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Accessibility & ADA compliance
The web works best when it works for everyone.
I build sites that work for everyone: screen readers, keyboard navigation, color contrast and everything in between.
What it looks like
Good accessibility is mostly good design.
Color & contrast
Text and controls that are legible for everyone, including people with low vision. I target WCAG AA everywhere, and AAA for body text where I can.
Forms & screen readers
Forms that are simple and accurately labeled, so screen readers and other assistive tech can use them. Transcripts wherever there’s audio.
Responsive & adaptable
Pages that adapt to the device and to people’s settings: larger text, high-contrast and dark modes, and reduced motion.
Why it matters
A human right, and better for everyone.
We’re all online now, from the youngest of us to the oldest. The web is how we bank, sign up, apply and get help, so everyone needs to be able to use it, not just some of us.
Just as a building should have a ramp, a website should work with a screen reader or a keyboard. And designing for accessibility from the start improves things for everyone:
- Clear color and contrast, legible in bright sun or on an old screen
- Captions and transcripts, for people who can’t or don’t want to listen
- Simple, well-labeled forms that are faster for everybody
- Layouts that respect people’s own settings, like larger text or dark mode
- Guidance through anything new, for every level of technical comfort
The ADA
What the law asks of your website.
The Americans with Disabilities Act, signed in 1990 and broadened in 2008, prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability. U.S. courts have increasingly applied it to websites, and in 2022 the Department of Justice issued guidance confirming that the ADA covers web accessibility.
If your business or organization is open to the public, your website is expected to be accessible, whatever your size. In 2024 the Department of Justice went further for state and local governments, including public schools and colleges, setting WCAG 2.1 AA as the required standard.
Agencies carry risk too. If a client is sued over an inaccessible site, they’ll look to whoever built it.
My approach
Layered, because no single tool covers everything.
Built accessible from day one
Every site starts with accessible structure and design. WordPress takes accessibility seriously, and I build on that with WCAG-compliant development and testing throughout.
Current tools, and AI where it helps
I test with up-to-date automated checkers, and use AI to speed up the slow parts: scanning templates and content for issues, drafting alt text and fixes. A person reviews every change.
Expert audits
For the most thorough review, I bring in specialists for a manual audit and then implement their findings. Automated tools catch the obvious issues; people catch the rest.
Start a project
Want to know where your site stands?
Tell me about your site. I’ll tell you what an accessibility review would cover and what it would take to fix what it finds.