4 Web Accessibility

Learning Objectives

• Enumerate methods for making web documents and websites more accessible
• Locate tools and standards for optimizing web accessibility

Introduction

As of July 2025, more than 67% of the global population have accessed the internet (Petrosyan, 2025). Around 1.3 billion users have a disability that requires some kind of assistive tool or technology to access online content (Milbergs, 2023). Still, less than 2% of websites make such accommodations, leading to low-contrast or missing alternative text, empty links or buttons, and no input form labels (Milbergs, 2023). Version 2.2 of The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) offers guidelines that make online content more accessible to more people, including those with disabilities (W3C, 2025). While incapable of accommodating every disability, the guidelines promote inclusivity by addressing limitations resulting from blindness and low vision, deafness and hearing loss, limited movement, speech disabilities, photosensitivity, as well as some learning disabilities and cognitive limitations.

WCAG Guidelines Overview

The WCAG provides accessibility standards for websites. Entities who use these guidelines include developers of web content, developers of web authoring tools, and developers of web tool accessibility evaluators, as well as others who use it on a technical level. WCAG 2.1 and 2.2 were updated as the internet changed and grew. There are thirteen guidelines that fit under four different principles: perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust (WAI, 2025).

Guidelines alone may not be enough to guarantee accessibility but they can give developers an ideal to strive toward (Georgakas, 2023).

Key Components of Web Accessibility

According to the Web Accessibility Initiative (WIA), the accessibility of web content relies on several factors. Developers create content through web-authoring software, reviewing the accessibility of their work using evaluation tools; on the other side of the screen, users rely on their own knowledge, abilities, and available assistive tools to interact with user agents (web browsers and media players) to access content. Each component in both pathways affects the accessibility of web content. If one component in either pathway fails to meet the user’s needs, inefficient workarounds may be created, and other components may work harder to meet the user’s needs.

Real-World Impact

Private websites are not required by law to comply with WCAG, though websites do need to be accessible, a fact which is often cited by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in cases regarding a failure to do so (ADA.gov, 2024; Bureau of Internet Accessibility, 2019). By complying with guidelines, business and commercial websites increase audience reach, improve experiences, optimize sites for search engines, enhance brand inclusivity, and avoid potential lawsuits. For individuals, accessible websites could unlock opportunities for employment, education, and participation in digital society, all of which remove barriers leading to social isolation and economic disadvantage (AllAccessible Team, 2023). Improved web accessibility means more people can peruse, consume, and create content, leading to better exchanges and dissemination of information regardless of a user’s abilities.

Key Takeaway

Web accessibility is a core component of effective digital services, ensuring that online content can be used across a wide range of abilities, devices, and contexts. By applying established accessibility principles and guidelines, libraries can improve usability and reduce barriers to digital resources.