Accessibility testing

WebAIM's latest screen reader user survey provides new data to inform how you prioritize screen readers for testing, understand audiences, and target your remediation efforts.

Accessibility is similar to security, SEO, and other such areas that require some routine maintenance and vigilance. In other words, your level of accessibility can decay without some discipline to maintain it at the required level.

Digital accessibility is addressed in Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act to be exact. It requires all federal agencies and departments to make their electronic and information technology accessible to people with disabilities, including both employees and members of the public. This includes websites, PDFs, and digital kiosks. The requirements also apply to federal government digital procurement as well as some bodies that receive federal funding.

PDFs are commonly used for sharing information and documents, but they have limitations and drawbacks that make them less than ideal for use on the web, especially when compared to good old HTML.

So you’ve just learned about accessibility. Now what? The good news is that it’s never too late and there are steps you can take to make an immediate impact. But what should you do first?