4 Essential Resources to Improve Website Accessibility and Usability

Website accessibility is no longer optional—it’s a critical part of creating inclusive digital experiences and improving overall website performance. An accessible website ensures that people with disabilities, including visual, auditory, motor, and cognitive impairments, can navigate, understand, and interact with your content effectively.

Beyond inclusivity, accessibility also benefits SEO, usability, legal compliance, and conversion rates. Search engines favor well-structured, accessible websites, and users are more likely to trust and engage with sites that are easy to use for everyone.

In this article, we’ll explore four essential resources that can help you make your website more accessible, regardless of whether you’re a developer, designer, content creator, or business owner.

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Why Website Accessibility Matters More Than Ever

Before diving into the resources, it’s important to understand why accessibility should be a priority:

• Over 1 billion people worldwide live with a disability, many of whom rely on assistive technologies like screen readers or keyboard navigation.

• Accessibility improves SEO by encouraging semantic HTML, better headings, alt text, and improved site structure.

• Legal requirements such as the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines), and similar laws worldwide increasingly apply to websites.

• Better user experience for everyone, including users on mobile devices, slow connections, or temporary impairments.

Accessibility isn’t just about compliance—it’s about creating a better web.

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1. Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)

Best for: Foundational knowledge and compliance standards

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are the global standard for web accessibility. Developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), WCAG provides detailed recommendations on how to make web content more accessible to people with disabilities.

Why WCAG Is Essential

WCAG serves as the backbone of most accessibility laws and audits. Understanding it helps you:

• Avoid legal risks

• Build accessibility into your workflow from the start

• Create consistent, testable accessibility practices

Key WCAG Principles (POUR)

WCAG is built around four core principles:

1. Perceivable – Information must be presented in ways users can perceive (e.g., alt text for images).

2. Operable – Users must be able to navigate and interact (e.g., keyboard accessibility).

3. Understandable – Content and navigation should be clear and predictable.

4. Robust – Content must work with assistive technologies now and in the future.

Practical Use Cases

• Using proper heading hierarchy (H1–H6)

• Adding captions to videos

• Ensuring sufficient color contrast

• Making forms accessible with labels and error messages

While WCAG documentation can be technical, it’s the most authoritative resource available and an essential reference for long-term accessibility success.

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2. Accessibility Testing Tools (WAVE, Axe, and Lighthouse)

Best for: Identifying accessibility issues quickly

Automated accessibility testing tools help you catch common problems early and often. While they can’t replace manual testing, they are invaluable for ongoing audits.

Top Tools to Use

WAVE (Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool)

WAVE provides visual feedback directly on your website, highlighting issues like:

• Missing alt text

• Low contrast text

• Improper heading structure

• ARIA errors

It’s especially helpful for designers and non-technical users.

Axe DevTools

Axe is a powerful accessibility testing tool used by developers. It integrates with browsers and CI/CD pipelines and provides:

• Detailed issue explanations

• Code-level fixes

• WCAG references

Google Lighthouse

Built into Chrome DevTools, Lighthouse includes an accessibility audit that:

• Scores your site’s accessibility

• Highlights critical issues

• Helps prioritize fixes

Why These Tools Matter

• Save time by automating basic checks

• Catch regressions during updates

• Improve collaboration between designers, developers, and content teams

Using at least one accessibility testing tool should be part of your regular website maintenance process.

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3. Screen Readers and Keyboard Navigation Testing

Best for: Real-world accessibility validation

Automated tools can only detect about 30–40% of accessibility issues. To truly understand how users with disabilities experience your website, you need to test it the way they do.

Popular Screen Readers to Test With

• NVDA (Free, Windows)

• JAWS (Paid, Windows)

• VoiceOver (Built into macOS and iOS)

• TalkBack (Android)

What to Test

• Can you navigate the site using only a keyboard?

• Are links descriptive when read out of context?

• Do forms announce labels and error messages correctly?

• Is the reading order logical?

Why Manual Testing Is Crucial

Screen readers interpret your site very differently than visual users do. Issues like:

• Poor focus management

• Incorrect ARIA roles

• Hidden but announced content

can only be identified through hands-on testing.

Even spending 30 minutes navigating your site without a mouse can uncover major usability barriers.

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4. Accessibility-Focused Design and Content Resources

Best for: Building accessibility into design and content creation

Accessibility isn’t just a technical issue—it starts with design and content decisions.

Inclusive Design Toolkits

Design systems and UI libraries with accessibility baked in can save enormous time. These resources typically include:

• Accessible color palettes

• Keyboard-friendly components

• Proper focus states

• Readable typography

Using accessible components from the start reduces retrofitting later.

Content Accessibility Resources

Content creators play a major role in accessibility. Key practices include:

• Writing clear, concise language

• Using descriptive link text (avoid “click here”)

• Structuring content with headings and lists

• Adding alt text that conveys meaning, not just appearance

Why This Matters

Accessible content:

• Improves readability for all users

• Reduces bounce rates

• Performs better in search engines

• Supports users with cognitive disabilities

When designers and writers understand accessibility, the entire website becomes more inclusive—without relying solely on developers to fix issues later.

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Common Accessibility Mistakes to Avoid

Even with the right resources, teams often fall into common traps:

• Relying only on automated testing tools

• Using accessibility overlays instead of fixing root issues

• Ignoring accessibility during redesigns

• Treating accessibility as a one-time task instead of an ongoing process

Accessibility should be part of your design, development, content, and QA workflows.

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How Accessibility Improves SEO and Business Results

An accessible website often performs better across key metrics:

• Improved SEO: Semantic HTML, alt text, and structured content help search engines understand your site.

• Higher conversions: Easier navigation leads to better user engagement.

• Wider audience reach: Accessibility opens your site to millions of users.

• Reduced legal risk: Compliance helps protect your business.

Accessibility is one of the few optimizations that benefits users, search engines, and businesses simultaneously.

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Final Thoughts

Making your website more accessible doesn’t require a complete rebuild—it requires the right resources and a commitment to inclusive practices.

To recap, the four essential resources are:

1. WCAG guidelines for foundational standards

2. Accessibility testing tools for quick issue detection

3. Screen readers and keyboard testing for real-world validation

4. Accessible design and content resources to prevent issues at the source

By incorporating these resources into your workflow, you’ll create a website that’s more inclusive, more usable, and better positioned for long-term success.

Accessibility isn’t just good practice—it’s good business.