Question 1

What is WCAG?

Accepted Answer

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines—the international standard for web accessibility. WCAG 2.1 Level AA is the common target. It covers perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust criteria.

Question 2

Is accessibility legally required?

Accepted Answer

Depends on your jurisdiction and sector. ADA (US), Section 508 (US government), and EU Accessibility Act create requirements. Enterprise customers often require accessibility. Beyond law, it's the right thing to do.

Question 3

Where do I start with accessibility?

Accepted Answer

Run automated tests (axe, Lighthouse) to find obvious issues. Fix color contrast, add alt text, ensure keyboard navigation. These catch 30-40% of issues. Manual testing and screen reader testing catch the rest.

Question 4

What is a screen reader?

Accepted Answer

Software that reads screen content aloud for blind users. VoiceOver (Mac), NVDA (Windows), and TalkBack (Android) are common. Your site should make sense when read aloud, with proper headings and labels.

Question 5

How do I test keyboard navigation?

Accepted Answer

Unplug your mouse. Use Tab to move between elements, Enter to activate, Escape to close modals. Can you complete all tasks? Is focus visible? This is how many users navigate.

Question 6

What is color contrast and why does it matter?

Accepted Answer

The difference between text and background colors. Low contrast is hard to read for everyone, especially those with visual impairments. WCAG requires 4.5:1 ratio for normal text. Tools like WebAIM's contrast checker help.

Question 7

What are ARIA labels?

Accepted Answer

Accessible Rich Internet Applications—HTML attributes that provide context to assistive technologies. Use aria-label for unlabeled buttons, aria-describedby for additional context. Don't overuse—proper HTML is usually enough.

Question 8

How do I make images accessible?

Accepted Answer

Add alt text describing the image content. Decorative images get empty alt="". Complex images need longer descriptions. Alt text is read by screen readers and shown when images fail to load.

Question 9

What makes forms accessible?

Accepted Answer

Label every input, group related fields, indicate required fields, provide clear error messages, allow form completion with keyboard only. Forms are where accessibility often breaks down.

Question 10

How do I make videos accessible?

Accepted Answer

Add captions for deaf users. Provide transcripts. Audio descriptions for blind users if visual content matters. Auto-captions are a start but need review. YouTube and Vimeo support captions.

Question 11

What tools test accessibility?

Accepted Answer

axe DevTools browser extension for manual testing. Lighthouse for automated audits. Siteimprove for ongoing monitoring. WAVE for visual feedback. Automated tools catch many but not all issues.

Question 12

Can automated tools catch all accessibility issues?

Accepted Answer

No, automated tools catch 30-40% of issues. They find contrast problems, missing alt text, structural issues. They can't judge if alt text is meaningful, if keyboard flow makes sense, or if content is understandable.

Question 13

What is focus management?

Accepted Answer

Controlling which element has keyboard focus and when. When a modal opens, focus should move to it. When it closes, focus should return. Poor focus management confuses keyboard users.

Question 14

How do I handle animations for accessibility?

Accepted Answer

Respect prefers-reduced-motion setting—some users get motion sick or distracted. Provide pause controls for auto-playing content. Don't flash content (seizure risk). Animation should enhance, not require.

Question 15

What is semantic HTML?

Accepted Answer

Using HTML elements for their intended purpose:

Question 16

How do I get buy-in for accessibility work?

Accepted Answer

Frame it as reaching more customers, reducing legal risk, and improving SEO. Enterprise sales often require it. Accessibility improvements benefit all users. Build it into process rather than retrofitting.

Question 17

What is an accessibility audit?

Accepted Answer

A comprehensive review of your product against WCAG criteria. Includes automated testing, manual testing, and screen reader testing. Professional audits cost $5K-20K but catch issues internal teams miss.

Question 18

How do I maintain accessibility over time?

Accepted Answer

Add accessibility to your definition of done. Include automated tests in CI. Train developers on accessibility basics. Regular audits. Accessibility is ongoing, not a one-time fix.

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