What Makes a Website Accessible?

Metal handrail against an orange and white wall

In Part I, Sofia explained what web accessibility means, why it matters, and how differently people interact with digital products.

In Part II, she moves from understanding accessibility to putting it into practice, looking at some of the ways we can create more accessible digital experiences.

Some people think accessibility is simply a checklist of requirements to complete for compliance. But accessibility is ultimately about removing barriers that prevent people from accessing information, completing tasks, or participating online.

A website does not become accessible because it passes a checklist. It becomes more accessible when it is designed with the understanding that people use technology in different ways.

Small decisions that designers and developers make — from the colours we choose, to how we structure content, to how users interact with controls — can determine whether someone can successfully use a website.

Semantic HTML

A visually perfect website can still be inaccessible if the underlying code does not communicate meaning. Semantic HTML elements such as buttons, headings, lists, and form labels allow assistive technologies to understand and interact with content.

divs hide heading and button roles from assistive tech.

// ❌ Non-semantic
<>
  <div className="title">
    Contact Us
  </div>
  <div
    onClick={() => sendForm()}
  >
    Send
  </div>
</>

h1 and button expose structure and interaction.

// ✅ Semantic
<>
  <h1>Contact Us</h1>
  <button
    type="button"
    onClick={() => sendForm()}
  >
    Send
  </button>
</>

Designing for different ways of seeing

The way information is presented visually can create barriers for people with visual impairments. Someone with low vision may struggle to distinguish text from its background, while someone with visual processing difficulties may find cluttered or complex layouts difficult to navigate.

Design choices that help include:

Sufficient colour contrast: Ensuring text and important interface elements are easy to distinguish.
Flexible text sizing: Allowing users to zoom or increase text size without content becoming unusable.
Responsive layouts: Making sure websites adapt across different screen sizes, devices, and assistive technologies.

Designing for different ways of navigating and interacting

Many websites are built around the assumption that everyone uses a mouse, touchscreen, or conventional keyboard. However, people may navigate using screen readers, switch devices, voice controls, or alternative input devices.

When websites are not built with these different methods in mind, users may be unable to complete basic tasks such as navigating menus, submitting forms, or activating buttons.

Developers can reduce these barriers by:

Ensuring every action can be completed using a keyboard.
Providing visible focus indicators so users know where they are.
Using semantic HTML so assistive technologies can understand the structure of a page.
Creating controls that are easy to identify and interact with.

Designing forms that support users

Forms are one of the most common places where people encounter frustration online. A confusing form can prevent someone from completing an important task, such as signing up for a service, making a purchase, or contacting support.

Accessible forms should:

Clearly identify what information is required.
Associate labels with their input fields.
Provide helpful guidance when something goes wrong.

For example, “Error in input” leaves the user guessing. “Please enter a valid email address” explains the problem and helps them move forward.

Designing for understanding and predictability

Accessibility is not only about whether someone can technically interact with a website, it is also about whether they can understand what is happening.

People with cognitive, neurological, or learning differences may find unexpected behaviour, unclear language, or unfamiliar interfaces difficult to navigate.

Clear headings, consistent layouts, simple language, and meaningful feedback help users understand where they are, what they need to do, and what will happen next.

Avoiding unnecessary distractions such as excessive animations, flashing content, autoplay media, or cluttered layouts can also make experiences less overwhelming and easier to use.

Accessibility is not about creating a separate version of the web for people with disabilities. It is about creating flexible experiences that allow more people to use technology in the way that works best for them.

Accessibility is not only a frontend concern

Accessibility is not just about what users see on a screen. The way we design APIs, authentication flows, error handling, and application behaviour can also create barriers.

A technically functional system can still exclude people if it assumes users interact with technology in only one way.

Accessibility should be considered throughout the development process, from the underlying architecture to the final user interface. While many barriers are created in the interface users interact with directly, accessibility decisions made earlier in the system can have an equally important impact.

A more accessible web starts with awareness

It’s easy to assume there’s one “accessible” version of a website. But accessibility isn’t about finding a single perfect solution: it’s about giving people the flexibility to use what works best for them. People experience technology in different ways, and good accessibility embraces those differences instead of assuming everyone has the same needs.

 Don’t design for what you think people need; design so people can choose what they need. 

This idea resonates with me because I have always cared about making sure people don’t feel excluded. Learning about accessibility showed me that the technology we build can unintentionally create barriers when people’s needs are not considered.

Accessibility is a broad topic with countless techniques, technologies, and perspectives that I still have a lot to learn about. But if there’s one thing I hope you take away, it’s this:

Accessibility isn’t a feature you add at the end. It’s a mindset.

Because for some people, accessible websites are the difference between being able to participate online — or not. And for everyone else, they simply make the web a better place.

The next time you build a feature, ask yourself: could someone use this without seeing the screen, using a mouse, hearing audio, or understanding the interface immediately?