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  • Product Media Accessibility: Are You Doing It Right?

    Product Media Accessibility: Are You Doing It Right?

    Visuals drive e-commerce—they shape how customers understand, compare, and connect with products. But for users relying on screen readers or other assistive technologies, those visuals only work when paired with accurate alt text and accessible labels. Without them, key product details disappear, leaving users unable to engage or buy.

    Accessibility also drives measurable results. Research shows that 71% of users with disabilities leave sites that present barriers, while inclusive design reduces bounce rates and builds trust. Search engines benefit, too—HubSpot reported a 779% increase in image traffic after optimizing alt attributes. And with nearly 15% of the global population living with a disability, accessible images open your storefront to a wider audience that can browse and buy without friction.

    When done well, accessibility becomes more than a technical fix—it’s a competitive advantage. It improves visibility, trust, and conversion, all while making your brand easier for everyone to experience.

    This guide explores what that looks like in practice—how to make product media accessible, where teams most often slip, and how to integrate accessibility into your daily workflow.

    What Makes a Product Media Accessible

    High-quality product media isn’t just about presentation—it’s about communication. Every image should help shoppers understand your product, evaluate their options, and make confident decisions.

    In accessible design, that means ensuring every photo, color variant, and product angle can be understood not only visually, but also through assistive technology.

    Below are the key principles that make product media both effective and accessible.

    1. Clear and Descriptive Alt Text

    Alt text gives images meaning. Without it, assistive technologies have nothing to announce—and essential product details disappear. Descriptive alt text ensures that shoppers who rely on screen readers can access the same information as anyone else.

    When written thoughtfully, alt text also supports SEO, helping search engines understand what’s being shown and improving how your products appear in image searches.

    If you’re coding manually, add the alt attribute directly to your <img> tag:

    <img src="example.jpg" alt="A description of the image">

    Keep descriptions concise but specific, focusing on what’s visually relevant to the shopper.

    For those using a CMS like Shopify, WordPress, or Magento, you can add this text in the Alt Text or Alt Description field during upload. Many platforms support bulk editing—an efficient way to replace missing or generic alt text and ensure consistency across your catalog.

    When Product Media Need Alt Text (and When They Don’t)

    Product photos are the foundation of any e-commerce experience. They convey material, color, and quality—all the details a shopper depends on. Because of that, almost every product media needs alt text.

    The only exception is when an image adds no new visual information—for instance, when showing the same product from another angle without revealing new features or details.

    Redundant Product Views

    Multiple images of the same item are common: front, back, side, or top-down shots. These angles help sighted users but can become repetitive when read aloud by screen readers.

    If each image shows the same product with no meaningful change, you can mark the duplicates as decorative with an empty alt attribute:

    <img src="product-side.jpg" alt="">

    This signals assistive technologies to skip the image without disrupting the experience. Just ensure that at least one image—usually the primary product photo—has full, descriptive alt text.

    Does Your Image Need Alt Text?

    If an image adds context or new information that could influence a shopper’s decision, it must have its own alt text.

    Ask: Would this image help someone understand or evaluate the product differently? If so, describe it.

    Examples include:

    • Different colors or finishes:
       “Red ceramic table lamp with linen shade” vs. “Blue ceramic table lamp with linen shade.”
      Each variant should have distinct alt text.
    • Unique features or components:
       If an image highlights stitching, a removable part, or a texture, mention it briefly.
    • Lifestyle or context photos:
       When a photo shows the product in use—like a jacket being worn or a sofa in a living room—include that context to communicate scale and purpose.
    • Images with embedded information:
       If an image includes text such as a sale banner, sizing chart, or label, that information must also appear in alt text or nearby HTML. Screen readers cannot interpret text embedded in images.

    Writing Effective Alt Text

    Good alt text is concise, factual, and written with purpose. It shouldn’t describe every detail—just what matters to understanding the product.

    Best practices include:

    • Keep descriptions under 125 characters when possible.
    • Avoid phrases like “image of”—screen readers already announce it.
    • Use specific, factual terms: “brushed,” “polished,” “textured,” “matte.”
    • Mention what changes between images, such as angle or color.
    • Adjust wording for context—a banner image may need different phrasing than a gallery thumbnail.

    A consistent alt text style guide helps teams stay aligned, especially when managing large catalogs or working across departments.

    2. Optimizing Product Media Formats for Accessibility

    Accessibility also depends on clarity and performance. Large, slow-loading images can undermine user experience, particularly on mobile.

    Use formats that balance quality and speed:

    • WebP delivers high-quality visuals with efficient compression, improving load times.
    • SVG is ideal for scalable graphics such as logos or icons, maintaining crispness on any screen size.

    Fast, responsive images ensure your store remains usable across devices and assistive technologies alike.

    3. Avoiding Text Embedded Within Images

    If an image includes text—like promotional banners, product specs, or sale messages—screen readers can’t interpret it.

    Keep all essential text in HTML or nearby captions.
    If embedded text is unavoidable, repeat the information in the image’s alt text or elsewhere on the page so that it’s accessible to every shopper.

    4. Maintaining Visual Clarity and Contrast

    A clean, modern aesthetic is appealing—but not if it sacrifices visibility.

    Low-contrast product photos (for instance, light gray items on a white background) can be difficult for users with low vision to see.

    Maintain at least a 4.5:1 contrast ratio between the product and its background. Adding subtle shadows, reflections, or gradient overlays can improve visibility without compromising your design aesthetic.

    5. Labeling Interactive Product Media

    Any clickable image or icon—such as a “zoom” button, “add to cart” symbol, or “view gallery” thumbnail—should have an accessible name or aria-label.

    Describe the action, not the appearance:

    • “Zoom product image”
    • “Add to cart”
    • “Open gallery view”

    These small details help users navigate your site predictably and confidently, no matter how they interact with it.

    Testing Tools and Workflow Integration

    Accessibility isn’t a one-time audit—it’s an ongoing habit built into your development process.

    Automated tools:

    • WAVE and Lighthouse in Chrome DevTools identifies barriers and improvement tips for each image.

    Manual checks:

    • Test your pages with NVDA, VoiceOver, or JAWS to hear how descriptions are announced.
    • Disable images in your browser and ensure text alternatives still convey essential information.

    Workflow tip: Integrate accessibility validation into CI/CD pipelines. Use pre-commit hooks or CMS checks to block uploads missing alt attributes. Over time, this normalizes accessibility as part of the build process—not an afterthought.

    Product Media That Speaks to Every Shopper

    Accessible product media is about more than compliance—it’s about communication. Every shopper, regardless of ability, deserves the same opportunity to understand your products clearly and confidently.

    From writing meaningful alt text to maintaining contrast and responsive performance, accessibility transforms static visuals into tools that inform, guide, and convert. It strengthens trust and creates smoother experiences across every device and interaction.

    When your product media works for everyone, your brand stands out for the right reasons: clarity, quality, and care.

    If you’re ready to assess your current approach or bring accessibility into your creative workflow, schedule an ADA briefing with 216digital. We’ll help you turn accessibility from a checklist into a lasting standard for digital craftsmanship.

    Greg McNeil

    October 13, 2025
    How-to Guides
    Accessibility, How-to, product media, WCAG, Web Accessibility, web developers, web development, Website Accessibility
  • What Is Visually Hidden Content—and Why Use It?

    What Is Visually Hidden Content—and Why Use It?

    Every interface makes choices about what to show and what to leave unseen. Most of the time, that’s about layout or aesthetics—but it’s also about communication.

    For users who rely on assistive technologies, much of that communication happens through structure, labels, and semantic relationships. When visual clarity comes at the cost of semantic clarity, accessibility starts to break down. A clean UI is great, but clarity for assistive technologies is non-negotiable. When we drop visible text in favor of icons or compact layouts, we still owe users the same meaning.

    A practical answer is visually hidden content. It’s a technique for keeping information available to assistive tech—screen readers, braille displays, voice navigation—while keeping it out of visual view. Done well, it bridges the gap between a clean interface and a complete experience.

    You’ve seen it everywhere:

    • A magnifying glass icon that announces “Search.”
    • A “Read more” link that includes the article title.
    • A skip navigation link that quietly appears when tabbed into.

    Each example keeps the design clean while preserving meaning for users who don’t navigate visually. It’s not a trick—it’s thoughtful design expressed through code.

    When Hiding Breaks Accessibility

    It’s tempting to reach for display: none or visibility: hidden. Both make an element disappear—but they also remove it from the accessibility tree. To a screen reader, that content no longer exists.

    The same problem appears in older workarounds—moving elements off-screen with huge negative positioning or marking the wrong element with aria-hidden="true". They achieve visual cleanliness but erase meaning for assistive tools.

    If the accessibility tree is a map of what users can explore, those declarations tear off a corner of it. The HTML remains, but users can’t reach it.

     When something needs to be read, referenced, or focused, it must stay in the tree. The goal isn’t to hide it from everyone—it’s to make it visually invisible while still programmatically present.

    A Modern, Reliable Pattern for Visually Hidden Content

    Most modern teams rely on a single, standardized utility for this purpose. It’s simple, maintainable, and works across browsers and devices:

    .visually-hidden {
  border: 0;
  clip-path: inset(50%);
  height: 1px;
  margin: 0;
  overflow: hidden;
  position: absolute;
  white-space: nowrap;
  width: 1px;
}

    Each property plays a specific role:

    • clip-path: inset(50%) hides the visible area.
    • position: absolute removes it from the layout but not the accessibility tree.
    • height and width shrink it to an imperceptible size.
    • overflow: hidden ensures no text leaks visually.
    • white-space: nowrap prevents wrapping or accidental exposure.

    This approach replaced older hacks like clip: rect() or sending text off-screen with left: -9999px;. Those caused issues for magnifiers and high-zoom environments. The clip-path pattern is clean, modern, and predictable.

    Use it with intention. Adding visually hidden content everywhere can overwhelm screen reader users. The best implementations give context—not clutter.

    Making Focusable Elements Work for Everyone

    Skip links, “Back to top” anchors, and similar utilities need to stay hidden until they’re actually used. If you apply .visually-hidden directly, keyboard users can focus the link but won’t see it—an invisible focus trap.

    The solution is a focusable variant:

    .visually-hidden-focusable:not(:focus):not(:active) {
  border: 0;
  clip-path: inset(50%);
  height: 1px;
  margin: 0;
  overflow: hidden;
  position: absolute;
  white-space: nowrap;
  width: 1px;
}

    This keeps the element hidden until it receives focus. Once active, it becomes visible—making skip links discoverable without cluttering the design.

    A few practical habits:

    • Always provide a visible focus outline and clear contrast.
    • Keep the revealed link’s position consistent (usually top-left).
    • Use short, direct text—users should immediately understand its purpose.

    This small adjustment is what makes keyboard navigation intuitive, discoverable, and consistent across accessible websites.

    Visually Hidden or ARIA? Understanding the Difference

    Developers sometimes treat these tools as interchangeable. They’re not; they work at different layers.

    Use visually hidden content when you need real, localizable text in the DOM—context for links, helper hints, or dynamic status messages that assistive technologies should read naturally.

    Use ARIA when you’re labeling or describing elements that are already visible:

    • aria-label adds a brief text label.
    • aria-labelledby points to a visible label.
    • aria-describedby links to explanatory text or error messages.
    • Live regions (role="status") announce dynamic changes.

    Often, the best solution combines both. A decorative SVG can be marked aria-hidden="true", while a hidden text label provides a proper name. A form field can have a visible label and connect to hidden guidance via aria-describedby.

     Knowing when to use which—sometimes both—is what turns compliance into genuine usability.

    Writing Hidden Text That Adds Value

    Hidden text should earn its place. It’s part of the user experience and deserves the same editorial care as visible copy.

    A few best practices:

    • Add what’s missing visually—don’t repeat what’s obvious.
    • Keep it short and natural; users will hear it read aloud.
    • Avoid filler or redundancy—screen readers already announce role and state.
    • Localize it so it fits each supported language context.

    When written thoughtfully, visually hidden content enhances understanding without adding noise. The best examples are invisible to some, indispensable to others.

    Testing What You Can’t See

    Accessibility isn’t a box to tick—it’s a conversation between your design and your users. Testing is where that conversation becomes real.

    Here’s how to validate your implementation:

    • Keyboard: Tab through the page. Ensure focus moves logically and stays visible.
    • Screen readers: Use NVDA, VoiceOver, or JAWS to confirm that hidden text reads in context.
    • Accessibility tree: Check DevTools to make sure hidden content remains part of the structure.
    • Zoom and magnification: Scale up to 200% and confirm no visual artifacts appear.

    Automation can’t tell you whether your content makes sense—but a quick, human pass will.

    From Utility to System

    Once you’ve validated your approach, make it part of your toolkit.

    • Include .visually-hidden and .visually-hidden-focusable in your design system.
    • Document their purpose, examples, and edge cases.
    • Encourage teammates to review hidden content with the same care as visible UI text.

    Frameworks like Tailwind’s sr-only class use this exact foundation. Aligning with established patterns makes your code predictable and your accessibility practices easier to scale.

    This is how visually hidden content becomes part of your craft—not just a snippet you copy-paste.

    The Invisible Work That Shapes Experience

    A few quiet lines of CSS can completely change how people experience your site. Visually hidden content doesn’t alter what most users see, but it transforms what others can access, understand, and trust.

    That’s what accessibility is really about—creating clarity that transcends sight. And that’s what good front-end work does at its best: it makes meaning visible, even when the code itself is unseen.

    If you’re working through accessibility fixes or want a second set of eyes on remediation, consider scheduling an ADA briefing with 216digital. It’s a focused, collaborative session designed to help you identify barriers, prioritize what matters most, and move confidently toward compliance.

    Greg McNeil

    October 8, 2025
    How-to Guides
    Accessibility, How-to, visually hidden content, WCAG, Web Accessibility, web developers, web development
  • ADA Guidance Documents: Now You See Them, Now You Don’t

    ADA Guidance Documents: Now You See Them, Now You Don’t

    You’re ready to make your site accessible, but the “how” still feels scattered—too many opinions, not enough plain steps. You want a path that fits busy days, real budgets, and a team that’s already stretched. Maybe you’ve got a dozen tabs open and the same question lingering: “Where do we start?”

    This guide gives you that grounding. We’ll explain why some public resources shifted (including ADA guidance documents) and what hasn’t changed about your responsibilities—then offer a calm, repeatable way to keep improving without the overwhelm.

    Behind the Headlines: What Actually Changed

    For years, website owners leaned on plain-English materials from the Department of Justice (DOJ) to turn legal text into everyday decisions. In March 2025, the DOJ withdrew a set of those materials—older how-to pages and pandemic-era Q&As. These ADA guidance documents weren’t binding law, but they acted like a friendly sidebar: “Are headings structured so screen readers can move around?” “Do forms have clear labels and announced errors?” “Do videos ship with captions by default?”

    The intention was to “streamline.” The result, for many teams, was losing that quick translation layer. The ADA didn’t change. The shortcut explanations did.

    What Are ADA Guidance Documents—and Why They Mattered Online

    Guidance sits between regulations and real life. It doesn’t create new rules; it shows what good looks like. For web teams, that practicality was gold. It helped product leads, designers, developers, and content editors turn big goals into small, repeatable habits:

    • Use semantic headings and landmarks so navigation is predictable.
    • Ensure keyboard access works everywhere—and that focus is easy to see.
    • Write meaningful alt text and descriptive link text.
    • Tie error messages to the right fields and announce them clearly.
    • Caption video and provide transcripts for audio.

    In short: fewer guesses, fewer do-overs, fewer users getting stuck.

    What This Means Day to Day

    When the handy reference disappears, hesitation sneaks in. A button ships without an accessible name. Focus gets trapped in a modal. A hero banner looks great but misses contrast by a hair. A form works with a mouse but not a keyboard. None of these are headline news alone; together they slow someone’s day—or stop it. Without familiar ADA guidance documents, teams second-guess what’s “good enough,” and releases start to feel inconsistent.

    But the baseline didn’t budge. The ADA still requires effective, equal access online. Courts still enforce it. And people still expect to complete tasks without extra hoops. The safest—and most respectful—move is to keep going, visibly and steadily.

    Why Waiting for New Guidance Is Risky

    It’s tempting to pause and hope for a new official playbook. Three reasons to keep moving instead:

    • Legal exposure. Courts across the U.S. recognize that inaccessible sites and apps can violate the ADA. That trend didn’t reverse.
    • Reputation and trust. Accessibility issues show up in reviews and social posts; quiet fixes made early rarely do.
    • Real people, real tasks. When login, checkout, or account recovery breaks for assistive-tech users, you’re not just risking a suit—you’re losing customers.

    Silence—or withdrawn ADA guidance documents—is not a safety net.

    What Web Compliance Looks Like Right Now

    Even without those quick-reference pages, your backbone is solid:

    • Standards: Treat WCAG 2.1 Level AA as today’s target and map sensible upgrades toward WCAG 2.2. WCAG gives your team a shared, testable language for “accessibility.”
    • Process: Fold accessibility into everyday work—requirements, design reviews, coding practices, content checks, QA, and release.
    • Evidence: Keep lightweight notes on what you tested, what you fixed, and what’s queued. Perfect isn’t required; active, good-faith effort matters.

    A Calm, Practical Web Plan (Built for Busy Teams)

    Think “little and often,” not “big and never.” Small habits—kept—beat big intentions that stall.

    1) A One-sentence North Star

    “Everyone should be able to find, understand, and complete key tasks on our site—without special instructions.” When trade-offs get messy, let that sentence break the tie.

    2) Make It Visible In Design

    Bake contrast rules, focus styles, and ARIA patterns into your design system. Add a five-item gate to design reviews: contrast, text scaling, focus order, error visibility, and respect for motion/animation preferences. These guardrails prevent expensive rework later.

    3) Test Every Release—Quickly And Consistently

    • Run an automated scan for the easy wins (contrast flags, missing labels).
    • Do a keyboard-only pass for navigation, focus order, skip links, menus, and modals.
    • Add a screen-reader spot check (one core task in NVDA or VoiceOver) to confirm headings, landmarks, labels, and announcements make sense.
    • Media check: captions/transcripts and no surprise auto-play.
    • Ten focused minutes can save hours of cleanup.

    4) Prioritize By User Impact

    Fix blockers first—anything that keeps someone from starting, finishing, or recovering a task (focus traps, unlabeled inputs, errors that aren’t announced, inaccessible captchas). Then clean up the friction.

    5) Write For Clarity

    Descriptive link text beats “click here.” Headings should be meaningful and in order. Error messages should be specific and tied to their fields. Plain instructions help everyone, not just screen-reader users.

    6) Train in Micro-moments

    Skip the marathon. Rotate five-minute refreshers: writing alt text, managing focus in modals, structuring headings, testing keyboard paths. Small lessons stick because people can finish them.

    7) Invite Feedback—And Close the Loop

    Publish a simple accessibility statement with a real contact path. When someone reports an issue, acknowledge it, fix it, and thank them. That response builds trust and brings problems to you early.

    8) Document Just Enough

    Keep a rolling log (tickets or a short doc) noting checks, defects, fixes, and what’s next. It’s team memory, proof of progress, and a calmer conversation if you ever need to show your work.

    Beyond Compliance: Better Web, Better Business

    Compliance is the floor. Inclusion is the opportunity. The same choices that meet WCAG also reduce support friction and lift conversions: clearer forms, reliable focus, readable text, captions that help commuters and quiet-office viewers alike, motion that respects user settings. You don’t need fresh ADA guidance documents to make that case—the impact shows up in your analytics, your reviews, and the quiet relief of users who can simply get things done.

    A Clear, Steady Path Forward

    Here’s the bottom line: the ADA still stands, and the withdrawn ADA guidance documents didn’t change what “good” looks like online. Rebuild the convenience layer yourself—standards as guardrails, small checks each release, micro-training that sticks, open feedback, and just-enough documentation.

    Start small. Keep going. Write down what works. That’s how you protect your brand, respect your users, and give your team a sustainable way to ship accessible experiences. And if a short, expert walkthrough would help you set that cadence, consider scheduling an ADA briefing with 216digital—calm, practical, and focused on your next few steps.

    Greg McNeil

    September 18, 2025
    Legal Compliance
    Accessibility, ADA, ADA Compliance, ADA Web Accessibility, WCAG, Website Accessibility
  • Why ARIA Alone Won’t Fix Your Website’s Accessibility

    Why ARIA Alone Won’t Fix Your Website’s Accessibility

    ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) has become a mainstay in modern front-end work, giving us a way to make complex interfaces more usable for people relying on assistive tech. But here’s the catch: despite how widely it’s used now, accessibility issues on the web haven’t actually gone down. In fact, reports like the annual WebAIM Million consistently show that pages using ARIA often rack up more accessibility errors than those that don’t. That’s a red flag—and it raises an important question: if ARIA is meant to improve accessibility, why does more ARIA so often lead to worse outcomes?

    What ARIA Is—and What It’s Supposed to Do

    At its core, ARIA is just a spec for adding semantic meaning where HTML alone doesn’t cut it. When we build custom UI components—think tab lists, modals, or live regions—ARIA roles and attributes tell screen readers what those elements are, how they behave, and when their state changes.

    For example, aria-live lets us announce new content to screen readers without forcing a page reload. aria-label gives an accessible name to elements that don’t have visible text. Using role="tablist" clarifies the relationship between grouped tab controls. When used correctly, these attributes bridge the gap between how something looks visually and how it’s experienced non-visually.

    When Is It Necessary?

    There are valid cases where ARIA is the right tool—like custom widgets that don’t exist in native HTML, dynamic content that needs to be announced, or modal dialogs that require managing focus. In these edge cases, it can give essential context to assistive tech users. The trick is restraint: only reach for ARIA when HTML alone can’t deliver the behavior you need.

    Why It Shouldn’t Be the Default Tool

    The W3C’s first rule of ARIA is dead simple: “Don’t use ARIA if you can use native HTML.” There’s a reason for that. Semantic elements like <button>, <nav>, and <input> come with baked-in keyboard support, focus behavior, and screen reader semantics.

    Replacing these with <div>s or <span>s and trying to patch on ARIA roles is a recipe for trouble. It adds complexity we have to maintain, and it increases the cognitive load on assistive tech users, who now have to deal with custom keyboard logic or missing states that native elements would have handled out of the box.

    Common ARIA Misuse That Breaks Accessibility

    Misusing ARIA is the fastest way to make things worse. Some of the most common mistakes we see:

    • Redundant ARIA: e.g. adding role="button" on a native <button>, which can confuse announcements.
    • Incorrect roles or attributes:  like using aria-checked on something that’s not checkable.
    • Static ARIA states: setting aria-expanded="true" and never updating it when the element collapses.
    • Overriding native behavior : trapping focus or breaking expected tab order.
    • Misused aria-hidden: This one’s especially nasty. It hides content from assistive tech, which is fine for decorative icons or offscreen helper text. But if you throw it on meaningful content like links or form controls, it removes them from the accessibility tree entirely. That creates “empty” focusable elements and violates the rule that aria-hidden="true" must never be on focusable items.

    Take a link that only has an SVG icon with aria-hidden="true". Visually it looks fine, but to a screen reader, it’s just an empty link with no name. Compare that to a native <button> with either visible text or an aria-label—it automatically conveys its purpose. Misusing it like this doesn’t just fail to help; it strips meaning away.

    Why ARIA Usage Correlates with More Errors

    The WebAIM Million keeps showing the same trend: pages with ARIA average almost twice as many detectable errors as those without. That doesn’t mean ARIA is inherently bad—it means it’s often used wrong.

    Here’s why that happens so often:

    • More moving parts: Every ARIA attribute is another thing that has to stay in sync as the UI changes.
    • Misunderstood implementation: Developers sometimes add it without fully understanding how screen readers will interpret it. For instance, putting aria-hidden on a logo or nav link effectively removes it from the experience for assistive tech users.
    • No real testing: There’s a tendency to assume that if ARIA is present, accessibility is solved. Without testing, it’s easy to miss that it’s actually broken.

    The Real Fix: Manual Testing and Developer Discipline

    Automated tools are useful for catching low-hanging fruit like missing alt text, color contrast issues, or syntax errors. But they can’t tell you if your ARIA actually works. They’ll detect if aria-expanded is present—but not if it updates correctly when toggled.

    Same thing with aria-hidden: they’ll warn you that it’s there, but not if you used it correctly. Maybe the hidden element is decorative (fine) or maybe it’s essential (not fine). Only a human can tell. Most ARIA issues are about behavior and context, which tools can’t judge.

    Testing It in the Real World

    To know your ARIA implementation works, you’ve got to test it like real users would:

    • Keyboard-only navigation: Make sure everything interactive is reachable by tab, focus order makes sense, and keys like Enter, Space, and Arrow keys behave as expected.
    • Screen reader testing: Try NVDA on Windows, VoiceOver on macOS, or JAWS if you’re in enterprise. Confirm that roles, labels, and states are being announced correctly—and that hidden content stays hidden without killing important info.
    • User testing: If possible, bring in assistive tech users or trained accessibility testers to see how your UI holds up in practice.

    Doing this builds confidence that your ARIA-enhanced components are actually usable.

    Build a Feedback Loop Into the Dev Process

    Accessibility shouldn’t be a post-launch patch job. Bake it into your development flow. Do accessibility checks during code reviews, QA, and design iterations. When you add ARIA, document the behavior you expect, and get feedback from teammates or AT users to verify it works.

    Practical Guidelines for Responsible ARIA Use

    If you want to use it safely, stick to a few core habits:

    • Follow the WAI-ARIA Authoring Practices (APG): They provide vetted patterns and working code examples.
    • Use ARIA only when you have to: Lean on semantic HTML first, and treat it as a fallback.
    • Test thoroughly:  Validate behavior with keyboard and screen readers, not just automated checkers.
    • Review aria-hidden usage carefully: Only hide decorative or duplicate content. Never hide focusable items, form controls, or nav links.
    • Document your decisions: Leave comments or README notes explaining why it was added and how it’s supposed to work.
    • Make accessibility a team effort: It’s not just the job of one dev or QA engineer. Everyone owns it.

    ARIA Isn’t a Shortcut—It’s a Responsibility

    ARIA is powerful, but it’s not magic. Used carelessly, it creates new barriers and frustrates the very people it’s meant to support. Used deliberately—with a “native first” mindset, real testing, and team buy-in—it can make complex interfaces accessible without breaking usability.

    Respect ARIA’s complexity, but don’t fear it. Real accessibility comes from thoughtful use of semantic HTML, strategic ARIA when it’s actually needed, and consistent real-world testing.

    If you want to level up your accessibility practices and cut risk, 216digital offers ADA briefings built specifically for dev teams. Schedule one today and start building better, more inclusive code.

    Greg McNeil

    September 12, 2025
    How-to Guides, Legal Compliance
    Accessibility, ARIA, keyboard accessibility, WCAG, web developers, web development, Website Accessibility
  • VPAT vs ACR: What’s the Difference and Why It Matters

    VPAT vs ACR: What’s the Difference and Why It Matters

    If you’ve ever been asked for a VPAT or an ACR and felt your stomach drop, you’re not alone. These acronyms often appear in RFPs, procurement conversations, and compliance checklists—and can leave even experienced teams scrambling to figure out what’s actually being requested. Understanding the difference between a VPAT and an ACR isn’t just technical trivia. It can mean the difference between winning a contract, avoiding legal risk, and showing that your organization takes accessibility seriously.

    This guide breaks it all down: what a VPAT is, what an ACR is, how they differ, and how to create them with confidence.

    Absolutely — here’s that section updated with the requested subheader formatting:

    What Is a VPAT?

    A VPAT—short for Voluntary Product Accessibility Template—is a standardized document created by the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) to report how well a digital product meets accessibility standards like WCAG, Section 508, and EN 301 549.

    Think of the VPAT as a structured questionnaire. It asks you to evaluate your product feature by feature and indicate whether each requirement is supported, partially supported, or not supported, along with explanations. The most recent version is VPAT 2.5, which comes in multiple editions to meet different regulatory needs: WCAG, 508 (for U.S. federal agencies), EU (for European procurement), and INT (for global organizations).

    A Typical VPAT Includes

    • Product name, version, and date of evaluation
    • Standards referenced (WCAG 2.1, Section 508, EN 301 549)
    • Testing methods used
    • Tables showing conformance levels for each criterion
    • Brief remarks or explanations where needed

    It’s important to note that the VPAT itself is voluntary—there’s no federal law requiring you to complete one unless it’s part of a procurement process or client request. And because VPATs are self-reported, their quality depends on your honesty and expertise. A VPAT is an essential starting point but doesn’t guarantee real-world usability for people with disabilities. Usability testing and independent audits remain critical for a complete accessibility picture.

    What Is an ACR?

    An ACR, or Accessibility Conformance Report, is the completed version of a VPAT. If the VPAT is the blank template, the ACR is the filled-in, actionable report. It’s a snapshot of your product’s accessibility at a given point in time, often after thorough testing.

    Where the VPAT provides structure, the ACR provides substance. It includes:

    • Specific findings for each standard
    • Narrative explanations for partial or non-support
    • Workarounds or mitigation strategies
    • Planned remediation timelines

    How Testing Builds Trust

    The strongest ACRs are grounded in a variety of testing methods, not just automated scans. Manual code reviews can catch nuanced issues that tools miss. Testing with assistive technologies like screen readers, magnifiers, or voice input tools reveals how real users navigate your product. Including results from usability sessions with people who have disabilities can also add powerful credibility. Documenting these methods in your ACR shows buyers and procurement teams that your results are thorough, reliable, and rooted in real-world experience.

    Comparing VPAT vs. ACR: Core Differences

    Although the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, VPATs and ACRs play different roles:

    • Template vs. Report: The VPAT is the empty template; the ACR is the completed, shareable report.
    • Level of Detail: A VPAT lists conformance levels, but an ACR goes deeper with context, user impact notes, and remediation plans.
    • Who Creates Them: VPATs are often drafted internally by product or compliance teams. ACRs may be internally created or validated by third-party auditors to add credibility.
    • Audience: VPATs are useful for internal planning and tracking. ACRs are intended for procurement officers, enterprise buyers, and compliance teams who need assurance that accessibility has been tested and documented thoroughly.

    This distinction is crucial—submitting only a VPAT when an RFP requests an ACR could disqualify you from consideration.

    Best Practices for Creating VPATs and ACRs

    Getting these documents right takes more than filling out a form. Follow these practices to create credible and effective reports:

    • Use the Latest Template: Work from VPAT 2.5 or later to align with current standards like WCAG 2.1 or 2.2.
    • Be Transparent About Gaps: Overstating conformance can hurt credibility. Clearly indicate “Partially Supports” or “Does Not Support” when needed, and explain why.
    • Add Detailed Remarks: Go beyond a yes/no answer. Include context on who is impacted, how severe the issue is, and whether a fix is planned.
    • Document Testing Methods: Specify whether testing involved automated tools, manual reviews, assistive technology testing, or user testing. This adds weight to your ACR findings.
    • Update Regularly: Accessibility isn’t one-and-done. Refresh your VPAT and ACR with each major release or remediation cycle so they reflect the current state of your product.

    Procurement-ready Checklist

    • Product name, version, and date are clearly listed
    • Standards cited (WCAG, 508, EN 301 549) match buyer requirements
    • Conformance ratings are accurate and supported with evidence
    • Testing methods and tools are documented in plain language
    • Known issues, workarounds, and fix timelines are included
    • Jargon is avoided—language is clear for non-technical readers
    • Document is reviewed and refreshed with each major product update

    Conclusion: Building Confidence Through Transparency

    The VPAT gives you the structure, but the ACR brings it to life. Together, they are essential for demonstrating conformance, preparing for procurement, and showing that you take inclusion seriously.

    At 216digital, we view accessibility documentation not as a burden, but as a pathway to trust and opportunity. A well-crafted ACR helps you thrive in competitive markets by proving your commitment to accessibility and inclusion.

    If you’d like guidance on creating either document—or aligning both with the latest standards—schedule an ADA briefing with 216digital. Our team will walk you through every step, from drafting a VPAT to publishing a credible ACR, helping you move from paperwork to real-world accessibility.

    Greg McNeil

    September 11, 2025
    Legal Compliance, Testing & Remediation
    Accessibility, ACR, ADA Compliance, Legal compliance, Section 508, VPAT, WCAG, Web Accessibility, Website Accessibility
  • Do You Need a Web Accessibility Audit or a VPAT?

    Do You Need a Web Accessibility Audit or a VPAT?

    Digital compliance isn’t one-size-fits-all. Depending on your organization’s goals, you may need an accessibility audit, a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT®), or both. The real challenge is matching the deliverable to the job in front of you. If you’re navigating ADA, Section 508, WCAG, EN 301 549, or enterprise procurement requirements, understanding how audits and VPATs differ—and how they work together—can save time, reduce risk, and strengthen your position in competitive markets.

    This guide explains what accessibility audits and VPATs are, how they differ, when to use each, and how they can complement one another.

    What Is an Accessibility Audit?

    An accessibility audit is a deep, hands-on evaluation of your digital product—website, web app, mobile app, software, or document—against recognized standards such as WCAG 2.1/2.2 Level AA and, when applicable, Section 508. Although automation has a role, a credible audit centers on expert manual testing and real-world use.

    A typical audit blends three modes of evaluation that build on one another:

    • Automated triage to surface easy-to-spot patterns (e.g., missing alt text, color contrast flags, form input associations) and help size the work.
    • Expert manual review of templates, components, and user flows against WCAG success criteria, including focus management, semantics/landmarks, ARIA usage, error handling, and dynamic states.
    • Assistive technology and keyboard testing to validate actual usability—screen readers (e.g., NVDA/JAWS/VoiceOver), zoom and reflow, high-contrast modes, and full keyboard operation.

    Strong audits don’t stop at a list of defects. They provide actionable guidance: prioritized findings, severity and user impact, code-level recommendations, component-level patterns, and a retest plan. Many organizations also incorporate user testing with people with disabilities to capture lived-experience insights that technical checks alone can miss. The result is a roadmap your team can execute—not just a scorecard.

    What Is a VPAT?

    A VPAT® is a standardized disclosure that becomes your Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR). It doesn’t test; it reports what testing found. Each criterion is mapped to a status—Supports, Partially Supports, or Does Not Support—with remarks that define versions, platforms, assistive-technology pairings, and known limits. Choose the correct edition (WCAG, Revised Section 508, EN 301 549, International), date-stamp the ACR, and clearly state the product and environment scope. A defensible VPAT is evidence-backed—ideally by a recent audit plus targeted verification on the declared platforms.

    In short: an audit discovers and validates; a VPAT declares and documents.

    Accessibility Audit vs VPAT: Key Differences

    AspectAccessibility AuditVPAT (ACR)
    Primary purposeIdentify issues; deliver remediation guidance; validate usabilityCommunicate conformance status to buyers and regulators
    AudienceInternal teams: product, engineering, design, complianceExternal stakeholders: procurement, clients, regulators
    FormatNarrative report with prioritized findings and fixesStandardized template leading to an ACR with criterion-by-criterion statements
    EvidenceManual/AT testing, sometimes user testing with people with disabilities, plus automationSummaries of conformance based on testing evidence
    TimingBest before launch/redesign, after significant releases, or upon risk eventsBest during RFPs, renewals, market entry, or when a contract requires it
    OutcomeImproved accessibility and user experienceProcurement-ready disclosure and contractual clarity
    Update cadenceWith each major release or accessibility milestoneWhenever scope, features, or conformance materially change

    With the differences in view, here’s how to use each deliverable at the right moment.

    When to Have an Accessibility Audit

    An audit should come before you make broad claims of compliance. It is the groundwork that ensures your product meets the standards you plan to cite.

    Consider commissioning an audit when you are:

    • Preparing for launch or a major redesign. Early findings are cheaper to fix and easier to standardize into reusable components.
    • Responding to risk. If you’ve received a complaint, demand letter, or internal escalation, an audit clarifies actual exposure and prioritizes remediation.
    • Improving product quality. Teams aiming to raise UX quality for everyone—faster task completion, fewer errors, better forms—use audits to remove barriers that frustrate all users, not only those with disabilities.
    • Planning a VPAT. If a VPAT is on the horizon, a current audit supplies the evidence and remarks you’ll need to make defensible statements.

    Without an audit, a VPAT can drift into guesswork—an avoidable liability in regulated procurement.

    When to Have a VPAT Prepared

    A VPAT becomes essential when you need formal proof of accessibility for sales, purchasing, or funding.

    Typical triggers include:

    • RFPs and vendor onboarding in government, higher education, healthcare, and large enterprise.
    • Contract renewals or marketplace listings where accessibility is non-negotiable.
    • International expansion that introduces EN 301 549 or other jurisdictional requirements.

    Treat the VPAT/ACR as a living document. Update it after major releases, platform additions, or meaningful improvements so procurement teams see a current and accurate picture.


    Decision rule: If an external party will evaluate your conformance (RFP, renewal, marketplace, grant), you’ll need an ACR (VPAT) grounded in a current audit; otherwise start with the audit alone.

    Do You Need Both?

    In regulated or enterprise procurement, the default answer is yes. If you are selling to government, higher education, healthcare, or large enterprises—or you intend to make public conformance claims—you need both an audit and a VPAT (ACR). The audit establishes factual evidence of how the product performs against WCAG/Section 508 in real use. The VPAT communicates that evidence in the standardized format buyers expect.

    As a rule of thumb: use an audit to know; use a VPAT to show. When disclosure is part of sales, renewals, or public listings, sequence your work as audit, remediate, then prepare the VPAT so statements are current, precise, and defensible.

    Once you know when to use each, it helps to see how they reinforce one another.

    How They Reduce Risk Together

    Audits and VPATs mitigate different classes of risk that often compound if handled in isolation. The audit reduces product and legal risk by finding and prioritizing barriers before they become complaints or claims and by providing implementable fixes. It also creates a repeatable testing pattern—templates, flows, and assistive-technology pairings—that your team can reuse release after release.

    The VPAT reduces commercial and contractual risk. It removes friction in procurement, sets accurate expectations about platforms and known limits, and documents the scope under which conformance was verified. Procurement teams look for alignment between your ACR remarks and the audit artifacts. When those line up—versions, dates, and assistive 

    technologies—friction drops and credibility increases. Working together, the audit improves the thing; the VPAT aligns the promise. That alignment closes the gap between user reality and contractual language—the place most disputes arise.

    Practical Scenarios

    Federal RFP: You need both. Commission an audit covering the exact scope in the RFP (versions, browsers, AT). Remediate high-impact issues, verify fixes, then publish a VPAT/ACR that cites that evidence with precise remarks.

    Small e-commerce: Prioritize the audit. Focus on core purchase flows and forms, implement fixes, and establish a light retest cadence. Skip the VPAT until an enterprise buyer or marketplace explicitly requests one.

    University adoption: The buyer will require a VPAT from the vendor. A responsible vendor conducts an audit first, then produces a VPAT grounded in that evidence.

    Monthly SaaS cadence: Establish a rhythm: periodic audits on shared components and critical journeys; targeted verification after impactful changes; VPAT updates tied to material shifts in scope or before major renewals. Keep the VPAT’s scope and dates synchronized with your latest audit window.

    Final Thoughts

    Accessibility audits and VPATs aren’t interchangeable; they serve different, complementary purposes. The audit digs into how your product actually behaves and shows you how to fix issues. The VPAT communicates that conformance in a format procurement teams trust. Organizations that treat the VPAT as living, evidence-based disclosure—and audits as an ongoing quality practice—build trust, reduce risk, and win more consistently.

    Ready to move from claims to confidence? Schedule an ADA briefing with 216digital—we’ll review your product context, prioritize a first sprint, and outline a clear path from audit and remediation to a defensible, procurement-ready ACR.

    Greg McNeil

    September 10, 2025
    Testing & Remediation, Uncategorized
    Accessibility, Accessibility Audit, ADA, custom accessibility audits, VPAT, WCAG, Web Accessibility, Website Accessibility
  • Class Is in Session for Digital Accessibility

    Class Is in Session for Digital Accessibility

    In the first week of school, a parent tried to submit a health form from her phone. The fields weren’t labeled, the keyboard focus jumped, and the “Submit” button never announced itself to her screen reader. Ten minutes later, she gave up—and the nurse never received the update. Small details in the interface had big, human consequences. This is why digital accessibility belongs on the same list as notebooks, logins, and bell schedules.

    Accessibility on campus isn’t only ramps and elevators. The real campus now includes the learning management system, the student information system, online forms, classroom apps, digital textbooks, videos, and PDFs uploaded by teachers. When these touchpoints aren’t designed for everyone, the barriers are invisible but very real. Students miss assignments. Parents miss announcements. Teachers spend late nights wrestling with tools instead of teaching. Administrators field complaints they didn’t anticipate.

    When School Technology Leaves Learners Behind

    For ninth-grader using a screen reader doesn’t just see an untagged PDF as a small annoyance—it’s a wall. When a teacher is posting materials after hours, clear headings and alt text can be the difference between “done” and another late night reformatting. And for families juggling multiple jobs, captions and plain language turn school updates into something everyone can follow on the first read.

    Digital accessibility gives every learner a fair start and lets ability—not the interface—decide the outcome. When a student can tab through an assignment form, a parent can complete it by voice on a phone, and a teacher’s resources read cleanly in NVDA or VoiceOver, learning gets easier for everyone.

    What Digital Accessibility Looks Like in a School Context

    Good accessibility is concrete and testable in the tools schools use every day:

    • Structure and navigation. Pages use semantic headings, lists, and landmarks so assistive tech can move through the outline—not just the visuals. Menus are reachable with a keyboard and the focus is always visible.
    • Forms that behave. Labels are programmatically tied to inputs, errors are described in plain language, and status messages are announced to screen readers.
    • Accessible media. Videos include accurate captions; long recordings offer transcripts. Audio descriptions are available for essential visuals.
    • Documents that travel well. PDFs are tagged with a correct reading order, real headings (not just bigger fonts), and alt text for images; exported DOCX/Slides preserve structure.
    • Consistent components. Buttons act the same across the district site and the LMS; modals trap focus appropriately; alerts are announced.
    • Language that teaches. Instructions avoid jargon, and content is written so a student or caregiver can follow it without specialized knowledge.

    These are the details that turn “a student can technically reach the page” into “a student can actually complete the task.”

    The Power of Accessibility Audits for Schools

    If you want the honest state of your district site or campus platforms, start with an accessibility audit. A strong school-focused audit runs three complementary passes:

    1. Automated scans to surface quick signals—contrast issues, unlabeled buttons, missing form labels, heading misuse.
    2. Expert reviews with real assistive tech (e.g., NVDA/JAWS on Windows, VoiceOver on iOS and macOS) and keyboard-only navigation, mirroring how students and parents actually use the tools.
    3. Task-based flows tied to school outcomes: enroll a student, submit a health form, find an IEP meeting notice, complete a quiz, download a worksheet and read it in a screen reader.

    Automated tools catch a subset of problems; many of the blockers we see in schools—focus traps in portals, ambiguous link text like “Click here,” modals that don’t announce, inaccessible math or charts—require human judgment. The output of a good audit is practical: a ranked list of fixes tied to user impact, so IT and curriculum teams know what to tackle first, what can wait, and how to validate before the next release.

    VPATs and ACRs: What Procurement Really Needs

    After you address material issues, you’ll often need to document where your product or campus tool stands. That’s the role of a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT®) and the resulting Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR)—structured reports that map conformance to standards such as WCAG 2.1 and, where applicable, Section 508.

    For districts and universities, this is a procurement gate. Many will not move forward with an ed-tech vendor unless a current VPAT/ACR is provided and reviewed. A useful report is specific about what conforms and candid about gaps, with timelines and workarounds for instruction. That transparency earns more trust than vague “compliant” claims and helps committees compare solutions on equal footing.

    Treat the audit as the truth-finding step and the VPAT/ACR as the communication layer. One improves the product students touch; the other explains to procurement and digital accessibility coordinators where it stands today.

    Why Audits and VPATs Are Stronger Together (in Education)

    Sequence matters:

    1. Audit first. Identify barriers through expert and task-based testing aligned to real school workflows.
    2. Remediate and retest. Fix code, refine content, update components, re-export documents correctly, and verify behavior with assistive tech.
    3. Document with a VPAT/ACR. Communicate conformance clearly, including known gaps and planned remediation.

    Reversing that order tempts over-promising and erodes credibility with accessibility coordinators, legal counsel, and curriculum leaders. Done in sequence, you earn trust and set a cadence your team can sustain throughout the year.

    Build Digital Accessibility Into the School Year (Without Adding Endless Meetings)

    Lasting progress comes from folding accessibility into normal practice:

    1) Start With High-impact Fixes

     Address keyboard navigation, focus order, alternative text, captions, contrast, and form labels across the district site and LMS. These unblock core tasks quickly.

    2) Equip Every Role.

    • Teachers: short checklists for posting accessible materials (headings, alt text, captioning options, accessible templates).
    • Content specialists: guidance for writing in plain language and structuring documents for export.
    • Developers/IT: patterns in your design system for buttons, modals, alerts, and form components with accessible defaults.
    • Administrators: a simple rubric to evaluate ed-tech tools before adoption.

    3) Bake Testing Into Releases

    Before shipping portal updates or new templates, run a brief keyboard pass, a screen reader pass on key pages, and a contrast check on new UI. Keep it lightweight and repeatable—fifteen minutes can prevent weeks of support tickets.

    4) Treat PDFs and Slides as Instructions, Not Attachments

    Tag reading order, add bookmarks, write alt text, ensure exported files preserve structure, and prefer HTML or native formats when possible. If a document matters for learning, its accessibility matters.

    5) Monitor and Iterate

    School tech evolves constantly. Schedule periodic audits (e.g., pre-semester and mid-year), track accessibility issues like any other quality defect, and update your VPAT/ACR when material changes land.

    Why This Matters for Teaching and Learning

    Accessible technology doesn’t only prevent complaints—it improves learning:

    • A captioned science video helps a deaf student follow along and helps a tired parent review content after a late shift.
    • Clear headings in a history reading help a student with ADHD navigate and return to key sections.
    • A well-labeled quiz with announced status messages reduces anxiety for students using screen readers.
    • Plain-language instructions in the LMS lower the cognitive load for everyone, including multilingual families.

    When digital accessibility is present, students get through important moments without roadblocks, teachers spend more time on pedagogy than troubleshooting, and families feel genuinely included in school life.

    A Long-Term Strategy for Inclusive Schools

    Digital accessibility is strategic infrastructure for education. Districts and campuses that invest in it reach more learners, reduce friction for families, and build trust across classrooms, offices, and board rooms. New terms begin all the time—new semesters, new platforms, new cohorts. Build them to include the people you intend to serve.

    Ready for a concrete plan tailored to your school or district? Schedule an ADA briefing with 216digital. We’ll review your tech stack, content workflow, and procurement goals, then leave you with a prioritized roadmap and clear next steps your team can ship this term.

    Greg McNeil

    September 9, 2025
    Legal Compliance
    Accessibility, How-to, VPAT, WCAG, Web Accessibility, Website Accessibility
  • AI-powered Checks for Accessible PDF: Are They Enough?

    AI-powered Checks for Accessible PDF: Are They Enough?

    Your team ships PDFs every week—policies, forms, reports. They look polished. But if a screen reader hits the footer before the body, the file isn’t usable. That’s the gap an accessible PDF is meant to close. Laws like Section 508 and WCAG don’t treat PDFs as special exceptions; if a document lives on your site, people should be able to move through it as easily as a web page. AI helps with the basics and saves time. The real question: how far can you trust it on its own?

    Before we dig into tools, here’s how the standards actually fit together.

    What An Accessible PDF is—And Why the Law Cares

    Two complementary standards govern PDF accessibility. PDF/UA (ISO 14289) defines how a PDF’s internals must be constructed so assistive technologies can reliably parse and convey the content. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) governs outcomes when that PDF is published on the web—what users must be able to perceive, operate, understand, and rely on.

    PDF/UA (ISO 14289): Technical Conformance

    PDF/UA requires a correct structure tree with semantically appropriate tags (headings, lists, tables, figures), accurate role mapping, and a logical reading order. It expects:

    • Properly associated table headers and scopes.
    • Descriptions for non-text content; decorative material marked as artifacts.
    • Form fields (AcroForms) with programmatically associated labels, names, and instructions.
    • Declared document language and consistent language shifts where needed.
    • Links, bookmarks, and metadata that reflect actual structure.
    • The goal is consistent exposure of semantics to accessibility APIs so screen readers announce content as intended.

    WCAG for PDFs: Publication Context and User Outcomes

    When a PDF is part of web content, WCAG success criteria apply (e.g., 1.3.1 Info and Relationships, 1.3.2 Meaningful Sequence, 2.4.6 Headings and Labels, 3.1.1 Language of Page). WCAG focuses on the experience: users must navigate by headings, traverse content in a meaningful sequence, operate everything via keyboard, and understand relationships in tables, lists, forms, and links.

    How They Fit Together

    Think of PDF/UA as the engineering spec (how the file is built) and WCAG as the published experience (what users can actually do). Meeting one without the other leaves gaps—either structurally sound but unusable in context, or polished in presentation but unreliable under the hood.

    Operational Definition of “Compliant”

    In practice, compliance means a screen-reader user can:

    • Move by headings in a sensible hierarchy;
    • Traverse content in sequence;
    • Complete forms with announced labels and instructions;
    • Understand tables with correctly exposed headers;
    • Access links and landmarks without detours.

    With the standards context set, let’s look at why many PDFs still miss—and where automation helps versus where expert review remains essential.

    Why PDFs Are So Often Non-compliant

    Most teams don’t author in PDF first; they export—and that’s where trouble starts. Typical failures include missing or incorrect tags, reading orders that jump around, scanned pages without OCR, and forms or tables whose structure isn’t exposed to assistive tech. A quick snapshot:

    • No tags or the wrong tags → a screen reader announces “graphic, graphic, graphic” through a one-page flyer.
    • Reading order off → Footnotes should be read before the body copy.
    • Scanned pages with no OCR → 12 images, zero searchable text.
    • Mis-structured forms/tables → required fields can’t be reached; headers don’t announce.

    At scale—monthly statements, board packets, downloadable reports—small mistakes multiply. The volume is exactly why many teams turn to automation to keep pace and to move each file closer to an accessible PDF without starting from scratch.

    What AI-powered Accessibility Tools Do Well (Today)

    Give an AI checker a clean annual report and it can often spot headings, set a reasonable reading order, and propose alt text you can refine. That alone can cut remediation time significantly. Modern tools handle a few tasks particularly well:

    • Recognizing layout blocks (headings, paragraphs, lists)
    • Running OCR on scanned content to restore real text
    • Drafting tags for simpler figures (e.g., charts vs. logos)
    • Flagging obvious misses (untagged images, empty titles, missing language metadata)

    They’re fast, consistent, and tireless. Most importantly, they reduce the grunt work so specialists can spend time where judgment matters. What they can’t do is confirm that structure equals meaning—or guarantee that the end result behaves like an accessible PDF for every user scenario.

    Where AI Still Falls Short—and Why People Still Matter

    Some documents ask more than a model can answer. Two common gotchas:

    • Nested tables and forms. A claims form with merged cells can look “tagged” but read like alphabet soup.
    • Meaning vs. style. A bold sentence in a paragraph isn’t a heading; many models tag it that way.

    Tools also struggle with language switches mid-document, disclaimers that must tie to the right section, and reading orders that look logical to software but feel disorienting in a screen reader. A file may “pass” an automated check yet remain frustrating to use. That gap is not just usability—it’s risk. A defensible review still needs a human to ask: Does this read like an accessible PDF for someone relying on assistive tech?

    The Hybrid model for Accessible PDF Compliance

    Start with the tool, finish with a person.

    • AI first pass: establish the skeleton, set reading order, surface missing text alternatives, and catch obvious metadata gaps.
    • Human pass: repair tables, confirm form flow, check headings/links, and test a few pages with NVDA or VoiceOver.
    • Evidence trail: keep a short log of what changed and who checked it; if questions come later, you have the paper trail.

    This model balances speed with judgment. It scales because automation removes repetition while reviewers focus on the parts that shape the experience and, ultimately, compliance for an accessible PDF in the real world.

    AI is Powerful, But Not a Solo Act

    AI can accelerate the work, but it can’t replace judgment. If you’re balancing risk with reality, a two-pass workflow (tool, then human) is the path that holds up. The payoff is practical: fewer errors, faster cycles, clearer records, and a more reliable accessible PDF experience for your audience.

    If you want a second set of eyes—or a process your team can pick up and run—216digital can help. Schedule an ADA briefing with 216digital, and we’ll map a workflow that fits your documents, your deadlines, and your compliance goals.

    Greg McNeil

    August 26, 2025
    Legal Compliance
    Accessibility, accessible PDF, Ai and Overlay Widgets, AI-driven accessibility, PDF, PDF/UA (ISO 14289), WCAG, Web Accessibility, Website Accessibility
  • Web Accessibility Checklist for CA Businesses

    Web Accessibility Checklist for CA Businesses

    California sets the tone for digital accessibility—and businesses can’t afford to ignore it. Between strict state laws, federal regulations, and an active litigation environment, accessibility isn’t just a best practice; it’s a requirement.

    This guide breaks down what compliance means in California and gives you a step-by-step web accessibility checklist you can actually use. Think of it as a roadmap that not only lowers legal risk but also creates a better experience for every visitor on your site.

    Why Accessibility Matters in California

    California is one of the most aggressive states when it comes to enforcing web accessibility. Both federal and state laws apply, creating more risk for businesses with an online presence.

    A few things you should know:

    • ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act): Courts in California have ruled that websites and apps connected to physical businesses must be accessible. Cases like Robles v. Domino’s made that crystal clear.
    • Unruh Civil Rights Act: Unique to California, this law ties into the ADA but adds monetary damages—starting at $4,000 per violation. Multiple issues can multiply costs quickly.
    • CPRA (California Privacy Rights Act): Privacy notices, opt-outs, and user controls must also be accessible to people with disabilities.
    • AB 434 (Public Agencies): Requires California government websites to meet WCAG 2.0 AA.
    • Section 508 (for federal contractors): Applies if you do business with federal or state-funded entities.
    • AB 1757 (Pending): Would make WCAG 2.1 AA mandatory for all California websites and allow individuals to sue directly.

    Your California Web Accessibility Checklist

    Think of this web accessibility checklist as an ongoing process—not a one-time project. Accessibility isn’t something you can “fix” and walk away from. Each new feature, design tweak, or plugin you add can introduce fresh challenges, so it’s best to weave accessibility into your regular site reviews and updates.

    1. Know Your Legal Landscape

    Before you start making changes, pause and figure out which laws apply to your organization. A private company, a public agency, and a government contractor each face different sets of rules—and knowing where you fall will shape your strategy.

    Begin by asking a few simple questions:

    • Is your business based in California, or do you simply serve California residents?
    • Which laws apply to you? That could mean the ADA, the Unruh Civil Rights Act, CCPA/CPRA, Section 508, AB 434 for public sector sites, and potentially AB 1757 once it takes effect.
    • Who in your organization should own accessibility? Whether it’s your legal lead, a developer, or someone on the marketing team, make sure accountability is clear—and involve design, development, content, and legal voices early.

    2. Identify Your Accessibility Gaps with a Web Accessibility Checklist

    Once you know your obligations, it’s time to take an honest look at your website. Where might someone hit a barrier?

    Start with an automated scan like Google Lighthouse, or WAVE. Tools like these are great for catching obvious issues—missing alt text, weak color contrast—but they only scratch the surface. The real insights come from manual testing. Try navigating your site using just a keyboard, or fire up a screen reader. Can you move through forms, menus, and checkout without a mouse? Does everything make sense when spoken aloud?

    Keep careful notes as you go. Screenshots, detailed observations, and a running log of issues will help guide your fixes. Just as importantly, they also show good-faith effort if your compliance is ever questioned. Using a web accessibility checklist here helps you capture both the technical and usability gaps

    3. Fix Barriers and Align with WCAG 2.2 Level AA

    Now comes the hands-on work: fixing the barriers you’ve found. The most reliable standard to aim for is WCAG 2.2 Level AA, since courts and regulators often look to it as the baseline. WCAG breaks accessibility into four guiding principles—Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust (POUR). Here’s what that means in practice:

    Perceivable

    • Add alt text to all meaningful images
    • Make sure text can be resized up to 200% without breaking layouts
    • Provide captions, transcripts, and audio descriptions for multimedia
    • Avoid relying solely on color to communicate information
    • Keep text-to-background contrast strong
    • Indicate language changes in your site’s code

    Operable

    • Make sure every function works via keyboard
    • Add a “Skip to Content” link so users don’t have to tab endlessly
    • Keep buttons, icons, and menus predictable
    • Prevent content from shifting unexpectedly when users interact with it
    • Let users pause or stop auto-play and extend time limits on forms
    • Support both portrait and landscape orientations

    Understandable

    • Use clear, descriptive headings and labels
    • Write page titles that actually reflect what’s on the page
    • Make sure error messages are easy to spot and explain how to fix them

    Robust

    • Test your site across different devices and screen sizes
    • Ensure functionality for users with limited mobility
    • Use semantic, well-structured HTML so assistive tech works correctly
    • Keep content usable even when text spacing is adjusted

    4. Don’t Forget Privacy and Legal Disclosures

    Accessibility doesn’t stop at your homepage or checkout process. In California, your privacy notices, cookie banners, and consent forms are just as important.

    That means every checkbox, toggle, and opt-out option should be easy to reach with a keyboard and clear to a screen reader. Focus states should stand out, and every label should be tied programmatically to its control. When it comes to policies, avoid dense blocks of text. Instead, break them into sections with clear headings and write in plain, straightforward language. And whenever you link to something, make the link text meaningful—skip the vague “click here.” Regulators will expect these areas to meet the same accessibility standards as the rest of your site. A web accessibility checklist can serve as a reminder to evaluate these areas, which often get overlooked.

    5. Plan for Ongoing Compliance

    The last step is about staying consistent. Accessibility isn’t a box you check off—it’s a practice you build into your regular workflow.

    Set up a review schedule: quarterly audits for the full site, plus monthly spot checks for high-traffic pages. Fold accessibility into your design reviews, pull requests, and release cycles so issues get caught early.

    Be especially careful with third-party tools. Chat widgets, plugins, and embedded media can easily create barriers if they aren’t coded properly. Vet them before adding them to your site.

    And finally, keep your team sharp. Train designers, developers, and content creators regularly so accessibility remains second nature. Maintain a log of issues you’ve found and fixed—this not only helps with continuity but also shows your ongoing commitment if anyone ever challenges your efforts. 

    Accessibility: Not a Project, a Practice

    California businesses operate in one of the most demanding accessibility environments in the country. By treating accessibility as part of your ongoing website maintenance, you protect yourself from lawsuits, reduce customer frustration, and build trust with every visitor.

    The important part isn’t achieving perfection immediately—it’s showing steady progress and a willingness to keep improving.

    Need Help Making Sense of It All?

    If you’re unsure where to begin—or how to scale this web accessibility checklist across your team—216digital can help. We specialize in accessibility audits, practical remediation planning, and ongoing support for businesses serving California consumers.

    Schedule a free ADA briefing today and gain clarity on what compliance means for your website in California. Together, we’ll prioritize the fixes that reduce your risk and deliver a better digital experience for everyone.

    Greg McNeil

    August 22, 2025
    Legal Compliance
    Accessibility, California Consumer Privacy Act, California Web Accessibility Laws, Legal compliance, WCAG, Web Accessibility, Website Accessibility
  • Email Accessibility: Make Every Click Count

    Email Accessibility: Make Every Click Count

    You spend hours testing subject lines, analyzing open rates, and crafting the perfect call to action. But if your emails are not accessible, you may be unintentionally excluding millions of potential readers. More than one billion people around the world live with some form of disability, and many rely on assistive technologies such as screen readers, magnifiers, or keyboard navigation to interact with digital content. This is why email accessibility should be at the center of every campaign you send.

    This is where email accessibility makes a difference. Accessible emails do not only support people with disabilities; they also improve reach, engagement, and usability for everyone. You can think of accessibility as a safety net during your quality assurance process, one that helps make sure your hard work actually reaches its audience. The encouraging part is that small and thoughtful changes can create a big impact.

    Structure and Layout: Design for Navigation, Not Just Aesthetics

    Attractive design may catch the eye, but structure is what allows readers to move through your message with ease. Using semantic heading tags such as <h1>, <h2>, and <h3> helps organize your content in a way that screen reader users can understand. Headings should flow in a logical order without skipping levels. Relying on bold text or font size alone to show importance does not provide the same clarity.

    Tables are another common issue. They should be avoided for layout purposes whenever possible because screen readers can misinterpret them. If a table must be used for structure, adding role="presentation" tells assistive technology that it is decorative rather than data.

    It is also important to test your emails using only the Tab key. If you cannot reach every link, button, and input field by tabbing through the message, your subscribers will face the same problem.

    Image Accessibility: More Than Just Pretty Pictures

    Images are powerful in marketing emails, but without the right preparation, they can create barriers. Every image should include descriptive alt text that explains its purpose. If the image is decorative and does not add meaning, use empty alt text so that screen readers can skip it.

    Critical information, such as discount codes or calls to action, should never exist only within an image. Live text ensures that the message still appears even if images are turned off in the inbox. A good test is to disable images and see whether the email still conveys your intended message.

    Animations also require care. Flashing or strobing content can cause serious discomfort or even seizures for some readers. Autoplaying GIFs may distract from your main message. Whenever possible, give users the ability to pause or stop moving elements.

    Links and Calls to Action: Clear, Clickable, Inclusive

    Calls to action are where engagement happens, and they must be designed with clarity in mind. Instead of vague text such as “Click here,” choose phrases like “Read the full guide” or “Shop the new collection.” Screen reader users often move through an email by jumping between links, so each one needs to make sense on its own.

    Links should always be visually distinct. Underlining them is the best practice since relying on color alone is not effective for people with color blindness. Buttons and links should also be large enough to tap easily on a mobile device. A minimum size of about 44 by 44 pixels provides enough room for users with limited dexterity. Spacing links apart reduces the chance of misclicks. These adjustments not only improve email accessibility but also increase click-through rates by making the experience smoother for everyone.

    Copywriting and Readability: Make Every Word Count

    Email accessibility applies to words as much as to code or design. Short and direct sentences help readers understand quickly. Breaking your content into smaller paragraphs with clear subheadings makes the email less overwhelming.

    Avoid heavy jargon or insider language that may confuse people. Simple words in everyday language travel further and faster. Writing in an active voice also helps keep your copy engaging.

    Do not forget the basics of text styling. Font sizes should be at least 14 points, which is especially important for people with low vision or anyone reading on a small screen. Text should be left-aligned only, since centered or justified alignment slows down reading speed and can reduce comprehension.

    Multimedia Content: Do Not Skip the Captions

    Many email campaigns now include video, audio, or GIFs. These can make content more dynamic, but they bring accessibility challenges that need attention. Any video or audio clip should come with captions or transcripts. Captions are essential for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, but they also help people who are in noisy environments or those who are somewhere quiet and cannot turn on the sound.

    Animated GIFs should avoid flashing sequences or rapid loops. If movement is key to your message, include a description of it in the email copy or offer a static fallback image. Multimedia can be powerful, but it should never come at the expense of accessibility.

    A Pre-Send Accessibility Checklist

    Before you hit send, it helps to run through a quick accessibility check. Try navigating the email with only your keyboard. Make sure every image includes descriptive alt text or an empty alt attribute if it is decorative. Look at your link text and ask if it clearly describes the action or destination. Turn images off and check if the message still makes sense. Confirm that your color contrast is strong enough to read comfortably. Review your animations to see if they are subtle and under control. Lastly, read the text on both desktop and mobile screens to confirm that the font size is easy to read.

    These checks only take a moment, but they can prevent frustration and lost engagement.

    Accessibility Is a Long Game, but Every Email Helps

    No email will ever be perfectly accessible. The goal is not perfection but progress. Each improvement you make expands your reach, improves engagement, and builds trust with your audience.

    Email accessibility is not only about legal compliance. It is also about creating meaningful connections. By removing barriers, you ensure that your message reaches as many people as possible and resonates more deeply with them. Making email accessibility part of your long-term strategy strengthens both your brand reputation and the experience of every subscriber.

    The next time you prepare a campaign, add accessibility to your checklist. Treat it as part of your workflow, not an extra chore. An inaccessible email is never as effective as it could be.

    If you need a clear plan for accessible digital communication, schedule an ADA briefing with 216digital. We will walk you through practical steps to make your email campaigns and your digital presence more inclusive, more effective, and better prepared for the future.

    Greg McNeil

    August 12, 2025
    How-to Guides, Legal Compliance
    Accessibility, email accessibility, WCAG, WCAG Compliance, Website Accessibility
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