Why Website Accessibility Matters More Than Ever

Accessibility is a business imperative

Around 20% of Australians have some form of disability. Globally, over a billion people live with disabilities. When your website isn't accessible, you're excluding a significant portion of your potential audience.

But accessibility isn't just about disability. It's about usability. The practices that make a site accessible also make it better for everyone.

What accessibility looks like in practice

Perceivable content

• Images have descriptive alt text so screen readers can convey their meaning
• Videos include captions for deaf and hard-of-hearing users
• Text has sufficient contrast against its background
• Content doesn't rely solely on colour to convey information

Operable interfaces

• All functionality is available via keyboard, not just mouse
• Users have enough time to read and interact with content
• Animations can be paused or reduced for users with motion sensitivity
• Navigation is consistent and predictable

Understandable content

• Language is clear and the reading level is appropriate for the audience
• Forms provide clear labels, instructions, and error messages
• The interface behaves predictably with no unexpected changes

Robust markup

• HTML is semantic and well-structured
• ARIA attributes are used correctly (and only when native HTML isn't sufficient)
• The site works across different browsers and assistive technologies

The WCAG framework

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) provide a standardised framework with three conformance levels:

• Level A - Minimum accessibility requirements
• Level AA - The standard most organisations should aim for
• Level AAA - The highest level, not always practical for all content

Most accessibility legislation references WCAG 2.1 Level AA as the target standard.

Common quick wins

Many accessibility improvements are straightforward:

1. Add alt text to all meaningful images
2. Ensure form inputs have associated labels
3. Check colour contrast ratios (4.5:1 for body text)
4. Add skip navigation links
5. Ensure focus states are visible
6. Test keyboard-only navigation
7. Use semantic HTML elements (nav, main, header, footer)

How we build accessible sites

At CodeDrips, accessibility is part of our development process, not an afterthought. We use semantic HTML, test with screen readers, check contrast ratios during design, and validate keyboard navigation during QA.

Building accessibly from the start costs far less than retrofitting an existing site. And it results in a better experience for every user, not just those using assistive technology.