Accessibility

Accessibility is not optional — it is a fundamental aspect of quality engineering. Over one billion people worldwide live with some form of disability. Building accessible websites and applications ensures that everyone can use your product, reduces legal risk, improves SEO, and often makes the experience better for all users. This topic covers WCAG standards, automated and manual testing techniques, screen readers, color contrast, keyboard navigation, and the evolving legal landscape.

1. 1
   WCAG Overview

   The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines: POUR principles, conformance levels, key success criteria, and why AA is the standard target.
2. 2
   Automated Accessibility Testing

   Tools like axe-core, Pa11y, WAVE, and Lighthouse — what they catch, what they miss, and how to integrate them into CI/CD.
3. 3
   Manual Accessibility Testing

   Keyboard-only navigation, zoom testing, focus order verification, cognitive walkthroughs, and creating an accessibility testing checklist.
4. 4
   Screen Reader Testing

   VoiceOver, NVDA, JAWS, and Narrator — basic commands, common issues, and step-by-step testing guides.
5. 5
   Color Contrast Requirements

   WCAG contrast ratios, what counts as large text, contrast checking tools, common failures, and how to fix them.
6. 6
   Keyboard Navigation

   Tab order, focus management, skip links, ARIA roles, and testing every interactive element for keyboard accessibility.
7. 7
   The Accessibility Legal Landscape

   ADA Title II and III, Section 508, the European Accessibility Act, rising lawsuits, and how to reduce your legal risk.