Over a billion people worldwide live with some form of disability. For them, the web can be a powerful source of information, employment, education, and social connection*if* it is built with accessibility in mind. Inaccessible sites create barriers that can exclude users from essential services, violate legal requirements (such as the ADA in the United States or the EN 301 549 in the EU), and damage a brands reputation. Beyond compliance, accessibility improves usability for everyone; clear navigation, readable text, and wellstructured content benefit users on mobile devices, older adults, and people in lowbandwidth situations.
Common Accessibility Issues
1. Missing or Poorly Written Alt Text
Images that convey meaning must have alternative text (alt attributes) that describes the content for screenreader users. Purely decorative images should have an empty alt attribute (`alt=""`) so they are ignored. Overly generic descriptions such as image1 or picture provide no value.
2. Insufficient Color Contrast
Text that does not contrast enough with its background makes reading difficult for users with low vision or colourblindness. The WCAG 2.1 AA standard requires a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for normal text and 3:1 for large text.
3. Inadequate Keyboard Navigation
Many users navigate with a keyboard alone. Interactive elements must be reachable via Tab, and the focus order should follow a logical sequence. Missing `tabindex` attributes, hidden focus outlines, or custom controls that do not respond to Enter or Space break this flow.
4. Improper Use of Semantic HTML
Using generic `
` or `` tags for headings, lists, or navigation strips the page of structure that assistive technologies rely on. Proper elements (`
