Key Takeaways
- WCAG 2.1 AA is the most commonly referenced accessibility standard.
- Contrast, alt text, keyboard navigation and form labels fix many common issues.
- Overlays alone don't make a site accessible.
- Test regularly; accessibility is ongoing, not one-time.
Why Accessibility Matters
Millions of people use assistive technologies to browse the web: screen readers for people who are blind or have low vision, keyboard navigation for people who can’t use a mouse, captions for people who are deaf or hard of hearing and magnification for people with low vision. Older adults, a large share of healthcare patients and homeowners, often benefit from accessible design too.
An accessible website lets everyone learn about your services, book appointments and contact you. It’s also increasingly important for legal reasons. In the United States, website accessibility lawsuits under the Americans with Disabilities Act have become common, and healthcare providers and local businesses are among those targeted.
This article provides general guidance, not legal advice.
WCAG Explained
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are published by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). They define how to make web content more accessible. WCAG 2.1 Level AA is the standard most often referenced in legal settlements and policies, and WCAG 2.2 adds additional criteria.
WCAG is organized around four principles:
- Perceivable: Information can be perceived, such as text alternatives for images.
- Operable: Interfaces can be operated, such as by keyboard.
- Understandable: Content and controls are understandable.
- Robust: Content works with assistive technologies.
Common Accessibility Issues
Missing Alt Text
Images need text descriptions so screen reader users understand them. Decorative images should be marked so screen readers skip them.
Low Color Contrast
Text must have sufficient contrast with its background. Light gray text on white backgrounds often fails.
Keyboard Navigation
All interactive elements, such as menus, buttons, forms and sliders, must be usable with a keyboard. Focus indicators should show where users are.
Form Labels
Form fields need labels that screen readers can announce. Placeholder text alone isn’t enough.
Headings
Use headings in logical order. Screen reader users often navigate by headings.
Link Text
Links should describe their destination. “Learn more about dental implants” is better than “Click here.”
Videos
Provide captions for videos and transcripts where helpful.
Motion and Animation
Animations should not cause problems for people with motion sensitivity. Provide ways to pause moving content and respect reduced-motion preferences.
Timeouts
If forms time out, warn users and allow extensions.
Healthcare-specific Considerations
Patient portals, online forms, scheduling tools and telehealth platforms should be accessible. If you use third-party tools, ask vendors about accessibility. Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act includes nondiscrimination requirements for certain healthcare entities, and related regulations address accessibility of communications technology. Consult legal advisors for your situation.
Overlays and Widgets
Some vendors sell accessibility overlays that promise instant compliance. Many accessibility experts caution that overlays alone don’t fix underlying issues and can sometimes interfere with assistive technologies. Use built-in accessible design and code instead, with optional tools as supplements.
How to Improve Accessibility
1. Audit
Use automated tools to find common issues, such as missing alt text and contrast problems. Automated tools catch only part of the issues, so add manual testing with keyboards and screen readers.
2. Prioritize
Fix high-impact issues first: navigation, forms, booking tools and key pages.
3. Train
Teach content editors to add alt text, use headings properly and write descriptive links.
4. Publish an Accessibility Statement
Describe your commitment, the standards you aim to meet and how users can report problems or request help.
5. Test Regularly
New content and features can introduce issues. Include accessibility testing in updates.
Accessibility and SEO
Many accessibility practices also support SEO:
- Alt text helps image understanding.
- Proper headings clarify structure.
- Descriptive links help search engines.
- Captions and transcripts provide indexable text.
- Fast, clean code improves usability.
Accessibility and AI
AI tools that read websites benefit from clean structure and text alternatives, similar to assistive technologies. Accessible websites are often easier for machines to understand.
A Quick Self-check You Can Do Today
You don’t need special tools to find many accessibility problems. Try these simple tests on your website:
- Unplug your mouse. Use only the Tab, Shift+Tab, Enter and arrow keys. Can you reach the menu, open dropdowns, complete the contact form and book an appointment? Can you always see where you are?
- Zoom to 200 percent. Does content still fit and remain readable without overlapping?
- Turn on your phone’s screen reader. Listen to your homepage. Do images have meaningful descriptions? Do buttons say what they do?
- Look at light gray text. Is it easy to read for someone with low vision?
- Watch your animations. Is there a way to pause anything that moves for more than a few seconds?
If you struggle with any of these tests, your visitors may struggle too.
Accessibility in Third-party Tools
Many local business websites rely on third-party tools: scheduling widgets, chat tools, payment forms, review widgets and video players. These tools can introduce accessibility barriers you don’t control directly. Before choosing a vendor, ask whether its product supports keyboard navigation and screen readers and whether it publishes an accessibility conformance report. Test the tool on your own site.
Example: A Dental Practice’s Accessibility Project
A dental practice received a complaint from a patient who was blind and couldn’t complete the online booking form. The practice’s website audit found missing form labels, a booking widget that trapped keyboard focus and several images without alt text. The practice worked with its web team to label form fields, replace the booking widget with an accessible alternative, add alt text and publish an accessibility statement with a phone number for assistance. The patient was able to book online, and the practice adopted accessibility checks for every future website change.
Building Accessibility into Your Process
The most reliable approach is to make accessibility part of everyday work rather than a one-time fix:
- Include accessibility requirements in website projects from the start.
- Train staff who publish content.
- Test new features before launch.
- Review the site at least annually.
- Respond quickly when someone reports a barrier.
Zahra Rangwala, Founder, K Business Solutions Inc.. K Business Solutions Inc. has helped healthcare practices, home service companies and enterprises grow online since 2007 from our office in Cypress, Texas.