Accessibility in Web Design

The web was designed to work for everyone, regardless of their hardware, software, language, location, or ability.

Accessibility (a11y) is often treated as an afterthought—a box to check before launch. This is a mistake. 15% of the world's population experiences some form of disability. If your site isn't accessible, you are actively blocking customers. Moreover, in many jurisdictions, digital accessibility is a legal requirement (ADA, EAA). But beyond compliance, accessible sites are simply better sites. They load faster, have cleaner code, and rank better in SEO.

Semantic HTML is Key

The best accessibility tool is just writing good HTML. Don't use a `

Visually, Contrast is king. Grey text on a slightly lighter grey background might look "sleek" to a designer on a calibrated 4K monitor, but it's unreadable on a phone in the sun. Adhere to WCAG AA standards (4.5:1 contrast ratio) for text. Don't rely on color alone to convey meaning (e.g., "Error fields are red"). Use icons and text labels too.

Testing with Assistive Tech

You can't test accessibility just by looking. You need to verify keyboard navigation—can you Tab through the site logically? Can you see where the focus schema is? Use auditing tools like Google Lighthouse or the WAVE extension. But automated tools only catch ~30% of issues. The gold standard is testing with a screen reader (VoiceOver on Mac, NVDA on Windows). Close your eyes and try to use your navigation. If you get lost, your users will too.