​

SortSite: https://www.powermapper.com/products/sortsite/

Checks websites for accessibility issues, broken links, and other quality aspects.​

Tenon: https://tenon.io/

Provides accessibility testing and reporting for web projects.​

Accessibility Insights: https://accessibilityinsights.io/

Assists in finding and fixing accessibility issues in web and desktop applications.​

Axe Accessibility Checker: https://www.deque.com/axe/

Detects WCAG violations directly within your browser.​

JAWS (Job Access With Speech): https://www.freedomscientific.com/products/software/jaws/

A screen reader for Windows that assists visually impaired users.​

HTML_CodeSniffer: https://squizlabs.github.io/HTML_CodeSniffer/

Checks HTML source code for compliance with accessibility standards.​

Pa11y: https://pa11y.org/
An automated accessibility testing tool that runs on command line.​

A11y Color Contrast Validator: https://color.a11y.com/Contrast/

Evaluates color contrast ratios to ensure text is readable.

ANDI (Accessible Name & Description Inspector): https://www.ssa.gov/accessibility/andi/help/install.html

A free tool to test websites and web-based applications for accessibility.​

accessScan: https://accessibe.com/accessscan

An auditing tool designed to provide an accurate assessment of your website’s accessibility status.

Color Contrast Analyser: https://www.tpgi.com/color-contrast-checker/

Tests if text and background colors meet WCAG contrast standards.​

Google Lighthouse: https://developers.google.com/web/tools/lighthouse

An open-source tool for auditing performance, accessibility, and SEO of web pages.

axe DevTools: https://www.deque.com/axe/devtools/

Offers accessibility testing integrated into development workflows.​

Accessibility Checker: https://www.accessibilitychecker.org/

Provides a free scan to identify web accessibility issues and instructions to fix them.

Accessibility Management Platform (AMP): https://www.levelaccess.com/accessibility-management-platform/

A platform supporting WCAG standards, designed to enhance accessibility for people with disabilities.

Deque University: https://dequeuniversity.com/

Offers online accessibility training courses covering a range of topics from introductory to expert levels.

How to Bulk Populate Alt Text in WordPress Using AI?

There are plugins that automatically generate descriptions based on image recognition and SEO-friendly metadata. 

Consider Auto Image Alt Text, Alt Text AI, and WP Alt Text (AI-Powered) scan your media library and fill in missing alt text automatically. To refine or manually adjust alt text in bulk, tools like Media Library Assistant allow you to edit multiple images at once.

For further optimisation, SEO plugins like Rank Math SEO and Yoast SEO can autofill alt text based on file names, post titles, or custom rules.

Best WordPress accessibility plugins

WP Accessibility: https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-accessibility/

Fixes common accessibility issues like skip links and missing alt attributes.

Accessibility by UserWay: https://userway.org/tutorials/installations/wordpress/

Adds an accessibility widget to enhance compliance with WCAG, ADA, and Section 508.

WP Accessibility Helper (WAH): https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-accessibility-helper/

Provides tools for font resizing, contrast adjustments, and link highlighting.

Equalize Digital Accessibility Checker: https://wordpress.org/plugins/accessibility-checker/

Performs real-time accessibility auditing to ensure WCAG, ADA, and Section 508 compliance.

Accessibility Lite: https://wordpress.org/plugins/accessibility-lite/

A lightweight, SEO-friendly plugin designed to enhance website accessibility.

Accessibly: https://accessiblyapp.com/platforms/wordpress/

Offers text-to-speech, contrast settings, and other accessibility improvements.

AllAccessible: https://www.allaccessible.org/

Uses AI to provide customizable accessibility features and compliance solutions.

Examples of assistive tools in accessibility?

For visually impaired users, screen readers such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack convert on-screen content into audio or Braille. 

Those requiring voice control can benefit from speech recognition software like Dragon NaturallySpeaking or Windows Speech Recognition.

For users with visual or mobility impairments, magnification tools such as ZoomText, Windows Magnifier, and MacOS Zoom enlarge screen content. 

Alternative input devices, including Sip-and-Puff Systems, Eye Tracking Software, and On-Screen Keyboards, help individuals with limited physical mobility interact digitally. 

And as for readability tools, software like BeeLine Reader and OpenDyslexic Font, along with contrast analysers like TPGi’s Colour Contrast Analyser, ensure content is easy to read and accessible for users with dyslexia or visual impairments.

Right you’re set, you’ve got the tools and the theory, but what are the likely bumps in the road?

What are the challenges with implementing accessibility?

A common issue is the challenge of balancing creative and technical constraints; designing highly accessible sites requires careful consideration of elements like contrast, typography, navigation, and interactive features, which might conflict with visual or branding preferences. 

There’s also the lack of awareness or understanding about accessibility requirements within teams, which can lead to it being overlooked as a priority, particularly in the early stages.

Whenever you implement accessibility, integrate it into your pre-launch user testing to identify and resolve barriers before they reach your audience. 

Engage real users, especially those relying on assistive technologies. 

After launching, use a WCAG testing toolkit to conduct regular post-launch accessibility audits.

The future of accessibility

While much attention goes to web accessibility, it’s equally important to consider mobile accessibility. Mobile apps and responsive websites must accommodate smaller screens, touch interactions, and diverse user contexts. 

This means ensuring clear navigation, readable text sizes, accessible touch targets, and compatibility with mobile-specific assistive technologies like VoiceOver (iOS) and TalkBack (Android). 

Looking further ahead, accessibility will increasingly intersect with emerging technologies such as AI, voice user interfaces, virtual and augmented reality, and smart home devices. 

AI-powered solutions seem to be driving more voice-activated interactions, this may help many who struggle with clunky interfaces. Of course, consideration will still be needed for those with disabilities accessing applications via speech.

Who monitors accessibility regulations in the uk?

In the UK, accessibility regulations for websites and digital services are primarily monitored by the Government Digital Service (GDS), part of the Cabinet Office. 

The GDS ensures compliance with the Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) Accessibility Regulations 2018, enforcing the requirement for public sector websites and apps to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA standard.

Additionally, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) oversees broader compliance under the Equality Act 2010, which requires organisations, including private businesses and charities, to make reasonable adjustments to ensure accessibility and inclusivity for all users.

Organisations found non-compliant can be subject to enforcement actions, including legal challenges, emphasising the importance of maintaining robust and consistent accessibility practices.

What is the European accessibility act?

The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is an EU directive aimed at improving accessibility across Europe by establishing common standards and guidelines for various products and services. 

Officially known as Directive (EU) 2019/882, the EAA ensures that people with disabilities have equal access to essential goods and services, promoting inclusivity and eliminating barriers within the EU’s internal market.

The Act covers products and services such as computers, smartphones, e-books, self-service terminals, banking services, e-commerce platforms, and public transport ticketing systems. It sets out mandatory accessibility requirements, aligning closely with existing standards like the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG).

EU Member States must implement the Act into their national laws by 28 June 2022, with full compliance required by 28 June 2025. 

Although the UK isn’t legally bound by the EAA post-Brexit, UK organisations operating within the EU market or offering services to EU consumers must still adhere to these accessibility standards.

It’s not just for the web!

We hope that has been some use in understanding what is accessibility in digital.

Lastly, we believe accessibility extends far beyond just digital; it should be considered across your entire organisation. 

Think about how you deliver your services, communicate with your audience, and even design your physical spaces. 

Accessibility should inform everything, from clear signage and accessible entrances in your buildings, to inclusive communications like easy-read documents, captions on videos, or alternative formats for printed materials. 

Adopting a holistic approach ensures your organisation genuinely welcomes everyone, reflecting a commitment to equality, inclusion, and respect for diverse needs.

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