What is Digital Accessibility (and why it Matters)

What is digital accessibility?

Digital accessibility is the practice of making websites and digital tools usable by everyone, including the 1 in 4 adults in the U.S. who live with a disability.

So, what does this look like in practice? Digital accessibility means removing barriers, such as broken keyboard navigation, missing alt text, and low color contrast, so that people using screen readers, voice controls, or other assistive technology have equal access to online spaces.

The technical standard that defines what “accessible” looks like is WCAG 2.1 Level AA, and in the U.S., the ADA requires most businesses to comply with it. Since 2018, ADA website lawsuits have increased every year. In 2023 alone, for instance, plaintiffs filed over 4,000 cases in federal court, and that number keeps climbing.