Accessibility Resources

Free guides, tools, and information to help you understand and implement digital accessibility

Guides & Resources

Practical resources to help you get started with accessibility

WCAG 2.1 Quick Reference

Guide

A plain-language guide to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines with practical examples for each success criterion.

Section 508 Compliance Checklist

Checklist

Step-by-step checklist to evaluate your digital content against Section 508 requirements.

Creating Accessible PDFs

Guide

Best practices for creating PDF documents that work with screen readers and other assistive technologies.

Alt Text Decision Tree

Tool

A practical framework for writing effective alternative text for different types of images.

Color Contrast Requirements

Guide

Understanding WCAG color contrast ratios and how to test them for your designs.

Keyboard Navigation Testing

Guide

How to test your website using only a keyboard to identify navigation barriers.

Recommended Tools

Free and paid tools we recommend for accessibility testing

WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool

Free browser extension and web tool for identifying accessibility issues

Visit Website

axe DevTools

Comprehensive accessibility testing toolkit for developers

Visit Website

NVDA Screen Reader

Free, open-source screen reader for Windows

Visit Website

WebAIM Contrast Checker

Online tool for checking color contrast ratios

Visit Website

Accessibility Insights

Microsoft's free accessibility testing tool for Windows and web

Visit Website

Lighthouse

Google's automated auditing tool for accessibility and performance

Visit Website

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about digital accessibility

What is the difference between WCAG 2.1 Level A, AA, and AAA?

WCAG success criteria are organized into three levels of conformance: A (minimum), AA (mid-range, and what most laws require), and AAA (highest). Level AA is the standard target for most organizations as it provides a good balance of accessibility without being overly restrictive.

How often should we test our website for accessibility?

We recommend testing at least annually, and whenever you make significant changes to your website. If you publish content frequently, consider implementing continuous accessibility monitoring as part of your content workflow.

Can automated tools catch all accessibility issues?

No. Automated tools can identify about 30-40% of accessibility issues. Manual testing by experienced professionals using screen readers and other assistive technologies is essential for a complete evaluation.

What screen readers should we test with?

The most commonly used screen readers are NVDA (free, Windows), JAWS (paid, Windows), and VoiceOver (built-in, Mac/iOS). We recommend testing with at least NVDA and JAWS on Windows, and VoiceOver on Mac.

Do accessibility requirements apply to mobile apps?

Yes. While Section 508 primarily covers web content, the ADA and other laws apply to mobile apps. WCAG guidelines can be applied to mobile apps, and both iOS and Android have platform-specific accessibility guidelines.

How long does it take to make a website accessible?

It depends on the size and complexity of your site and the number of issues found. A small site might be remediated in a few weeks, while a large enterprise site could take several months. We provide realistic timelines in our assessment reports.

Official Standards & Guidelines

WCAG 2.1

W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines

Section 508

U.S. Federal accessibility requirements

Need More Help?

Our team of accessibility experts is here to answer your questions and guide your organization.