Beyond Compliance: Building a mindset for Accessibility

Accessibility is more than just a set of guidelines—it's a lifeline for millions. Picture a family member, a friend, or even yourself struggling to book a doctor’s appointment, apply for a job, or order food—but you can't! simply because a website wasn't designed with everyone in mind. For millions of people with disabilities, this isn’t just frustrating—it’s exclusion.

Why Accessibility Matters More Than Ever?

1. Regulations are evolving – An estimated 1.3 billion people globally have a disability. The EU Accessibility Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and WCAG 2.2 guidelines are setting higher standards for digital accessibility worldwide. Organizations must proactively address compliance to avoid lawsuits, fines, and reputational damage. 
2. Competitive advantage – Companies investing in accessibility, such as Apple, Microsoft, and Airbnb, are setting new standards for inclusive digital experiences, leading to higher engagement, customer trust and business growth.

But, accessibility is more than just ticking boxes or improving business; it’s about designing with empathy and responsibility.

Join me in this tutorial to become an ambassador for inclusion, gain hands-on experience, and apply what you learn starting the very next day.

Workshop Outline:

1. Introduction to Accessibility (A11Y)

   • What is accessibility?

   • Who benefits from accessible design (beyond people with permanent disabilities)?

2. Why Accessibility is Important?

   • Ethical responsibility: Inclusive design as a human right - Empathy exercise!

   • Business case: How accessibility improves usability for all users and expands market reach

   • Success stories: Accessibility as a competitive advantage (e.g., Apple, Microsoft, Airbnb)

3. Accessibility Laws and Standards

   • Brief overview of global legal frameworks:

     • European Accessibility Act (EAA)

     • Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

4. Introduction to WCAG Guidelines & POUR principles

   • Basic for manual/ semi-automated testing

   • Real-world examples to bring each principle to life

5. Automated Accessibility Tools

   • Introduction and live demo of tools:

     • WAVE: Browser extension for identifying key issues

     • Axe DevTools: In-browser testing with actionable feedback

     • Lighthouse: Chrome DevTools audit for performance and accessibility

   • Limitations of automation—why manual testing is still critical

   • Integrating accessibility checks in CI/CD pipelines (brief overview)