How to Make Your Website Accessible to All Users

Your design might look clear and organized, but if that structure isn't in the code, assistive tech users miss out. Headings, lists, form groups, required fields, tables - they all need proper HTML to be meaningful. This carousel breaks down how to meet 1.3.1 and why it's important. Check it out 👉 #Accessibility #A11y #InclusiveDesign #WebDev #WCAG #SemanticHTML #DesignWithIntention If you prefer your content as text, read on: When design isn’t enough. Understanding WCAG 1.3.1. What is WCAG 1.3.1? Your design communicates meaning and relationships. But if it’s not in the code, assistive technology users can’t access that information. Why it matters. If you rely only on how things look, you leave out people who use screen readers, rely on braille displays, or can’t see layout or hear audio cues Common mistakes. These may look fine, but aren’t coded accessibly: Bold text as a heading Asterisks or red text for required fields Dashes for lists Tables made with spaces or tabs instead of HTML Do it right with semantic HTML. Use the correct HTML tags and attributes to convey meaning to assistive technologies. Reinforce style with structure. If color, sound, or placement communicates something, back it up with code. Code grouped form fields. Wrap form fields that go together in a fieldset and use a legend to describe the purpose of the set of fields. Code headings correctly. Use semantic heading tags in a logical order. Use h1 for the page title, h2 for section headings, h3 for subsection headings, and so on. Mark up lists correctly. Use ul or ol elements to code lists. Don't fake it with dashes or emojis. Mark up (and use) tables correctly. Use tables for tabular data, not for layout. Use a caption to describe what the table is about. Use th elements for table headers and define their scope. Use td elements for table cells. Label it or lose the meaning. Programmatically associate labels with form fields by using a for attribute on the label that refers to the ID of the input. Required field? Code it that way. Use the aria-required="true" attribute to mark required fields. No landmarks? No map. Provide page landmarks such as header, main, footer, aside, and nav to help users find their way. The big picture. WCAG 1.3.1 is one of the most common success criteria to have failures...and many of those are some of the easiest to fix! Learn more. Want more clear and actionable WCAG breakdowns? WCAG in Plain English is available now!

Design can only be termed good if it reaches all. Creating beautiful and innovative designs is a key goal for graphic designers. However, even the most visually appealing designs can be inaccessible to some users if they don’t consider various accessibility needs. Low contrast between text and gaudy backgrounds can make it difficult for people with visual impairments or colour blindness to read the content. Decorative fonts can be hard to read for everyone, especially for people with dyslexia or other reading disabilities. So, what do we do to make designs more disability inclusive? 🔍 Understand Diverse Needs: Begin with empathy. Get to know the unique needs and challenges faced by people with disabilities. This understanding will guide your design process to be more inclusive. 🖼️ Accessible Visuals: Use high-contrast colors and clear fonts to make text and images easily readable. 🗣️ Alt Text Matters: Provide descriptive alt text for all images to ensure that screen readers can convey the content to visually impaired users, making your designs more inclusive. 🎨 Responsive Design: Design with flexibility by creating layouts that adapt seamlessly across different devices and screen sizes, including those used by people with disabilities. ♿ Universal Symbols: Use universally recognized symbols and icons to communicate important information. 💬 Inclusive Language: Choose words that respect and acknowledge people with disabilities. Avoid ableist language and ensure your message is positive and empowering. 👩💻 User Testing with Disabled Communities:  Involve people with disabilities in your testing process. Their feedback is invaluable in creating designs that truly meet their needs. Embracing disability inclusion in our designs is the next step to making the world a better place. Let me know of more design inclusive strategies in the comments below! #inclusive #design #accessibility #uxdesign #a11y #disabilityinclusion #universaldesign #webaccessibility #empathyindesign #userexperience #designthinking

Accessibility should be seen as necessary, mandatory, and crucial. Here are 8 tips for Global Accessibility Awareness Day (GAAD). Before I dive into these simple tips, let’s quickly learn about GAAD. The main purpose of GAAD is to get everyone talking, thinking, and learning about digital access and inclusion, and the 1 Billion+ people with disabilities. GAAD is celebrated annually on the third Thursday of May, so this year it's on May 15th (today!). A disabled person should be able to experience the internet, apps, social media, and all digital spaces like anyone else, but unfortunately, many websites and digital spaces are still inaccessible. So here are 8 easy tips for digital accessibility: 1. Color Contrast Accessible content generally has high contrast between the background and text colors, which makes it easier to read. For example, using a black background with white text will be accessible for most people. There are exceptions to this guidance as those with colorblindness and conditions like Irlen Syndrome may have other needs. 2. Closed Captions When hosting virtual meetings, always provide closed captions. Also, provide captions for content that you produce online. Please provide fully accurate captions instead of relying on automatically-generated ones. 3. Image Descriptions (IDs) Write IDs to help blind and low vision people learn what an image looks like. This is especially important when an image conveys information, such as an event flyer. You can add IDs within a post or in the comments. 4. Audio Description (AD) Audio description is helpful for those with vision disabilities. AD describes visual content in enough detail so that people don't miss out on information. Include AD in videos and verbally describe images in presentations. 5. Transcripts Transcripts are wonderful for business because they allow you to improve your SEO rankings since your audio or video content has been turned into words. Transcripts also help make content accessible for the D/deaf and hard of hearing, those with other disabilities, and more. 6. Label Buttons Unlabeled buttons on apps and websites create access issues. This is very important for screen reader users. Each user needs to be able to easily determine what a button does and also find the buttons. 7. Pascal Case Hashtags Capitalize each word within a hashtag to ensure a screen reader can understand it. Example: #DisabilityAwareness 8. Include Diverse Images Many times, disabled people don't see themselves represented in the world. This is especially true for disabled people of color. Use diverse images in media representation, advertisements, images on social media, and more. Did you know about Global Accessibility Awareness Day? Will you use these tips? cc: GAAD (Global Accessibility Awareness Day) Foundation PS: For more accessibility tips, check out my free accessibility ebook (linked at the top of my profile)! #Accessibility #GAAD

Most designers still treat accessibility as a nice-to-have. That mindset is leaving $13 trillion in global spending power on the table. Here’s the reality: → 96% of websites still have accessibility barriers → Only 4% meet even the most basic standards → Retrofitting costs 10x more than building accessible from the start The problem is that most teams reduce WCAG to a legal checklist instead of using it as a design foundation. Accessibility isn’t something you bolt on at the end. That’s why WCAG 2.1 AA isn’t just compliance—it’s the baseline for inclusive design. And the 8 steps I’m sharing are practical actions you can take today: ✅ Color contrast that holds up in any lighting ✅ Keyboard navigation that follows reading flow ✅ Screen reader compatibility that doesn’t break ✅ Alt text that adds context, not clutter ✅ Headings that structure, not just style ✅ Forms that guide users instead of confusing them ✅ Responsive layouts that work at 320px or 200% zoom ✅ Testing processes that catch real-world issues Swipe below for the full breakdown 👇 Save this if you’re building (or rebuilding) accessible experiences. [Want this as a PDF? Leave “CHECKLIST” in the comments.] 💬 Is there an accessibility feature you use every day that wasn’t originally designed for you? #uxdesign #accessibility #a11y #wcag #inclusivedesign ⸻ 👋🏼 Hi, I’m Dane—your source for UX and career tips. ❤️ Was this helpful? A 👍🏼 would be thuper kewl. 🔄 Share to help others (or for easy access later). ➕ Follow for more like this in your feed every day.

Digital accessibility is a legal requirement. So why do so many companies still treat it like an add-on? Remediation is expensive. The smart move? Build accessibility into your process from day one. Start with the basics: 1. Use semantic HTML. That means using the right tags (like <nav>, <button>, <h1>) so assistive tech users can navigate without barriers 2. Write meaningful alt text. “Image of smiling person” doesn’t cut it 3. Enable full keyboard access, especially for forms, menus, and modals (pop-up forms, logins, alerts) 4. Test with disabled users not just automated checkers Are you ignoring these steps? That’s how lawsuits happen. Accessibility lawsuits are increasing in 2025. Inaccessible websites and apps are easy targets for legal action. Customers don’t care if your site just launched. If they can't use it, they will move on. Prioritizing accessibility is much cheaper than facing a lawsuit. Is your team building with accessibility in mind? Or are you waiting until you're served? Let’s talk.

Is your website accessible to everyone? 75% of Americans with disabilities use the internet daily. Yet, many websites unintentionally exclude them due to poor accessibility. Here’s why making your website accessible is critical: - It expands your audience reach. - It improves user experience for everyone. - It helps you comply with legal requirements like ADA and WCAG. Start with these key steps: 1) Add closed captions to videos and audio content. 2) Use alt text for images to help screen readers. 3) Ensure strong color contrast for readability. 4) Test your site’s keyboard navigation. 5) Structure your content with proper heading tags (H1-H6). Accessibility isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s a smart step to improve user experience. Have you taken steps to make your website more inclusive? Share your experiences below! 👇 #seo #seotips #website #digitalmarketing #dineshkatyare

Oh, my GAAD! It's finally here! For those not aware, today is Global Accessibility Awareness Day aka GAAD. Here are 10 easy ways you can take action to make progress in accessibility and disability inclusion. It's OK not to do it all. The key is progress over perfection. Make progress every day. It's possible you'll go backward. It happens. Dust off and try again. It took me a bit of time to make things a habit, such as alt text, describing myself, and saying "This is Meryl speaking." If you forget, fix it and give yourself a little grace. If you see someone forget, educate them and give them grace. Pick one or two things. Practice them more than once. When you feel like you have them down, pick the next one or two things. Progress over perfection. Add image descriptions to images and describe them in context. The key is to be descriptive yet concise. There is no one right way to do it. Just start doing it. "This is [your name]" when you speak on a group call. Someone may be listening rather than watching. Create a transcript for your most important or next podcast or audio clip. It's important to format the transcript by creating short paragraphs. It's hard to read a big block of text. Add accurate plain captions to your most important or next video. Refer to the caption cheat sheet for more on this. Offer at least two modern communication options. This applies everywhere. You can require people to fill out the contact field on a form as long as you give them choices (email, phone, text). Websites need to provide two modern contact options. A fax number and snail mail don't count, y'all. Capitalize the first letter of each word and abbreviations in hashtags and usernames. It helps to do this for URLs, too. But some URLs may be case-sensitive. Test the URL. Use a free tool to check color contrast on your content and images. A lot of websites use poor color choices for the background and the text. It adds friction to the reading experience. Avoid ALL CAPS in all content because it has no visual shape and feels like yelling. Sentence case is the most readable. Add a blank line between paragraphs to improve readability. Avoid abusing emojis 👎 like👎 this 👎nightmare. Screenreaders describe the emoji. And it can be hard to read a sentence with emojis showing up in between words. Take action today! Accessibility isn’t just a checkbox. It’s a commitment. Start with one step, make it a habit, and keep moving forward. Let’s build a world where everyone matters. Drop a comment with the action you’re taking today! Need guidance? I offer speaking and coaching to help organizations create accessible workplaces, products, and services. Let’s connect! P.S. Thanks to the American Red Cross for having me as today's keynote and prioritizing accessibility! 🔔 Tap the profile bell for more. ➡️ Follow #MerylMots to find content. #GAAD #Communication