Why Accessibility Matters
Web accessibility isn't just about compliance — it's about reaching every potential customer and delivering the best possible experience to all users. Over 1 billion people worldwide live with some form of disability, and an inaccessible website excludes them entirely.
Business Benefits
- Expands your audience to users with disabilities
- Improves SEO (accessible sites rank better)
- Better usability for all visitors, not just those with disabilities
- Reduces legal risk (ADA, WCAG compliance)
- Signals quality and professionalism
Legal Requirements
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
- European Accessibility Act (EAA)
- Section 508 (US Federal)
- WCAG 2.2 (international standard)
- UK Equality Act 2010
The Legal Risk is Real
Web accessibility lawsuits have increased significantly each year. In the US, over 4,000 ADA-related web accessibility cases are filed annually. An accessible website protects your business from legal exposure.
WCAG 2.2 Standards Overview
WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) 2.2 is the current international standard for web accessibility. It's organized around four core principles — your website must be:
Information and UI components must be presentable to users in ways they can perceive — including text alternatives for images, captions for video, and sufficient color contrast.
UI components and navigation must be operable — all functionality available via keyboard, no content that causes seizures, and sufficient time to read and use content.
Information and UI operation must be understandable — readable text, predictable navigation patterns, and helpful error messages in forms.
Content must be robust enough to be reliably interpreted by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies like screen readers.
Key Accessibility Best Practices
Semantic HTML
Use proper heading structure (H1–H6), semantic HTML elements, and landmark roles. Screen readers use heading hierarchy to help users navigate content. Don't skip heading levels or use headings just for visual styling.
Correct Heading Structure
- One H1 per page — the main title
- H2 for major sections
- H3 for subsections within H2 sections
- Never skip levels (H1 to H3 without H2)
- Use semantic elements:
<nav>,<main>,<article>,<footer>
Alt Text for Images
Every meaningful image must have descriptive alt text. Decorative images should have empty alt attributes (alt="") so screen readers skip them.
Writing Good Alt Text
- Be specific and descriptive: "Red sports car parked outside restaurant" not "car image"
- Don't start with "image of" or "picture of" — screen readers already announce it's an image
- Keep it concise — under 125 characters
- For decorative images:
alt="" - For charts/graphs: describe the key data insight
Color Contrast
Text must have sufficient contrast against its background. WCAG AA requires a 4.5:1 ratio for normal text and 3:1 for large text. WCAG AAA requires 7:1 and 4.5:1 respectively.
Testing Color Contrast
Use tools like the WebAIM Contrast Checker or the Colour Contrast Analyser to verify your color combinations. Don't rely on color alone to convey information — always supplement with text, icons, or patterns.
Keyboard Navigation
All interactive elements must be accessible by keyboard alone. Users who cannot use a mouse rely entirely on keyboard navigation. Test your entire site using only the Tab, Enter, Space, and arrow keys.
Keyboard Accessibility Checklist
- All links, buttons, and form inputs are reachable by Tab key
- Focus indicator is always visible (never remove outline: none without replacement)
- Logical tab order follows reading order
- Dropdown menus and modals are keyboard-operable
- No keyboard traps (user can always navigate away)
ARIA Labels and Roles
Use ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) attributes to provide additional context for screen readers when HTML semantics alone aren't sufficient.
Common ARIA Patterns
aria-label— adds accessible name to elements without visible textaria-describedby— links elements to descriptive textaria-expanded— indicates state of expandable componentsaria-live— announces dynamic content changesrole="alert"— marks important messages for immediate announcement
Form Accessibility
Every form input must have a visible, associated label. Error messages must be clear and describe how to fix the issue, not just that an error occurred.
Form Best Practices
- Use
<label for="inputId">linked to each input - Never rely on placeholder text as a label (it disappears on focus)
- Mark required fields clearly — don't rely on asterisk alone
- Provide clear, specific error messages ("Enter a valid email" not "Invalid input")
- Group related fields with
<fieldset>and<legend>
Skip Navigation Links
Add a skip link as the first focusable element on the page, allowing keyboard users to jump directly to the main content without tabbing through the entire navigation on every page load.
How ChilledSites Implements Accessibility
Accessibility Built In
ChilledSites builds accessibility into every website from the start. You don't need to manually audit for accessibility issues — our AI generates code that follows WCAG 2.2 guidelines by default.
What ChilledSites Does Automatically
- All templates use semantic HTML and proper heading order
- Color palettes are checked for WCAG AA contrast compliance
- Keyboard navigation is tested on every platform release
- Screen reader testing is part of our QA process
- ARIA attributes applied where needed for dynamic components
- Form labels correctly associated with all inputs
Testing for Accessibility
Automated Testing Tools
- axe DevTools (browser extension)
- WAVE Accessibility Evaluator
- Lighthouse accessibility audit
- Siteimprove Accessibility Checker
Manual Testing
- Navigate with keyboard only (Tab, Enter, arrows)
- Test with a screen reader (NVDA, JAWS, VoiceOver)
- Check all color contrast ratios
- Zoom to 200% and verify layout
Automated tools catch about 30–40% of accessibility issues. Manual testing with real users — especially users who rely on assistive technologies — is essential for comprehensive accessibility.