What is Digital Accessibility and Why It Matters Now More Than Ever

With an estimated 15% of the world's population living with some form of disability, digital accessibility is no longer an optional consideration but a fundamental requirement for creating inclusive and user-friendly experiences. This article delves into the concept of digital accessibility, underscores the importance of accessibility testing, and explores the key principles and approaches involved in evaluating the inclusivity of digital products.

What is digital accessibility?

Digital accessibility is the practice of designing and developing websites, applications, tools, and technologies to be usable by everyone, regardless of their abilities. It's about breaking down barriers that prevent individuals with disabilities from fully participating in the digital world.

By adhering to accessibility standards and guidelines, digital content becomes more inclusive and equitable. This involves considering a wide range of disabilities, including visual, auditory, motor, and cognitive impairments. Accessibility encompasses various aspects, such as ensuring clear and understandable content, predictable website behavior, compatibility with assistive technologies, and providing alternative formats for information. Ultimately, it's about creating a digital environment where everyone can access and use information and services with ease.

Why should we care?

Numbers sometimes speak louder than words. So, here are some important statistics on digital accessibility and disabilities.

With approximately 1 in 6 people living with some form of disability, digital accessibility impacts a vast number of people. This represents over a billion individuals who may face barriers to accessing digital content and services.

The disposable income of working-age people with disabilities is estimated at $1.9 trillion globally. By making digital platforms accessible, businesses can tap into this substantial market, potentially increasing their revenue and expanding their customer base. Additionally, companies that prioritize accessibility tend to outperform those that don't, with an average of 28% higher revenue and 30% higher profit margins. This suggests that accessibility is not just a moral imperative but also a smart business decision.

The significant disparity in employment rates between people with and without disabilities—19.1% vs. 63.7% in the US—highlights the need for accessible digital tools and platforms in the workplace. Improving digital accessibility could help narrow this gap and provide more employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

With about 46% of people aged 60 and older having disabilities, digital accessibility becomes increasingly important as the global population ages. Ensuring digital accessibility helps seniors stay connected, informed, and independent.

The sharp increase in ADA Title III lawsuits—320% from 2013 to 2020—underscores the growing legal risks of neglecting digital accessibility. Prioritizing accessibility can help organizations avoid costly legal battles and comply with evolving regulations.

The fact that 95.9% of websites have at least one WCAG 2.0 failure and one in four (26%) disabled people are unable to use smartphone and tablet apps indicates a pervasive problem. This widespread inaccessibility creates significant barriers for people with disabilities in their daily lives, from accessing information to using essential services.

People with disabilities are about three times as likely to never go online compared to those without disabilities. This digital divide can lead to social isolation, reduced access to information, and fewer opportunities in education and employment.

Approximately 65.4% of screen reader users feel web accessibility hasn't improved or has not changed over the years, which suggests there's significant room for progress. Many accessibility features, such as clear navigation and well-structured content, can improve the user experience for everyone, not just those with disabilities.

Studies show the massive scale of sensory disabilities worldwide: color blindness affects 1 in 12 men and 1 in 200 women, 2.2 billion people have vision impairments or blindness, and 466 million have disabling hearing loss . Together, they demonstrate that billions of people potentially face challenges with digital interfaces. 

This data underlines the critical importance of digital accessibility, showing it's not a niche concern, but a fundamental requirement for equal access to information and services. Data also presents significant economic opportunities, has legal implications, and, most importantly, is a matter of social equity and inclusion. By prioritizing digital accessibility, we can create a more inclusive digital world that benefits everyone, regardless of their abilities. 

What is accessibility testing?

Accessibility testing is a critical quality assurance process that ensures digital products, such as websites and applications, are usable by people with disabilities. It involves evaluating how well individuals with visual, auditory, motor, cognitive, or other impairments can interact with and understand the content. Testers and QA engineers, by adhering to accessibility standards like WCAG, play a crucial role in identifying and rectifying barriers that prevent inclusive experiences. They employ a combination of automated tools and manual techniques to ensure that digital products are accessible to all. Ultimately, accessibility testing promotes digital equity and empowers individuals with disabilities to participate fully in online activities.

The objective of accessibility testing, especially in early stages of software development, is to ensure that digital products, websites, and applications can be used effectively by people with various disabilities or impairments. This type of testing aims to:

• Identify barriers by detecting any obstacles that might prevent users with disabilities from accessing or using the product.
• Ensure compliance by verifying that the product meets legal requirements and industry standards for accessibility, such as WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines).
• Improve user experience by enhancing the overall usability for all users, including those with disabilities.
• Support inclusivity by making digital content and functionality available to the widest possible audience.
• Reduce legal risks by minimizing the potential for discrimination claims and legal issues related to inaccessibility.
• Optimize for assistive technologies by ensuring compatibility with screen readers, adaptive switches, voice recognition software, and other assistive tools.
• Validate keyboard navigation by confirming that all functions can be accessed and operated without a mouse.
• Check color contrast and readability by ensuring that text and visual elements are easily perceivable by users with visual impairments.
• Test alternative content by verifying that non-text content has appropriate alternatives (e.g., alt text for images and captions for videos).
• Assess structure and semantics by ensuring that the content is logically organized and properly marked up for easy navigation and comprehension.

You might also be interested in: 5 Reasons You Need Accessibility Testing Now.

Key principles of accessibility

The key principles of accessibility focus on making products, services, and environments usable by people with a wide range of abilities. Here are the main principles:

1. Perceivable. Information and user interface components must be presentable to users in ways they can perceive. For example, providing alt text for images on websites so screen readers can describe the image to visually impaired users. Another example is offering closed captions for videos to assist those with hearing impairments.

2. Operable. User interface components and navigation must be operable by all users, including those relying on keyboards or assistive technologies. For example, ensuring buttons and links have visible focus states and avoiding flashing content that could trigger seizures. Interactive elements should also provide enough time for users to engage with them.

3. Understandable. Information and the operation of the user interface must be understandable to all users. For example, ensuring websites can be navigated using only a keyboard for users who can't use a mouse. This includes visible focus indicators and logical tab order. For example, using clear, simple language and consistent navigation across a website. Providing error messages that explain what went wrong and how to fix it.

4. Robust. Content must be robust enough to be interpreted reliably by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies. For example, writing well-structured HTML that works across different browsers and assistive technologies. Ensuring your content remains accessible as technologies advance.

These four principles form the foundation of the WCAG, but they apply to accessibility in general. Additionally, consider:

5. Equitable use. The design is useful and marketable to people with diverse abilities. For example, offering a text-only version of a website alongside a graphical version.

6. Flexibility in use. The design accommodates a wide range of individual preferences and abilities. For example, allowing users to customize text size, color schemes, and layout.

7. Simple and intuitive use. The design is easy to understand, regardless of the user's experience, knowledge, language skills, or current concentration level. For example, implementing a clear information architecture and using familiar icons and patterns.

8. Tolerance for error. The design minimizes hazards and adverse consequences of accidental or unintended actions. For example, implementing undo and redo functions and offering confirmation dialogs for important actions.

9. Low physical effort. The design can be used efficiently and comfortably with minimum fatigue. For example, minimizing the number of clicks or keystrokes needed to complete tasks and implementing autocomplete features for forms.

10. Size and space for approach and use. Appropriate size and space are provided for approach, reach, manipulation, and use, regardless of the user's body size, posture, or mobility. For example, designing large, easy-to-click buttons for touch interfaces and ensuring adequate spacing between interactive elements.

Examples of accessibility testing

Color contrast

Color contrast testing ensures that text and important visual elements are easily distinguishable from their background. This is crucial for users with visual impairments, color blindness, or those using screens in bright environments. Testers use tools to measure the contrast ratio between text and background colors, ensuring they meet WCAG guidelines. For example, normal text should have a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1, while large text should have a ratio of at least 3:1.

Text alternatives

This testing ensures that non-text content (like images, videos, and audio) has text alternatives. For images, this often means checking that appropriate alt text is provided. Alt text should concisely describe the image's content or function. For videos and audio, testers check for accurate captions, transcripts, or audio descriptions. This allows users who are blind, visually impaired, or deaf to access the information conveyed by non-text content.

Accessible Rich Internet Applications (ARIA) testing

ARIA testing involves checking the proper implementation of ARIA attributes in web applications. ARIA supplements HTML to provide additional information about elements and their relationships, especially for dynamic content and advanced user interface controls. Testers verify that ARIA roles, states, and properties are correctly used to enhance the accessibility of complex web applications. This includes checking custom widgets, live regions, and other interactive elements to ensure they're properly conveyed to assistive technologies.

Keyboard accessibility

Keyboard accessibility testing ensures that all functionality of a website or application can be accessed and operated using only a keyboard. This is crucial for users who can't use a mouse, including those with motor disabilities or vision impairments. Testers, using a switch, navigate through the entire interface using only the keyboard, checking that all interactive elements can be focused, activated, and operated. They also verify that the focus order is logical, that the focus is visible, and that there are no keyboard traps where a user can't move away from an element using only the keyboard.

You might be interested in: 7 Must-Have Accessibility Extensions for Google Chrome.

Accessibility testing for specific disability categories

Disability type	Disability form	Testing options	Why it's important?
Vision Impairment	Blindness Partial loss of vision Serious difficulty seeing Ocular trauma Color blindness	Screen readers (VoiceOver for Windows, NVDA for iOS and macOS, TalkBack for Android) Color contrast checkers Zoom functionality, Large text options	Ensures content is accessible through auditory means, readable with adjusted font sizes, and distinguishable with sufficient color contrast.
Hearing Impairment	Completely or partially deaf Prelingually deaf, sign language is first language	Closed captioning, subtitles Visual alerts, Sign language interpretation	Provides alternative ways to access audio content, ensuring information is not lost to users with hearing impairments.
Psychological Disorders	Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) Personality disorders Schizophrenia	Clear and concise language Simple navigation Minimal distractions Options for customization	Reduces cognitive load, avoids sensory overload, and accommodates individual preferences for a more comfortable user experience.
Cognitive or Learning Disabilities	Dyslexia Learning difficulties Speech disorders	Simple language Clear instructions Consistent layout Visual cues	Facilitates understanding and reduces confusion for users with cognitive or learning disabilities.
Mobility and Physical Impairments	Upper/Lower limb(s) disability Manual dexterity Disability in coordination with different organs of the body Bone fractures	Keyboard navigation Voice commands Touch screen optimization Sufficient space for mouse movement	Enables users with limited mobility to interact with the product effectively, offering alternative input methods.

Digital accessibility testing standards and guidelines

As businesses and organizations strive to create inclusive online experiences, they must navigate a complex web of standards and guidelines. These frameworks provide the roadmap for making digital content accessible to people with disabilities while also helping companies comply with legal obligations. In this section, we'll explore five key digital accessibility standards and guidelines that shape the current accessibility landscape: WCAG, the UK Equality Act, the European Accessibility Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and the Game Accessibility Guidelines. Understanding these standards is crucial for any organization looking to improve its digital accessibility and reach a wider audience while mitigating legal risks.

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 

WCAG are internationally recognized guidelines developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). It provides a comprehensive framework for making web content more accessible to people with disabilities. WCAG is organized around four main principles: perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust (POUR). It offers three levels of conformance (A, AA, and AAA) with specific success criteria for each level. WCAG covers a wide range of recommendations for making content accessible, including providing text alternatives for non-text content, making all functionality available from a keyboard, and ensuring content is compatible with assistive technologies.

UK Equality Act

The UK Equality Act 2010 is a law that protects people from discrimination in the workplace and wider society, including in the digital realm. While it doesn't provide specific technical standards for digital accessibility, it requires service providers to make "reasonable adjustments" to ensure their services are accessible to people with disabilities. This applies to websites and other digital services. The Act implies that organizations should strive to meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards, although this is not explicitly stated in the legislation. It empowers individuals to take legal action if they face discrimination due to inaccessible digital content or services.

European Accessibility Act (EAA)

The EAA is a directive aimed at improving the functioning of the internal market for accessible products and services by removing barriers created by divergent rules in EU countries. It sets common accessibility requirements for certain digital products and services, including computers, smartphones, TVs, ATMs, e-books, and e-commerce websites. The EAA specifies functional accessibility requirements rather than detailed technical specifications, allowing for innovation in how accessibility is achieved. Member states are required to transpose the directive into national law by 2022, with the provisions taking effect from 2025.

You might be interested in our whitepaper: Digital Accessibility & EAA: Telecommunications Industry Under Review

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

The ADA is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public. While the ADA was enacted in 1990, before the widespread use of the internet, it has been interpreted by courts to apply to websites and digital services. The Department of Justice has consistently held the position that the ADA covers websites, mobile applications, and other digital technologies. While the ADA doesn't provide specific technical standards for digital accessibility, many organizations use WCAG as a benchmark for compliance.

Game Accessibility Guidelines

The Game Accessibility Guidelines are a set of recommendations for game developers to make video games more accessible to players with disabilities. These guidelines are community-driven and cover a wide range of disabilities, including motor, cognitive, vision, hearing, and speech impairments. They are organized into three levels: basic, intermediate, and advanced. The guidelines cover various aspects of game design and mechanics, such as customizable controls, adjustable difficulty levels, colorblind-friendly design, subtitle options, and alternative input methods. Unlike formal standards like WCAG, these guidelines are voluntary best practices aimed at making games enjoyable for the widest possible audience, regardless of ability.

Standard / Guideline	Description	Country / Region	Type	Penalties
WCAG	International standard for web accessibility, providing technical guidelines for making content perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust.	Global	Guide	Varies by jurisdiction (often tied to broader accessibility laws)
UK Equality Act	International standard for web accessibility, providing technical guidelines for making content perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust.	UK	Law	Financial penalties, potential legal action
EAA	International standard for web accessibility, providing technical guidelines for making content perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust.	EU	Law	Financial penalties, potential legal action
ADA	US law prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities, including access to websites and digital services.	USA	Law	Civil penalties, potential legal action
Game Accessibility Guidelines	Industry-specific guidelines for making video games accessible to players with disabilities, including those from the PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo.	Global	Guide/Industry Standard	Varies by platform and region (often tied to broader accessibility laws)

Note:

The specific penalties for non-compliance with accessibility laws can vary depending on the jurisdiction and the severity of the violation.

While not a law, WCAG is widely recognized as a global standard and is often referenced in accessibility regulations.

Game accessibility guidelines are often platform-specific (e.g., PlayStation, Xbox) and may incorporate elements of WCAG or regional accessibility laws.

It's essential to consult with legal and accessibility experts to fully understand the specific requirements and implications of these standards and guidelines for your organization.

Accessibility testing approaches

When evaluating the accessibility of websites and web-based content, companies typically employ two primary methodologies: manual testing and automated testing. 

Manual accessibility testing involves testers or QA engineers evaluating a digital product's accessibility features and usability. This approach includes:

• Hands-on evaluation: Testers and QA engineers interact with the product using various assistive technologies and techniques.
• Scenario-based testing: Testers complete specific tasks as a person with a disability might.
• Heuristic evaluation: Experts review the product against accessibility guidelines and best practices.
• User testing: Involving people with disabilities to provide real-world feedback.

Manual accessibility testing is used to assess:

• Keyboard-only navigation
• Compatibility with assistive technology
• Error messages and error prevention
• Distinguishable links
• Accuracy of text alternatives
• The meaningful sequence of content
• Audio descriptions and captions
• Other accessibility criteria that cannot be automated

✅ Pros	❌ Cons
Can identify contextual and nuanced issues	Time-consuming and potentially costly
Provides insights into user experience	May not cover all possible scenarios
Able to test subjective criteria (e.g., appropriate alt text)	Results can vary based on the tester's or QA engineer’s expertise

Automated accessibility testing uses software tools to scan digital products for accessibility issues. This approach includes:

• Code analysis: Tools examine HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for accessibility violations.
• Automated checks: Software runs predefined tests based on accessibility guidelines.
• Reporting: Tools generate reports highlighting detected issues and suggesting fixes.
• Continuous integration: This can be integrated into development workflows for ongoing testing.

Automated accessibility testing is used to assess:

• Page titles
• Hierarchical heading structure
• Presence of text alternatives
• Empty links
• Color contrast
• Form labels
• HTML page language and attributes

✅ Pros	❌ Cons
Fast and can cover large amounts of content quickly	Cannot detect all types of accessibility issues (e.g., appropriate alt text)
Consistent results	May produce false positives or miss context-dependent issues
Can be easily integrated into development processes	Unable to assess actual user experience
Cost-effective for repeated testing

You might also be interested in: 5 Tips to Improve Web Accessibility

Which testing approach should you choose?

For thorough accessibility testing, a combination of both manual and automated testing approaches is recommended. Automated tools can quickly identify many technical issues, while manual testing provides deeper insights into usability and user experience. This combined approach helps ensure a more thorough evaluation of digital accessibility.

For example:

1. Start with automated tools to identify obvious issues and establish a baseline.
2. Follow up with manual testing to dive deeper into problem areas and assess user experience.
3. Involve users with disabilities for real-world feedback.
4. Use automated tools again to verify fixes and monitor ongoing compliance.

This multi-faceted approach helps create more accessible and usable digital products for all users.

You might be interested in: 5 Most Commonly Used Tools for Web Accessibility Testing

Key takeaways

Ensuring digital accessibility is no longer a matter of compliance alone—it's about creating an inclusive and equitable experience for all users. By prioritizing accessibility in design, testing, and implementation, businesses can not only break down barriers for individuals with disabilities but also unlock significant social and economic opportunities. From adhering to key accessibility principles to leveraging robust accessibility testing practices, businesses can pave the way for a more inclusive digital landscape that benefits everyone. Ultimately, maintaining a strong focus on accessibility will be crucial for organizations seeking to remain competitive and provide equal access to information and services for all.

Is your digital product truly accessible to all users? Contact us to learn how our accessibility testing and consultancy services will help you meet accessibility standards.