L
Laura Wissiak, CPACC
Guest
A curated list of web‑accessibility resources for developers, designers, and anyone interested in inclusive web experiences.
I compiled these resources over years of trial-and-error while forging my own a11y path. Whether you’re writing code, designing, or just curious about inclusive practices, there will be something here for you.
The W3C also offers translations of current standards and drafts in many languages, though coverage varies.
Knowing the legal landscape helps you locate the right reference material when you need it.
The tools of the trade! And to be honest, it can also be more fun to learn through trial and error, instead of theory alone.
WebAIM
We love WebAIM in this virtual house because they give out knowledge for free. The WebAIM Introduction to Web Accessibility Course is free. The only thing you have to pay for is if you want to get a certification.
AccessibleEU
AccessibleEU does a lot of things, just like the incredible hustler it is; one of them is the AccessibleEU Online Training on Accessible Technology Design. It also comes with a Community of Practice, and both are free, no membership, no European passport required, nothing.
IAAP Certifications
The International Association of Accessibility Professionals offers a number of certifications, which are, well, internationally recognized. Notably, the following:
CPACC
Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies sounds intimidating, but is actually only the baseline of accessibility certifications. The CPACC Body of Knowledge is available in English and in German.
WAS
Web Accessibility Specialist, more self-explanatory, but also way more technical. The Body of Knowledge is available for WAS in English, WAS in German, and WAS in Spanish.
ADS
Continue reading...
I compiled these resources over years of trial-and-error while forging my own a11y path. Whether you’re writing code, designing, or just curious about inclusive practices, there will be something here for you.
Universal Design
- Center of Universal Design
- Universal Design for Learning (UDL) – The Why, What, and How of Learning. Especially relevant if you are developing courses, onboarding material, or professional‑development content.
WCAG
- WCAG, but in a language I can understand
- WCAG in plain English
- WCAG 2.2 Subway Map by Theme
- WCAG Figma Plugin
- WCAG 2.2 Figma card deck
- Honorable Mention: The WCAG 3.0 Working Draft
- And my favorite one: WCAG Pokécards Gotta Catch 'Em All
The W3C also offers translations of current standards and drafts in many languages, though coverage varies.
Legislation
Knowing the legal landscape helps you locate the right reference material when you need it.
- The European Accessibility Act (EAA) is the it girl of 2025. She’s dividing the internet: You either love her or hate her; no one’s indifferent!
- Accessibility Standards at the European Level
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, the mother of all accessibility legislation. Not to forget the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the grandmother of ICT accessibility!
- UK Equality Act
- Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA)
Web Accessibility Testing Tools
The tools of the trade! And to be honest, it can also be more fun to learn through trial and error, instead of theory alone.
- WAVE Tool by WebAIM: An automatic testing tool that provides WCAG references for each error, alert, and feature it finds. As with every automatic testing tool, none of them is perfect, but getting acquainted with this one in particular is particularly helpful because the WebAIM Million Report uses it. Learning the limitations of automated testing will help you interpret the findings better.
- Speaking of WebAIM: The one and only Contrast Checker, and arguably even better: the Link Contrast Checker to compare 3 colors against each other at once!
- Accessibility Insights for Web: A step-by-step testing tool. Very detailed, so much so that it may look a bit overwhelming at first. But especially beginners can learn a lot!
- WCAG EM Report Tool: A comprehensive auditing tool that guides you through the auditing process. It requires a bit more preexisting knowledge, but it makes up for it by providing you with a very nice report at the end.
- NVDA, a free screen reader, and for many, the first screen reader they learn accessibility testing with!
- Wondering what screen readers people use? Consult the latest WebAIM screen reader survey.
Alt‑Text
- Does this image need alt text? Follow the alt-text decision tree by W3C
- Need some inspiration for what to write? The Nielsen Norman Group has a good article to get you started: NNG Write Alt Text
Certifications
WebAIM
We love WebAIM in this virtual house because they give out knowledge for free. The WebAIM Introduction to Web Accessibility Course is free. The only thing you have to pay for is if you want to get a certification.
AccessibleEU
AccessibleEU does a lot of things, just like the incredible hustler it is; one of them is the AccessibleEU Online Training on Accessible Technology Design. It also comes with a Community of Practice, and both are free, no membership, no European passport required, nothing.
IAAP Certifications
The International Association of Accessibility Professionals offers a number of certifications, which are, well, internationally recognized. Notably, the following:
CPACC
Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies sounds intimidating, but is actually only the baseline of accessibility certifications. The CPACC Body of Knowledge is available in English and in German.
WAS
Web Accessibility Specialist, more self-explanatory, but also way more technical. The Body of Knowledge is available for WAS in English, WAS in German, and WAS in Spanish.
ADS
Accessible Document Specialist does exactly that: document accessibility. The ADS Body of Knowledge is only available in English.
Advanced Reading Articles
- Disability Dongles
- WAI‑ARIA Overview WAI‑ARIA stands for Accessible Rich Internet Applications. It defines a way to make web content and applications more accessible, especially dynamic interfaces built with HTML, JavaScript, and related technologies.
- Books, if you prefer analog learning.
Continue reading...
