WCAG Accessibility

Accessibility-washing is already illegal

Accessibility widgets don't fix anything. WCAG 2.1 AA is reached in code, not with a script added to the footer.

• 01

  Cosmetic widget

  Plugin that adds an "accessibility" icon with font/contrast/cursor toggle. It doesn't fix anything substantial, and several courts consider it compliance-washing. The screen reader still doesn't understand the page.

• 02

  Non-navigable form

  Fields without associated labels, validation errors shown only in red, submit that doesn't announce success or failure. Whoever uses NVDA doesn't understand what went wrong and gives up.

• 03

  Contrast out of threshold

  Gray text 999 on white background, "soft pastel" badges with 2.5:1 contrast ratio, light blue links indistinguishable from black text. Whoever has low vision abandons, and WCAG AA requires 4.5:1 minimum.

1. 01

   Real screen reader audit

   I navigate the site with NVDA on Chrome/Firefox and VoiceOver on Safari/macOS. I identify missing landmarks, non-hierarchical headings, "read more" links without context, forms without associated labels. Automatic tools catch 30% of violations. The rest is found only by actually using the screen reader.

2. 02

   Complete keyboard navigation

   I verify that every interaction is reachable from keyboard: menu, modals, dropdowns, carousel, accordion. Coherent tab order, visible focus, escape that closes modal, arrows that scroll tabs. No traps that block the user in an overlay without an exit.

3. 03

   Contrast + color check

   I measure the contrast ratio of every text/background combination. WCAG AA threshold: 4.5:1 for normal text, 3:1 for large text. I identify gray text on light backgrounds that fails the check. I also verify hover, disabled, error, focus states.

4. 04

   Semantic HTML + ARIA

   I replace generic divs with semantic tags (nav, main, article, aside, section, button vs link). I add ARIA only where semantic HTML isn't enough (e.g. tab list, listbox, dialog). No "preventive" ARIA: every attribute has a reason tested with screen reader.

5. 05

   Declared form errors

   Validation errors linked to the field via aria-describedby, announced by screen reader, visible without depending only on color (icon + text). Submit launches a summary with focus management, required fields marked in error messages.

6. 06

   Publishable accessibility statement

   Document compliant with art. 32 of Italian Legislative Decree 82/2022 and AGID Codex: conformance level reached, possible non-accessible content, motivation, alternatives offered, contacts for reports, publication date. Ready to be linked from the footer.

1. 01

   Discovery call

   30 free minutes to understand the real need. I listen, ask questions, take notes. No cold quotes: I need to know what you're actually building first.

2. 02

   Quote

   Flat fee with clear scope, timeline and costs. No surprises: if something falls out of scope I tell you upfront, not when the invoice lands.

3. 03

   Design / Strategy

   Wireframes, moodboard or audit with action plan — depends on the service. You see the direction before any code or content gets touched.

4. 04

   Build

   Development, technical work or operational execution. Agreed check-ins along the way, none of that "let's sync end of month".

5. 05

   Launch & follow-up

   Go-live + 30 days of assistance included. Documentation, training if needed, and an open door for the small things later.

• 01

  Web Design

  An accessible site is born from design, not the final patch. Components designed for keyboard + screen reader from the wireframe stage.

• 02

  Web Development

  React/Next components with correct semantics, ARIA where needed, focus management built-in.

• 03

  Website maintenance

  Quarterly re-audit to catch regressions before fines or complaints arrive.

• The questions I hear all the time.

• Is my site really required to be accessible?+

  If you sell products or services online to European consumers (e-commerce, banks, telecom, transport, e-books), yes, from June 28, 2025. The EAA directive also includes digital services and audiovisual content. Micro-enterprises (under 10 employees and revenue under €2M) have some exemptions, but the safe move is to ask a specific consultant or do the audit to be calm.

  Don't "accessibility widget" plugins suffice?+

  No, and in many cases they make the situation worse. Those widgets overlay a JS layer that changes colors, fonts, contrast on the fly, but don't fix HTML structure, semantics, forms without labels, images without alt. The screen reader doesn't understand them. The US Federal Trade Commission and several European cases consider them "compliance-washing". Real audits and code fixes are needed.

  How long does it take to reach WCAG 2.1 AA?+

  Depends on site size and how badly it's set up. A clean showcase site gets sorted in 2-3 weeks. A complex e-commerce with checkout, filters, account area can require 6-10 weeks because every flow has to be tested. The first audit clarifies the real size.

  What happens if I don't comply with EAA?+

  In Italy (Italian Legislative Decree 82/2022 and amendments) administrative fines reach €40,000 per single violation, with possible service removal orders. AGID and consumer organizations can receive reports and open proceedings. More than fines, the real risk is losing trust: a public report for inaccessibility is reverse marketing.

  Does accessibility slow down or complicate the site?+

  No, usually it improves it. Clean HTML semantics, images with alt, forms with associated labels are also SEO best practices. Google indexes accessible sites better. Performance doesn't change: no accessibility fix introduces heavy JavaScript. On the contrary, "creative" code that was both inaccessible and inefficient often gets removed.

  Can I keep the current design?+

  Almost always yes. 90% of fixes are in code (semantics, ARIA, focus, alt) and invisible to users without disabilities. The only visible changes can be: increased contrast on gray text, more marked visible focus, alternatives to color as the only state signal. Nothing dramatic.