Meaning
Web Accessibility ensures websites are perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust for all users, including those with visual, auditory, motor, or cognitive disabilities.
Definition
WordPress accessibility follows WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) standards, including: semantic HTML structure, keyboard navigation support, sufficient color contrast, alt text for images, ARIA labels for interactive elements, form field labels, skip-to-content links, and video captions.
WordPress core prioritizes accessibility – the admin interface is keyboard-navigable, screen-reader compatible, and follows accessibility best practices. Theme and plugin developers should maintain these standards, but many ignore accessibility, creating barriers for disabled users.
Accessibility tools include: WP Accessibility plugin (adds accessibility features), accessibility checker plugins (identifying issues), browser extensions (WAVE, axe DevTools), and screen readers (testing user experience). Good accessibility also improves SEO (semantic structure), mobile usability, and general UX.
Example
A university website undergoes an accessibility audit, revealing: missing image alt text, insufficient color contrast in navigation, form fields without labels, and no keyboard access to the mobile menu. The developer implements fixes: adds descriptive alt text to all images, increases contrast ratios to meet WCAG AA standards, associates labels with all form inputs, makes the mobile menu keyboard-accessible, and adds a skip-to-content link. These changes enable screen reader users, keyboard-only users, and visually impaired users to access all content, while also improving SEO and mobile usability.
