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Accessibility analysis

95.9% of home pages had detected WCAG 2 failures.
Low contrast text, below the WCAG 2 AA thresholds, was found on 81% of home pages.

According to WebAIM

Our services

Accessibility review

We offer meticulous reviews of your digital content, identifying accessibility shortcomings and providing clear paths to improvement.

Usability testing

Test your digital interfaces with diverse user groups to uncover usability issues and refine user experiences for optimal accessibility.

Accessibility consultant

Our consultants provide ongoing support and strategic planning to ensure your digital offerings comply with accessibility standards and best practices.

mobile app accessibility

Enhance your mobile applications with tailored accessibility solutions that cater to a diverse user base, ensuring compliance and usability on all devices.

Our accessibility enhancement process

Our approach to ensuring digital accessibility encompasses a methodical and comprehensive process designed to enhance your project's usability and inclusivity.

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Requirement gathering

Begin by providing detailed information about your project. This helps us understand the scope, target audience, and specific accessibility goals you aim to achieve.

Accessibility analysis

We conduct a thorough analysis of your project to identify existing accessibility barriers. Our expert team uses a combination of automated tools and manual testing to pinpoint issues. The outcome is a comprehensive report detailing the findings and suggesting necessary adjustments.

Design improvements

Based on the report, our designers craft enhancements that prioritize accessibility. This involves rethinking user interfaces and visual elements to ensure they meet accessibility standards and provide an optimal user experience for individuals with various disabilities.

Development implementation

Our developers then take the lead, working to rectify identified accessibility problems based on the design team’s recommendations. This step ensures all technical aspects of accessibility are addressed, from code adjustments to functional enhancements.

Final accessibility assurance

The result is a website or application that is not only compliant with the latest accessibility standards but also tailored to be particularly user-friendly for senior clients and those with special needs. This final product promotes greater usability and ensures all clients can navigate and interact with ease.

Types of accessibility

Visual

Supports individuals with vision impairments through features like screen readers, high-contrast modes, and adjustable text sizes to ensure all visual content is accessible.

Hearing

Provides solutions for the deaf or hard of hearing with closed captions, visual alerts, and sign language integration to make auditory information accessible.

Mobility

Offers navigation aids like keyboard-only access and voice controls, ensuring users with mobility impairments can interact effortlessly with digital content.

Cognitive

Designed for users with cognitive challenges, utilizing straightforward language, consistent navigation, and adjustable settings to aid understanding and interaction.

Why ensuring website accessibility is crucial today?

Accessibility is essential for ensuring that your website is usable and welcoming to all users, including those with disabilities. It not only helps you comply with legal requirements but also expands your audience reach by making your content accessible to a wider range of people. This inclusivity can enhance user satisfaction, improve SEO rankings, and demonstrate your commitment to social responsibility. By prioritizing accessibility, you create a more positive, engaging, and accessible digital experience for everyone.

Making your website accessible is easier than ever!

Contact us now to discuss your needs and see how we can help you build a more inclusive online presence.

Overview of important accessibility standards

Digital accessibility is governed by a variety of standards and laws across the globe, each designed to ensure that websites and digital content are accessible to all users, including those with disabilities.

WCAG

WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) is a set of internationally recognized guidelines developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). It outlines how to make web content more accessible to people with disabilities. WCAG is divided into three levels of conformance:

Level A:
The most basic web accessibility features.
Level AA:
Deals with the biggest and most common barriers for disabled users.
Level AAA:
The highest and most complex level of web accessibility.

Section 508

Section 508 is a U.S. federal law that mandates all government agencies and their contractors provide accessible digital content. It applies to websites, software, electronic documents, and multimedia, ensuring that individuals with disabilities, including federal employees and the public, can access the same information and services as others.

Section 508 aligns with WCAG 2.0 standards at Levels A and AA. Regular audits and updates are necessary to maintain compliance, especially as technologies evolve.

ADA

The ADA is a comprehensive U.S. civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities across many areas, including digital content. While the law originally focused on physical spaces, it has increasingly been interpreted to apply to websites and digital platforms.

The ADA requires that businesses and organizations ensure their websites and apps are accessible to everyone, offering equal access and functionality to individuals with disabilities. Non-compliance can result in legal actions, fines, and reputational harm.

BITV

BITV (Barrierefreie Informationstechnik-Verordnung) is a German law that mandates digital accessibility, especially for public sector websites and apps, ensuring equal access for users with disabilities.

Alignment with WCAG: BITV closely follows WCAG 2.1 standards, focusing on Levels A and AA to remove digital barriers. Applies to all public sector digital content, requiring regular updates and compliance checks.

Understanding the impact of accessibility choices

Providing detailed and context-rich alt text is crucial for creating an inclusive digital experience. By making thoughtful decisions about alt text, you not only comply with accessibility standards but also enhance the user experience for all visitors, including those with disabilities. This leads to higher user satisfaction, improved engagement, and potentially better SEO rankings.

The photo example highlights why it's essential to write accurate and descriptive alt text for images. For users with vision impairments, screen readers rely on alt text to convey what’s depicted in the image. A vague or incorrect description fails to communicate the content, leaving these users without important context. On the other hand, a well-crafted alt text allows them to visualize the scene more clearly, enhancing their experience and engagement with your content.

Comparison of alt-text examples, showing an empty alt as incorrect, a one-word alt as insufficient, and a detailed alt as the correct approach.

FAQ

What is the difference between accessibility and usability?

Accessibility ensures that people with disabilities can use and access digital content by removing barriers. Usability focuses on how easy and efficient it is for everyone to interact with a digital product. In short, accessibility is about making content accessible to those with disabilities, while usability is about overall ease of use for all users. Both are essential for creating an inclusive and effective digital experience.

What are the types of accessibility issues?

Accessibility issues can generally be categorized into four main types:

Visual accessibility issues: These include problems that affect users with visual impairments, such as blindness, low vision, or color blindness. Common issues include lack of screen reader compatibility, insufficient color contrast, and images without descriptive alt text.

Hearing accessibility issues: These issues affect users who are deaf or hard of hearing. Examples include videos without captions or transcripts, and audio content without visual alternatives.

Mobility accessibility issues: These relate to users with physical disabilities that affect their ability to use a mouse, keyboard, or other input devices. Issues might include non-keyboard navigable websites, small clickable areas, or lack of support for assistive devices like speech recognition software.

Cognitive accessibility issues: These affect users with cognitive or learning disabilities, such as dyslexia, ADHD, or autism. Commonissues include complex navigation, unclear instructions, distracting animations, and overly technical language.

Addressing these issues is crucial for making digital content accessible to all users, regardless of their abilities.

Why is accessibility analysis important?

Accessibility analysis is crucial for ensuring that your website is usable by everyone, including individuals with disabilities. It helps you meet legal requirements, enhances user experience, and expands your audience reach by making your content accessible to a wider group of people.

What is included in an accessibility report?

An accessibility report typically provides a comprehensive overview of the accessibility status of a website or digital product. While the exact format can vary depending on the service provider, here’s a general outline of what an accessibility report might include:

Executive summary: A brief overview of the key findings, including the overall accessibility score, major issues identified, and recommendations for improvement.

Introduction: An explanation of the scope of the analysis, the guidelines used (e.g., WCAG 2.1), and the methods employed for testing (automated tools, manual testing, user testing with assistive technologies).

Detailed findings: Issues Identified: A list of accessibility barriers found, categorized by severity (e.g., critical, major, minor). Examples: Specific examples of where these issues occur on the website, often with screenshots or code snippets. WCAG Criteria: Reference to the specific WCAG criteria that each issue violates.

Recommendations: Suggested solutions for each issue, often with guidance on how to implement these changes. Prioritization: A prioritization of the issues, indicating which should be addressed first based on impact and effort required.

Compliance status: A section that indicates whether the site meets specific levels of WCAG compliance (A, AA, or AAA) and any relevant legal standards (e.g., ADA, Section 508, AODA).

User impact: An analysis of how the identified issues affect users, particularly those with disabilities. This might include quotes from users or results from usability testing sessions.

Testing details: Information on the tools and techniques used for the analysis, including any automated testing tools, manual inspection methods, and assistive technologies.

Conclusion: A summary of the report with next steps and recommendations for re-evaluation after the issues have been addressed.

Appendices: Additional documentation, such as full lists of test results, detailed code examples, or supplementary resources for learning more about accessibility.

An accessibility report is a vital document for understanding the current state of a website’s accessibility and for planning improvements to ensure compliance and inclusivity.

Is accessibility analysis required by law?

Yes, depending on your location and the nature of your business, an Accessibility analysis may be required by law.

United States: In the U.S., the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act require that digital content, including websites, be accessible to people with disabilities.

Canada: In Canada, the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) mandates that websites meet accessibility standards, particularly for businesses in Ontario.

European Union: The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is a crucial law in the EU that will apply to a wide range of products and services placed on the market after June 28, 2025. It covers items such as computers, smartphones, payment terminals, self-service machines, banking services, e-commerce platforms, and more. This directive applies not just to EU-based businesses but also to any company wishing to trade within the EU, regardless of where it is registered. Ensuring compliance with the EAA through regular Accessibility analysis is vital to avoid penalties and to maintain market access in the EU.

Adhering to these laws and conducting an Accessibility analysis ensures legal compliance, promotes inclusivity, and helps your business avoid potential fines and legal challenges.

Can accessibility analysis improve my SEO?

Yes, many accessibility improvements, such as better alt text, clearer navigation, and more structured content, can also enhance your website’s SEO, helping it rank better in search engine results.