Resources

Accessibility Knowledge Center

Free guides, tools, and educational content to help you understand and implement digital accessibility.

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Accessibility Guides

Comprehensive guides to help you understand and implement accessibility best practices.

Beginner

Introduction to Web Accessibility

Learn the fundamentals of web accessibility, why it matters, and how to get started on your accessibility journey.

15 min read PDF available
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Intermediate

WCAG 2.1 Compliance Checklist

A comprehensive checklist covering all WCAG 2.1 Level A and AA success criteria with practical examples.

30 min read PDF available
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Beginner

Writing Accessible Content

Best practices for creating accessible written content, including headings, links, alt text, and plain language.

20 min read PDF available
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Advanced

ARIA Deep Dive

Master ARIA attributes and learn when (and when not) to use them for complex interactive components.

45 min read Code examples
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Intermediate

Accessible Forms Design

Create forms that work for everyone with proper labels, error handling, and keyboard navigation.

25 min read Code examples
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Advanced

Testing with Screen Readers

Learn to test your website with NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver, and TalkBack like an expert.

40 min read Video included
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Tools

Recommended Accessibility Tools

Our team's favorite tools for testing and improving accessibility.

WAVE

Browser extension for visual accessibility feedback. Great for quick checks and learning.

wave.webaim.org

axe DevTools

Powerful browser extension for developers. Integrates with your development workflow.

deque.com/axe

Colour Contrast Analyser

Desktop app for checking color contrast ratios against WCAG requirements.

tpgi.com

NVDA Screen Reader

Free, open-source screen reader for Windows. Essential for accessibility testing.

nvaccess.org

Understanding WCAG

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are the international standard for web accessibility. They're organized around four principles known as POUR.

View Official WCAG

Perceivable

Information must be presentable in ways users can perceive.

Operable

Interface components must be operable by all users.

Understandable

Information and UI operation must be understandable.

Robust

Content must work with current and future technologies.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

What is web accessibility?

Web accessibility means designing and developing websites so that people with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with them. This includes people with visual, auditory, physical, speech, cognitive, and neurological disabilities.

Is accessibility legally required?

In many jurisdictions, yes. In the US, the ADA applies to websites of businesses open to the public. Government websites must comply with Section 508. The EU has the European Accessibility Act, and many countries have similar regulations. Even where not legally mandated, accessibility is increasingly expected.

What's the difference between WCAG A, AA, and AAA?

WCAG has three conformance levels. Level A is the minimum, Level AA is the standard most organizations target (and what most laws reference), and Level AAA is the highest level with the strictest criteria. Most sites aim for AA conformance.

How much does accessibility cost?

Costs vary widely based on your current state, site complexity, and goals. However, building accessibility in from the start costs far less than retrofitting. Studies show accessible sites often have lower maintenance costs and better SEO performance, providing ROI beyond compliance.

Can automated tools catch all accessibility issues?

No. Automated tools typically catch only 25-35% of accessibility issues. They're great for finding obvious errors but can't evaluate things like whether alt text is meaningful or if content makes logical sense. Manual testing by experts and users with disabilities is essential.

Reference

Accessibility Glossary

Key terms you'll encounter when working on accessibility.

Alt Text

Alternative text that describes images for screen reader users and when images fail to load.

ARIA

Accessible Rich Internet Applications - attributes that enhance accessibility of dynamic content.

Assistive Technology

Hardware or software that helps people with disabilities use computers (e.g., screen readers).

Color Contrast

The difference in luminance between foreground and background colors, measured as a ratio.

Focus Indicator

Visual indication showing which element currently has keyboard focus.

Screen Reader

Software that reads screen content aloud for users who are blind or have low vision.

Semantic HTML

Using HTML elements according to their intended purpose to convey meaning to assistive tech.

Skip Link

A link that allows keyboard users to skip repetitive content like navigation.

VPAT

Voluntary Product Accessibility Template - document reporting a product's accessibility conformance.

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