Web Accessibility Guide

Building accessible web applications is crucial for ensuring that everyone, regardless of their abilities, can use your website effectively. Let's explore key accessibility principles and implementation techniques.

ARIA Roles and Attributes

ARIA helps make web content more accessible to people using screen readers:

<button role="button" aria-label="Close dialog" aria-pressed="false">✕</button>

Semantic HTML

Use semantic HTML elements to provide meaning and structure:

<!-- Bad -->
<div class="button" onclick="submit()">Submit</div>

<!-- Good -->
<button type="submit">Submit</button>

Keyboard Navigation

Ensure all interactive elements are keyboard accessible:

function handleKeyPress(event) {
	if (event.key === "Enter" || event.key === " ") {
		event.preventDefault();
		// Handle activation
	}
}

Focus Management

Implement proper focus management for interactive elements:

// Trap focus in modal
function trapFocus(element) {
	const focusableElements = element.querySelectorAll(
		'button, [href], input, select, textarea, [tabindex]:not([tabindex="-1"])',
	);
	const firstFocusable = focusableElements[0];
	const lastFocusable = focusableElements[focusableElements.length - 1];

	// Implement focus trap logic
}

Color Contrast

Ensure sufficient color contrast for text readability:

/* Good contrast ratio */
.text-content {
	color: #333333;
	background-color: #ffffff;
}

/* High contrast for important elements */
.alert {
	color: #ffffff;
	background-color: #d42626;
}

Screen Reader Considerations

Provide alternative text for images and meaningful descriptions:

<img src="profile.jpg" alt="John Doe smiling in a professional headshot" />

<figure>
	<img src="chart.png" alt="" aria-describedby="chart-desc" />
	<figcaption id="chart-desc">
		Bar chart showing sales growth over Q1 2024
	</figcaption>
</figure>

Best Practices

1. Use proper heading hierarchy (h1-h6)
2. Provide sufficient color contrast
3. Implement keyboard navigation
4. Add descriptive alt text for images
5. Use ARIA labels when necessary
6. Test with screen readers
7. Support text resizing

Testing Tools

• WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool
• axe DevTools
• Lighthouse Accessibility Audit
• Screen readers (NVDA, VoiceOver)

Conclusion

Accessibility is not just about compliance; it's about creating an inclusive web that everyone can use. By following these guidelines and best practices, you can make your web applications more accessible to all users, regardless of their abilities.