#topic/accessibility #notes/learning

My Approach to Learning Web Accessibility

Many people think they need to learn everything about accessibility before they can start adopting flows for accessibility in their work. I take the opposite approach: I learn as I go, look things up when I need to, and do my best to serve multiple needs with improvement over time.

What’s helped me most is focusing on four areas of growth, rather than pressuring myself become an expert right away. I'm sharing this not to tell you how to approach best, but to give you one perspective so you can think about your own.

You don't have to be an expert to make things better. Instead, start paying attention, stay curious, and be willing to adapt. Over time, those small and intentional changes add up to real impact. Accessibility isn't just about having all the right steps, it's about building systems and habits that support inclusive work.

Note: Digital accessibility is a broader term that includes all digital products, while web accessibility is a subset specifically focused on websites and web content. This approach could apply to both but my experience is in web accessibility.

1. Understand the Four Principles of Web Accessibility and How They Impact People

These aren't just technical guidelines, they are frameworks for understanding how people with a wide range of needs interact with digital spaces. Start by learning the core principles of accessibility, and reference them often when making decisions in your work. In some cases, you'll find the recommendation for one need conflicts with another; familiarizing yourself with the context helps with deciding each scenario.

1. Perceivable: Information and user information components must be presented in ways users can perceive.
   a. Content should not rely on only one sense (vision, hearing).
   b. Examples: providing alt text for images, captions for videos, sufficient color contrast, readable text
2. Operable: All users must be able to navigate and interact with the interface.
   a. Interfaces should work for users who can't use a mouse or have limited motor control.
   b. Examples: keyboard accessibility, enough time to read/use content, avoiding flashing content that could cause seizures, clear navigation structures
3. Understandable: Content and operation of the interface must be clear and predictable.
   a. Users should be able to comprehend what's presented and how to use it.
   b. Examples: consistent navigation, plain and simple language, clear error messages, logical form labels
4. Robust: Content must be compatible with current and future tools, including assistive technologies.
   a. Code should follow standards so it can be interpreted readily by browsers, screen readers, and other devices.
   b. Examples: valid HTML, proper use of ARIA attributes, testing with different devices or assistive technologies

While we often talk about accessibility in general terms, especially in professional contexts, it's valuable to understand the lived experiences behind it. While you're learning the guiding principles, take time to learn about how they impact people who have different needs than you do, even beyond what you're able to invent.

Knowing who you are helping connects your motivation to real people, not just compliance checklists. Read blog posts, get on Tumblr or Reddit (a fountain of experiences to read and learn), watch a documentary, listen to music from different perspectives, attend a local zinefest to get some perspectives in self-printed books that you can pass along when you're done to help someone else understand.

• Users with physical disabilities rely on keyboards, switch controls, or other assistive devices
• Users with low vision or blindness depend on screen readers
• Users with cognitive differences benefit from clear structure and predictable interfaces with consistent navigation
• Users with hearing loss, neurodivergence, or temporary limitations depend on transcripts, captions, flexible layouts, predictable patterns, and multiple ways to process information

2. Learn from User Experience (UX) Design

Accessibility and usability are inseparable best friends. The more you understand UX, the easier it is to recognize accessibility issues before you even know the technical terms for them.

Explore how users interact with content differently and what causes friction. Pay more attention to why you feel frustrated with software or websites or applications, what about the interface or workflow is causing that annoyance?

UX helps you start asking questions like:

• "Can everyone understand this?"
• "Is this easy to navigate?"
• "What barriers might I be missing?"

Warning: Once you start noticing usability issues, you'll start seeing them everywhere. There's no going back!

3. Get to Know Your Tools

Accessibility often depends on the tools you use, and not all of them make it easy or intuitive. Sometimes improving accessibility means learning new settings in tools you've used for years, sometimes it means switching to something better.

My advice:

• Familiarize yourself with where to find answers before you need them. Bookmark the support/docs site for the tools you already use.
• When you're making something new, review the 4 principles of accessibility and if any of them hit what you're doing, research what tools you can use to make the content accessible. Examples:
  • You identify you have a video to add to your website. Match it to "perceivable," search "how to make videos accessible on the web" to make sure you're doing it right and including the proper supplementary files.
  • You're figuring out the color palette for an image or stylesheet. Match it to "perceivable," search for "color accessibility checker" or "color contrast checker" to make sure you're using accessible color combinations.
• If a resource or tool doesn't exist, make your own (personal checklists, notes, or reference guides for your future self).

4. Keep a Growth Mindset

Above all, adopt a growth mindset towards learning accessibility. You won't get everything perfect; often you'll learn new things that make you rethink how you've been doing things. It's a good sign if looking back on past work makes you feel weird.

Accessibility is an ongoing process of learning, improving, and caring more deeply about other people's experiences. Every step forward makes your work more inclusive, compassionate, and effective.