Website Accessibility: WCAG, Screen Readers, Keyboard Navigation
On a major bank's website, the "Submit Application" button was marked up as <div class="btn" onclick="...">. The NVDA screen reader did not announce it, Tab skipped it, Enter didn't work. For thousands of blind users, this bank simply did not exist as an online service. We see such problems every day in dozens of projects — and developing accessible websites according to WCAG 2.2 AA has become the only way to avoid discrimination and legal risks. Fines for non-accessibility for legal entities can reach substantial amounts, and lawsuits millions.
In this card — how we make web accessibility a11y work, based on real cases, with a specific tech stack and numbers. No generic phrases.
Why is Semantic Markup the Foundation of Web Accessibility (a11y)?
Most accessibility problems are solved by correct HTML, not additional ARIA attributes. <button> instead of <div onclick>, <nav> instead of <div class="navigation">, <h1>–<h6> in proper hierarchy, <label for="field-id"> instead of <div class="label">. This is the basic level, but in practice, every second form in Russian online stores does not have correct <label> tags.
ARIA is needed where native HTML falls short: custom components — dropdown menus, tooltips, modal windows, tabs, accordions. And here the complexity begins.
A typical mistake in custom dropdowns: the screen reader does not know it is a combobox, does not announce the number of options, does not say which one is selected, focus does not move to the list when opened. Proper implementation:
-
role="combobox"on the input -
aria-expanded="true/false"when opened/closed -
aria-controls="listbox-id"points to the list -
aria-activedescendant— ID of the currently selected item -
role="option"andaria-selectedon each option
This is not theory; it is tested with a screen reader. NVDA + Chrome or VoiceOver + Safari is a mandatory part of QA.
Example implementation of custom combobox with ARIA
<div role="combobox" aria-expanded="false" aria-controls="listbox-1" aria-activedescendant="" tabindex="0">
<label for="input-1">Select city</label>
<input id="input-1" type="text" role="combobox" aria-autocomplete="list" />
<ul id="listbox-1" role="listbox" aria-label="Cities">
<li role="option" aria-selected="false" id="opt-1">Moscow</li>
<li role="option" aria-selected="false" id="opt-2">St. Petersburg</li>
</ul>
</div>
The cost of fixing a single Level A violation varies depending on complexity. Implementing a11y from the design stage reduces the refactoring budget by 2–3 times compared to retrofitting a finished site.
How to Properly Build Keyboard Navigation?
Tab order should match the visual order of elements. If in HTML the "Cancel" button comes before "Confirm", but CSS swaps them — the keyboard user is confused.
Focus trap in modal windows. When a modal opens, Tab should cycle only within it. When closing, return focus to the element that opened the modal. Without this, the user ends up at the top of the page after closing.
tabindex="-1" — element does not enter Tab sequence but can receive focus programmatically. Used for elements that receive focus via JavaScript (section headings after anchor navigation).
tabindex="1" and above is almost always an error. Explicit order breaks natural order and creates unpredictable behavior. Control order via DOM, not tabindex.
Skip links — a "Skip to content" link, hidden visually, visible on Tab. Allows screen reader users to skip repetitive navigation.
Color and Contrast: Requirements and Common Violations
WCAG 2.2 AA requires contrast 4.5:1 for normal text, 3:1 for large text (18px+ or 14px+ bold). AAA requires 7:1 and 4.5:1.
The most common violations: gray placeholder in inputs (#999 on white = 2.9:1), light gray secondary text, white text on pastel backgrounds.
Color should not be the sole indicator: "required fields are red" without an asterisk — violation for color blind users.
Testing tools: axe DevTools, WAVE, Accessibility Inspector in Chrome DevTools. axe-core integrates into Playwright tests: automatic check of 80+ rules on every deployment. Manual testing finds about 60% more errors than automated.
What Is Important About Media Content and Dynamics?
Images without alt — a common basic failure. alt should be meaningful: not alt="image_123.jpg", but a description of content relevant to context. Decorative images — alt="" (empty, not missing attribute).
Video should have captions. YouTube auto-captions are not a standard; they make mistakes. WebVTT files with correct captions for all educational and marketing video content.
Animations — a problem for users with vestibular disorders. @media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) — media query that disables or slows animations for users with that OS setting.
What Changed in WCAG 2.2?
Version 2.2 came into effect with new criteria:
| Criterion | Level | Essence |
|---|---|---|
| 2.5.7 Dragging Movements | AA | All drag operations must have a keyboard alternative |
| 2.5.8 Target Size | AA | Minimum interactive element size 24×24 px |
| 3.2.6 Consistent Help | A | Contact/chat location should be same on all pages |
| 3.3.7 Redundant Entry | A | Do not force re-entry of same information in one session |
These criteria raise the entry bar, but we already include them in our standard checklist.
| Level | Minimum text contrast | Large text contrast |
|---|---|---|
| AA | 4.5:1 | 3:1 |
| AAA | 7:1 | 4.5:1 |
Audit and Remediation
Automated tools find about 30–40% of violations. The rest is only manual testing. Minimum scenario: go through the entire critical user flow (registration, purchase, form) using only keyboard and screen reader.
Process
- Automated audit — axe-core, Lighthouse, WAVE — outputs 80+ rules.
- Manual testing — NVDA, VoiceOver, keyboard — 2–3 days for a typical site.
- Violation prioritization — P1 (blocks usage), P2 (creates difficulties), P3 (enhancements).
- Fixing — iteratively, integrate checks into CI via Playwright + axe.
- Re-audit — close all P1/P2 before release.
- Documentation and handover — report with results, maintenance recommendations, team training.
Results and Scope
- Full audit report with violation prioritization (PDF/HTML)
- Fixed code: semantic markup, ARIA, keyboard navigation
- Integration of axe-core into CI/CD for regression control
- Training for client developers on a11y (2-hour session)
- Access to repository with correct component examples
- Guarantee of WCAG 2.2 AA compliance at time of delivery
Timeline
| Stage | Duration |
|---|---|
| Site audit (up to 50 pages) | 3–7 days |
| Remediation of A/AA violations on existing project | 3–8 weeks |
| Development of new project adhering to WCAG 2.2 AA | from 6 weeks |
Budget is calculated individually after the audit. Contact us — we will evaluate your project in 1 day. Get a consultation and free checklist when ordering an audit.
Experience and Guarantees
We have been working in web accessibility a11y for over 8 years. Completed more than 50 projects for banks, retail, and government. Certified specialists (IAAP CPACC, WAS). We guarantee passing a third-party audit or will fix for free.
WCAG 2.2 Standard — official W3C recommendation defining web content accessibility requirements.
Wikipedia: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
Wikipedia: ARIA
— web accessibility levels a11y per version 2.2.
Order an audit now — get a checklist and preliminary estimate for free. Contact us – we will respond within an hour.