AccessiBuddy
Web Accessibility

Top 5 Common Web Accessibility Issues and How to Fix Them

AccessiBuddy Team •
#Accessibility#Web Development#Best Practices

Creating an accessible web experience is essential for ensuring that all users, including those with disabilities, can engage with your content. Despite growing awareness, some accessibility issues remain prevalent across many websites. Here are the top five common accessibility problems found during audits and step-by-step solutions for developers to fix them.

1. Missing Alternative Text for Images

Issue: Images lack descriptive alt attributes, making them inaccessible to screen readers.

Solution:

  1. Add descriptive alt text to all images. 
    <img src="example.jpg" alt="Description of the image">
  2. For decorative images, use an empty alt attribute to indicate they can be skipped. 
    <img src="decorative.jpg" alt="">
  3. Use tools like AccessiBuddy or browser extensions to scan for missing or inappropriate alt text.

2. Low Contrast Between Text and Background

Issue: Insufficient color contrast makes text hard to read for users with visual impairments.

Solution:

  1. Use a contrast checker (e.g., WebAIM Contrast Checker) to ensure compliance with WCAG 2.1 standards.
  2. Adjust colors to meet the minimum contrast ratio of:
    • 4.5:1 for regular text.
    • 3:1 for large text (over 18pt or 14pt bold).
  3. Test and update styles in your CSS. 
    body {
    color: #333; /* Darker text */
    background-color: #fff; /* Lighter background */
}

3. Inaccessible Forms

Issue: Forms lack proper labels, making them difficult for screen readers to interpret.

Solution:

  1. Associate all form elements with labels using for and id attributes. 
    <label for="email">Email:</label>
<input type="email" id="email" name="email">
  2. Add aria-describedby for additional guidance, if needed. 
    <input type="text" id="username" aria-describedby="usernameHelp">
<small id="usernameHelp">Your username should be 6-12 characters long.</small>
  3. Validate forms for keyboard and screen reader accessibility.

4. Lack of Keyboard Navigation

Issue: Interactive elements are not accessible via keyboard, excluding users who rely on keyboard navigation.

Solution:

  1. Ensure all interactive elements are focusable and navigable. 
    <button>Submit</button>
  2. Add visible focus indicators for interactive elements. 
    button:focus {
    outline: 2px solid #007BFF;
}
  3. Test navigation using only the keyboard (Tab, Shift+Tab, Enter, and Space).

5. Missing or Improper Use of Headings

Issue: Pages have missing, skipped, or improperly structured headings, causing confusion for screen readers.

Solution:

  1. Use a logical hierarchy for headings, starting with <h1> and proceeding sequentially to <h6>. 
    <h1>Main Title</h1>
<h2>Subsection Title</h2>
<h3>Details</h3>
  2. Avoid skipping heading levels for visual purposes; use CSS to adjust appearance instead.
  3. Verify heading structure with tools like AccessiBuddy or browser accessibility inspectors.

Conclusion

Web accessibility is not just a legal obligation but also an opportunity to create inclusive experiences for all users. By addressing these common issues and leveraging tools like AccessiBuddy to automate audits and track fixes, developers can ensure compliance with accessibility standards and enhance user satisfaction.

What accessibility challenges have you encountered? Shoot us a message and share your thoughts!

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