Breaking Barriers: The Importance of Accessibility in Software Development

7 min readDec 8, 2023

When we think about the world of software development, we often focus on aspects like defining requirements, coding, and crafting visually appealing user interfaces. Yet, a critical element that is frequently overlooked is accessibility — ensuring that our software is user-friendly for everyone, especially for the approximately 1 billion people worldwide living with disabilities (WHO, March 2023). Despite the pervasive nature of technology, a significant number of companies overlook the fact that a substantial segment of users requires additional support when navigating apps or websites.

As technology continues to play an ever-increasing role in our daily lives, more so highlighted by the recent pandemic, it becomes imperative in software development to aim for products that are universally accessible or, at the very least, devoid of barriers to access. This is particularly crucial in the Health-Tech sector, which is increasingly focusing on developing applications tailored for the elderly. For instance, features like larger, easier-to-read interfaces or voice-activated systems can make a significant difference.

In this blog post, I will delve into why prioritizing accessibility in software is not just important but essential, and I will offer insights into key considerations for testing software to ensure it is accessible.

Benefits of Accessibility in Software Design

As I mentioned in the beginning accessibility is an important topic and not only in the world of digitalisation. At its heart, accessibility in software development is about enabling people with disabilities to fully participate in society. This inclusivity extends beyond those with disabilities, benefitting all users by making digital products more humane and usable. When you consider that approximately 16% of the world’s population has some form of disability, it’s clear that poor accessibility can isolate or create challenges for a significant portion of potential users. Integrating accessibility features into software products isn’t just about compliance or social responsibility. It’s a matter of promoting good design practice and usability. Making your websites and applications accessible means they are usable by as many people as possible, including those using mobile devices or with slow network connections. This broad approach to design enhances the user experience for everyone, not just those with disabilities.

The Business Advantage of Prioritizing Accessibility

It’s an ideal world scenario where everyone acts out of altruism and a desire to create a better world. However, in the realm of business, the reality is often driven by sales and profit margins. At first glance, it might seem that prioritizing accessibility in software development merely adds to costs without offering tangible benefits. But this perception is far from accurate.

By ensuring your software is accessible, you are tapping into a significant market segment that often goes overlooked. This includes not only individuals with disabilities but also those using various technologies, such as older devices or slow internet connections. The inclusivity afforded by accessibility broadens your potential customer base dramatically. Also, accessible websites tend to rank higher in search engine results. This is because many of the principles of accessibility, such as clear navigation and descriptive link text, align closely with good SEO practices. Search engines favor websites that provide a good user experience, which includes ease of access for all users. Furthermore, a commitment to accessibility reflects positively on your company’s brand. In today’s market, consumers are increasingly aligning their preferences with companies that demonstrate social responsibility. By showcasing your commitment to inclusivity through accessible software, you enhance your brand’s reputation.

WCAG Standards for Web and Mobile Accessibility

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) with a global goal of creating a shared standard for web content accessibility. These guidelines are essential for making web content more accessible to people with disabilities, encompassing everything from text and images to the underlying code that defines web structure and presentation.

The WCAG 2.2 consists of 13 guidelines that are organized under four principles: perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust. These principles ensure that web content is accessible and usable for all, including those with disabilities. For each guideline, there are testable success criteria which are categorized into three levels of conformance:

Level A: The most basic web accessibility features.
Level AA: Deals with the biggest and most common barriers for disabled users.
Level AAA: The highest (and most strict) level of web accessibility. Meeting these success criteria is what determines conformance to the WCAG standards

While WCAG primarily addresses web content, its principles and guidelines are also applicable to mobile applications. Ensuring accessibility in mobile apps involves considering factors like screen reader compatibility, touchscreen interactions, and adapting content to various screen sizes and orientations. Following WCAG guidelines for mobile applications not only enhances accessibility for users with disabilities but also improves overall user experience across different devices and platforms.

(European) Legal Framework for Compliance

Incorporating accessibility into your software right from the design phase isn’t just good practice; it’s a proactive measure to align with various international and national regulations. But what exactly are these regulations? And more importantly, who is affected by them?

Introduced by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union in 2019, the European Accessibility Act (EAA) sets minimum accessibility standards for products and services across the European Union (EU). This includes digital products and services such as smartphones, tablets, ATMs, and e-books. By the end of June 2022, EU member states were required to publish laws, regulations, and administrative provisions to comply with the Act (Level AA). These requirements must be implemented in products and services sold in the EU by the end of June 2025. Unlike previous legislation that mostly applied to public-sector organizations, the EAA extends its reach to private companies as well. Moreover, it also applies to foreign-based companies (like Amazon) if they sell relevant products or services within the EU.

Tools for Achieving Software Accessibility

The development of accessible software requires a variety of tools tailored to different stages of the design, development, and testing processes. Here’s a breakdown of tools and websites available for designers, developers, and software testers:

Designers:

The A11Y Project: An open-source, community-driven resource offering tips, how-tos, and quick tests for accessible design.
Stark: A plugin for Sketch and Adobe XD, Stark is designed to embed accessibility tools into the design process, including a contrast checker and colorblind simulation.
Contrast: An application for quickly testing interface contrast against accessibility standards, aiding in accessible interface design.
FIGMA Plugins: Figma, a popular interface design tool, offers a range of plugins to enhance accessibility. These include ‘Able’, which provides color blindness simulations, or ‘Focus Orderer’.

Developers:

pa11y: An automated testing tool that can be integrated into the development environment, configurable for different accessibility standards and viewports.
DomainAccessibilityAudit: A tool for testing an entire website for accessibility issues, capable of crawling and auditing a site and producing a report.
The A11y Machine (A11ym): An automated tool for testing web pages and providing detailed accessibility reports.
Accessibility insights for web: A Chrome extension by Microsoft providing another interface to the axe-core framework.
HTML_CodeSniffer: A tool for checking HTML code against WCAG and Section 508 accessibility standards.

Software Testers:

Wave: A tool for accessibility testing that includes built-in checking against regulatory and legal requirements and offers assistive device farms for testing.
Axe Chrome Plugin: An in-browser tool for accessibility checking, offering detailed reports and solutions for identified issues.
Lighthouse: Built into Chrome DevTools, this tool provides quick accessibility checks and integrates well with the Chrome browser for testing web applications.
Tenon Toolkit: An automated testing tool that checks web content against accessibility standards.
acessiBe: A software testing tool that enhances website accessibility for people with disabilities, ensuring compliance with ADA and WCAG 2.1 standards.

Accessibility in software development is more than a noble goal; it’s a crucial aspect that impacts a significant portion of the global population. Ensuring that our digital products are accessible is not only a step towards inclusivity but also a smart business decision. As technology continues to intertwine with our daily lives, it’s essential for companies to recognize the importance of making their software accessible to all users. Therefore, accessibility should be a primary objective in every company’s software development agenda, contributing to a more inclusive and connected world.

If you’re interested in more content about Software QA, Artificial Intelligence, Digital Health, and Self-Development in general, be sure to follow.

Twitter: @theRealTestify

Instagram: @therealtestify